The study of Russian history and culture is difficult because of the abundance of colorful words and expressions. They seem familiar, their meaning is somewhere on the verge of understanding, but sometimes it is not possible to fully understand the essence of a specific term without outside help. Many read the story of Prince Oleg and wondered: what does “prophetic” mean? What meaning did the authors put into this concept, and what meaning did the people mean?
In search of etymology
First you need to get rid of the illusions! Despite the apparent consonance, “broadcasting” is just an omoform. It has nothing to do with the definition being studied and breaks up into meanings:
This means that the “prophetic” goes back to a different verb. And it is “knowing” in the interpretation of “knowing”. Related concepts from East Slavic languages ​​are:
wise;
experienced;
prophet;
witch.
Nevertheless, the emphasis in decoding is on a non-mystical component. This “title” could be given to a person whose words and actions organically fit into the outline of future events. As if anticipating them. Therefore, in the first, poetic sense, we have equally:
capable of foresight;
penetrating.
Sometimes the word “prophetic” from a person’s ability turns into a characteristic of an object or phenomenon, for example:
B. hand, V. gaze, V. strength, V. gift - peculiar to a person with the gift of foresight;
B. sleep - as an object that contains a prediction.
Daily use
Hearing something like this in everyday life is quite difficult. Unless you are fond of esotericism and do not conduct regular revisions of dreams, signs and other indications of changes in fate. The term is book with poetic coloring. Appropriate when a speaker needs to grab the attention of an audience. A few centuries ago you would be told that “prophetic” means:
clever;
knowing;
competent.
Such an interpretation is considered obsolete; contemporaries do not resort to it at all. Because of what, the sacramental tale of Prince Oleg is not perceived correctly. After all, readers pay attention to the name, but do not understand the unexpected prefix to the name. Although it was only a matter of leadership talents, the outstanding mind of the ruler.
Use in the 21st Century
Should the term be included in the lexicon? The question is rhetorical: most of the interlocutors will not understand what “prophetic” means in the context of conversations on everyday topics. Instead of an exalted style and a qualitative assessment of a person’s knowledge and skills, they are likely to think about the speaker’s love for dream interpretation and magical practices. How suitable is this development? Relate the pros and cons, and exclude the concept from official communication without fail.