I was Reading the new Dresden Files Novel, and there is a character called Cat Sith (yes Harry asks where is his Red Lightsaber) Cat Sith Harry eventually concludes is not "evil", but Hyperviolent and Prideful...(Which is i guess a way to keep on good terms with the super kitty I guess, cause differnce much?) I also found Baobhan sith, a vampire like fae. Do you suppose these folk lores are directly responsable for the sith (Star wars) devlopmental direction? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Sìth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baobhan_sith
Well I never... I always thought Cait Sith in Final Fantasy 7 was just a Star Wars reference, I never realised it was both a Star Wars reference and a Celtic myth.
I always thought the inspiration for the actual word "Sith" came to Lucas from the Barsoom books. Wouldn't be the only thing.
I don't know probably very long time, as in centuries, I am sure it predates the insuatrial revolution and the age of exploration.
Ah, the Sidhe! That's the fairies I linked to Waiting for Godot! (I couldn't remember what the name was.) This post will only make sense if you've recently read the One Sentence or Less thread
I was thinking more "Is "Sith" as "scary faeries" old enough, and well known enough, that Lucas could have gotten the name for his Evil Force Users from that?"
Truthfully not all of the "scary faries" unseelie or seelie have Sith in their names just Cu-sith, Cat sith, and Baobhan sith. I can't figure out how to put the little accents on cu sith http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cù_Sìth
Sith is a Scottish Gaelic spelling, Sidhe is a Irish Gaelic spelling. Both are pronounced more or less identically closer to 'Shee' (as in Banshee). The Basoom origin is more likely, not that I would put it past George Lucas to pronounce Scottish words wrong.