The origin of the term "Falling in love"?

Why is it common for us to say "Falling in love", "Fell in love", and whatever other variants of that phrase that there are?

I mean, love seems to boast a reputation of being wonderful, blissful, and all that great stuff. But, at the same time, granted, it also bears a reputation for being painful.

I once heard that the term originated in England during or before the time of Shakespear?
If I recall correctly, the term "Falling in love" was supposed to imply that to be in love meant to be in trouble

For instance, "Falling in love" is awfully similar to "Falling in mud", "Falling in crap", "Falling" in general, which usually isn't a good thing to do.

So, historically (I guess that would be the correct word), has love been percieved as being some wretched, unfortunate thing?

 

You know what, this might get a better response in the Senate.

Interesting though...

EDIT: Dang. I just went there.

How odd. This actually looks like it's a discussion and not some casual conversation.

Hmm...

 

The defenestration of love...

 

There are a lot of terms of whose origin are beyond my knowledge, and this one is no exception.

That said...Falling in Mud -> Falling in Love? I do not understand the connection, and Falling is not always "bad" it is simply unintentional jumping.

 

Zahn Kenobi: "Dang. I just went there."

Yep! I got locked there.

Dagger: "The defenestration of love..."


Throwing love out of a window?

Pilt: "That said...Falling in Mud -> Falling in Love? I do not understand the connection, and Falling is not always 'bad' it is simply unintentional jumping."


No, no, no! I was just replacing the word "Love" with other words! Usually, words surrounded by "Fell" and "in", from what I've seen, are things that you don't want to fall into!


What I'm trying to get at is that we say "Fall in love". Fall is defined as...well, this. The general definition of the word implies negative ramifications. You fell, meaning that you are no longer as high as you once were. Meaning that you are not any higher than you once were.

So, apparently, love was deemed as a negative quality. Otherwise, the phrase would have been "I'm climbing into love", or something to that effect, I think.

Opinions?

 

I would suggest that it has to do with the fact that when you are falling you aren't in complete control anymore and similarly when you start to fall in love you think about the person all the time and you're sort of out of control or thoughts of that person are such a big part of you that it kinda controls your life instead of you controlling your life. *shrug* I guess I didn't explain that well..uhm it made sense to me

 

in addition to what Cailina said, i think it also has to do with having faith that the person you're falling for will catch you... so to speak..

 

Cailina: "I would suggest that it has to do with the fact that when you are falling you aren't in complete control anymore..."

I really, really, really like this theory. It makes complete sense to me! When you're falling, gravity claims control over your body. Thus, you are no longer in control, as you said.
When in love, the single individual does not boast complete control, either!

"...and similarly when you start to fall in love you think about the person all the time..."

This is the part that I didn't like.
I don't think being in love is the equivalent of being obsessed.

Kerr: "i think it also has to do with having faith that the person you're falling for will catch you... so to speak..."

That is also intriguing, in my opinion.

Thanks for the replies, guys. Your theories are rather fascinating, at least to me.

 

This is the part that I didn't like.
I don't think being in love is the equivalent of being obsessed.

Yeah I know...I said it didn't come out right...I didn't mean for it to sound like it was the equivalent of being obsessed. Huh..I guess you said it better by just saying that the single individual does not hvae complete control. Yes that makes much more sense

Geeze, if you could all just read my mind it'd be so much simpler! I mean it makes perfect sense to me in my mind, I just can't explain it right! without it sounding like the same thing as being obsessed So yeah ya'll can just ignore what I said and go with how Valyn explain the first part of mine. Heh...

 

Cailina:

Well, I guess we've determined the meaning of the term "Falling in love"?

Thanks, guys.

 

Because other words aren't as romantic.

Compare falling in love to getting in love or becoming in love .

 

Recouperating in love?
Sitting in love?
Standing in love?
Running in love?
Barfing in love?
Leaping in love?
Retreating in love?
etc.... sounds silly...

 

Advancing in love and moving in love are a bit heavy on the innuendo...

 

It's a from a Stevie Wonder. I dont care if it isn't, I'm still going to say it is.

 

Maybe it has to do with the fact that marriges used to be arranged...so if you "fell in love" with someone else there could be BIG problems...

 

No, falling is a thing that when it happens you cant prevent, i.e. when you fall you cant prevent it. so in the same way the expression says that you cant prevent who you Love

 

I think Darth boy has a point there.

As for everything other than "Falling in love" sounding silly, that's only because we're used to that particular term. If we had been accustomed to the term "Jumping in love", then "Falling in love" would sound equally silly.

 

I still think that "sitting in love" would be inherently silly, even if it was the generally accepted term.

 

OOH i finally said something that made sence, must be my poetical intellect!
also remeber in English everything isnt meant to be taken literally, thats why we have Similes and Metaphors and expressions.

 

What most people don't realize is that the term "love" originates from an Old English word meaning "dog crap."

 

"The word love goes back to an Indo-European *leubh-, which has spawned a huge lecixal progeny; not just words for `love' (love's Germanic relatives, such as German liebe and Dutch liefde, as well as the archaic English lief `dear' (Old English) and Latin libido `strong desire,' source of English `libidinous') but also words for `praise' (German lob and Dutch lof) and `belief' (German glauben, Dutch gelooven, English believe). The sense `find pleasing' is primary; it subsequently developed to `praise' and, probably via `be satisfied with,' to `trust, believe.'

The derivative lovely, Old English, originally meant `affectionate' and `lovable'; the modern sense `beautiful' did not develop until the late 13th century."


link

 

Wise men say only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in dog crap with you
Shall I stay? Would it be a sin?
If I can't help falling in dog crap with you

Like a river flows surely to the sea
Darling so it goes, some things are meant to be

Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in dog crap with you