I feel like this discussion of the word ROMANTASY was too light in etymology, so let's explore the origins of the constituent words:
ROMANCE refers first to the works of Rome and its empire, or more specifically its language, Latin. The Latin romaince meant 'in the Latin vernacular,' which is why we still call those tongues with Latin origins Romance languages.
However, over time, Romance picked up other connotations and referred to works translated from Latin to derivative languages like Old French. Eventually, the term narrowed in application to heroic narratives and grand themes, which eventually came to include love and courtship. We still invoke the earlier sense of grand drama when we 'romanticize' or idealize situations.
FANTASY has a much easier origin to explain. The word is derived from the root PHAN- meaning ‘to show or appear,’ traceable all the way back to the Greek word phantasia meaning ‘power of imagination.’
I feel like this discussion of the word ROMANTASY was too light in etymology, so let's explore the origins of the constituent words:
ROMANCE refers first to the works of Rome and its empire, or more specifically its language, Latin. The Latin romaince meant 'in the Latin vernacular,' which is why we still call those tongues with Latin origins Romance languages.
However, over time, Romance picked up other connotations and referred to works translated from Latin to derivative languages like Old French. Eventually, the term narrowed in application to heroic narratives and grand themes, which eventually came to include love and courtship. We still invoke the earlier sense of grand drama when we 'romanticize' or idealize situations.
FANTASY has a much easier origin to explain. The word is derived from the root PHAN- meaning ‘to show or appear,’ traceable all the way back to the Greek word phantasia meaning ‘power of imagination.’