What’s so bohemian about Bohemia?

2 comments August 5th, 2008

Blame the French. They used the word “Bohemien” as a synonym for “Gypsy,” based on the fact that the Gypsies passed through Bohemia on their way to western Europe. And the nomadic Gypsies are generally associated with an out-of-the-mainstream lifestyle.

So through this connection, “bohemian” is applied to “a person, especially an artist, poet, etc., who lives in an unconventional, nonconforming way.”

The actual Bohemia has had a realtively conventional existence, by central European standards. It was an independent kingdom from the 13th to 15th centuries, eventually being absorbed into the Austro-Hungarian empire until the end of World War I. Then it became the western half of Czechoslovakia until 1993, when the Czech Republic was created.

By the way, the word “Gypsy” comes from “gypcien,” short for “Egipcien.” Yes, the Gypsies were originally thought to have come from Egypt. Current thinking places the land of origin in India.

And as we know all too well in this country, “Indian” has had a confusing history as well.