Meaning & Analysis
After a word is spoken, fate follows. This is based on the original meaning of 'weird' as destiny or fate.
Insights
The Power of Prophecy
This suggests that utterances, especially predictions or declarations, have the power to influence or set a course for future events. The act of speaking can invoke or align with a particular destiny.
Words Have Consequences
The proverb serves as a powerful reminder that speech is not without effect. Words can initiate a chain of events that lead to significant, sometimes unalterable, outcomes.
Intention and Manifestation
It can be interpreted as a principle of manifestation, where vocalizing an intention or a goal (the 'word') is the first step toward making it a reality (the 'weird').
Archaic Language and Worldview
The proverb's meaning hinges on the archaic definition of 'weird' as 'fate' or 'destiny', derived from the Old English 'wyrd'. This linguistic fossil connects the saying to an older, fatalistic worldview, where destiny was a powerful, personified force, as seen in the Norns of Norse mythology.
Literary Resonance
The citation from Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' is profoundly resonant. The Weird Sisters' prophecy (their 'word') directly sets Macbeth's tragic fate ('weird') in motion, illustrating how a spoken prediction can create the conditions for its own fulfillment.
Psychological Insight
The proverb encapsulates the concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy. By assigning a label or title (the 'word'), one can influence behavior and outcomes, shaping a future reality ('weird'). The provided note about calling a clergyman 'Doctor' shows this in a positive, aspirational light.
Social and Aspirational Use
As the note indicates, the proverb is often used facetiously when someone is given an unearned honorific. The response 'After word comes weird' becomes a humble and hopeful acknowledgment, meaning, 'You have said it; may destiny make it so.'
Rhetorical Devices
Archaism
The proverb's primary device is its use of the archaic word 'weird' to mean 'fate', which unlocks its entire meaning.
Alliteration
The alliteration of 'word' and 'weird' creates a strong phonetic link, reinforcing the thematic connection between the spoken word and the resulting destiny.
Conciseness
The proverb's power lies in its extreme brevity, encapsulating a complex philosophical idea about causality and destiny in just four simple words.
Transcription
Quotations
After Word comes Weird, fair fall them that call me Madam.
A facetious answer to them who call you by a higher Title than your present Station deserves; as calling a young Clergyman Doctor, or a young Merchant Alderman, as if you would say, all in good time.
Shakespeare Citations
Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the King, who all-hail'd me Thane of Cawdor, by which title, before, these Weird Sisters saluted me.
Annotations
- fate
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
Used under CC BY-NC 3.0.