Talk:Bogeyman

Change from Bogeyman to Boogeyman?

I couldn't find how to edit the actual name of the page, but the spelling used here is a bit odd. To make sure I wasn't the only one thinking this, I did a quick googlefight. [[1]] As you can see, Bogeyman has only 616,000 results compared to boogeyman's 2.1 million. If anybody knows how (or has the authority) to change the spelling, I think it would be best.

It's not really a matter of what's more common, but what's correct. The spelling "bogeyman" is the original spelling when the word first appeared in the English language, having gotten corrupted over the years to "boogeyman". People can still find the article by typing "boogeyman", and that alternate spelling is indicated in the opening paragraph, so I don't think there's any real confusion. --khaosworks (talk • contribs) 04:00, 25 November 2005 (UTC)

If English were a dead or static language, that would be correct. The original spelling would be the one that should be used. But as anyone who frequents this site knows, it's far from dead. It's alive, it's dynamic, it's always changing. And this word has changed. I'd go so far as to say that most places you find it spelled Bogeyman are typos.

But again, there's no confusion. Type in "Boogeyman" and you'll still reach this page. It's not a typo: Boogeyman is the American English spelling of it, really. In Europe, bogeyman is still the preferred spelling (as in the children's book, "Fungus the Bogeyman", for example), and considering the origins of the word, I'd argue that is the more correct one. --khaosworks (talk • contribs) 04:04, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

Please see extract from the Bugis section of this website

Respected and feared as pirates, sailors, traders and adventurers, the seafarers of southern Sulawesi looked outwards, seeking their fortunes over the horizons, throughout the Indonesian archipelago and beyond. So feared were they that the word bogeyman, some say a corrupted form of bugis man, was coined to describe these fighters.

This is what I always thought was the orign of bogeyman

It is. All the rest of that crap about "snot" etc is rubbish and should be deleted. They were cannibals and their houses all resemble ships and face Cambodia. A seriously nasty bunch with a death cult and a habit of sacrificing many many people at funerals.

Sometimes parents will, as a way of controlling their children, encourage belief in a bogeyman that only preys on children who misbehave.

This sounds like bullsh*t to me.

Sounds like it hasn't happened to you. But many parents do that. Mine didn't, but my grandmother tried this a few times. Romanski 10:41, 23 June 2006 (UTC)

It's probably similar to how the media sensationalize stories about serial killers or anarchist bombers. Since the mass of people are likely to rely on emotion, they media has to keep people afraid of those who might disrupt or question the social order.

It's a lot easier to tell small children there's a monster that's going to get them than to explain why they shouldn't be doing something, e.g. going into the garage by themselves and playing with dangerous tools or drinking paint thinner. Not saying it's right or wrong but a lot of parents do it. :) Static Universe 21:02, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

fair use picture?

That's a great picture on the page, but it's claimed under fair use and I don't see how it can be fair use, since it's not being used to illustrate the work itself (it's being used to illustrate the subject of the work itself, but I don't think that counts). --Allen 16:58, 4 July 2006 (UTC)

No response, so I've deleted it. --Allen 14:49, 17 July 2006 (UTC)

Unfortunate, since it's a nice illustration of the idea, but for Fair Use D:... 68.39.174.238 19:01, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

Allen, while I understand the need to be proper in the affairs of upkeeping a respectable online encyclopedia, COME ON! You just want to play police man. There was no need to delete the picture. You could have added a caption saying it was a possible rendition of a bogeyman, but really. You just wanted to delete it. Feel like a big man?

Check the spelling of "representaion". Very useful page!

El hombre del saco

En español hoya una figura parecida, denominada "el hombre del saco" que en ingles se podría traducir " the man of the bag".

Sorry if I'm sounding rude, but this is the ENGLISH wikipedia, not spanish. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.43.180.69 (talk) 01:10, 22 September 2007 (UTC)

I don't think there was a need for that: S/he's just bringing up the Spanish version of the same thing. Somewhere we had a whole list of the different international names for this. I particularly remember Quebec's "7 O'Clock Man". 68.39.174.238 (talk) 02:59, 11 February 2008 (UTC)

Jisted Translation of above: In Spanish, there is a figure called "el hombre del saco" which in English, could be translated as "the man of the bag."

The First Citation Needed

I believe that this is from Carl Jung's book Man and His Symbols

My revert

Sorry, read it wrong. I reverted to Boffob's revision to fix my mistake. Scienceman123 talk 04:05, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Folk etymologies

I don't know about you guys, but one explanation I commonly hear in my region of the US (and no racism intended; this is just what I hear) is that the boogeyman is indeed a "boogey" or a black person who comes and takes away bad children.

Is there any actual evidence of this folk etymology, though?

67.175.147.35 19:26, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

I had an idea: b and g would easily change to p and k, depending on dialect. An example is the welsh bwg which also is named pwka, that is pooka, or, in other parts of the UK: Puck. So there we have a nature deity. An equivalent to the boggart is the scandinavian tomte or nisse, a creature connected to a certain farm and its surroundings, and with the ability to be extremely nice and pleasant, or extremely naugthy and dangerous. 84.216.59.24 23:47, 5 January 2007 (UTC)

I read somewhere (can't remember where!) that it derives from Napoleon Bonaparte. Mothers, apparently, would scare their children with "Boney's coming to get you!", which became "Boneyman" and then "Bogeyman". This looks suspiciously like a folk etymology to me. Mon Vier (talk) 14:00, 1 August 2008 (UTC)

I'm not sure if you are referring to this specific instance, but Chuck Palahniuk brings up the Bonaparte origin in "Rant". It should be mentioned that Palahniuk brings up urban legends fairly regularly in his works and refers to them as facts.... Silasthecat (talk) 09:57, 13 August 2008 (UTC)

It was in a book about the Napoleonic Wars - the Palahniuk reference shows that it's a widespread explanation, though. Mon Vier (talk) 16:55, 23 August 2008 (UTC)

Another possbility

Is the Celtic "puca" (otherwise "pooka") a possbile cognate? Tom129.93.16.177 (talk) 23:35, 6 October 2008 (UTC)

Phil Bangs Monkeys

That...doesn't sound right. What was it supposed to be?

REFERENCE

Why doesn't this article point to or reference the below paste from the Wikipdeia entry Bugis?

History

This section is a stub. You can help by expanding it. 

The Bugis had political power in the Malaysia since the kingdom of Johore - where a leader is selected amongst the Bugis to become the Sultan of Johore (this happened when there was an intrigue within the Johorian Malay palace walls).

Dutch colonialism in the 17th century led to their entry into the politics of peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra.

138.163.128.38 02:47, 8 February 2007 (UTC)

Should have been this paste instead: Sea Exploration Respected and feared as pirates, sailors, traders and adventurers, the seafarers of southern Sulawesi looked outwards, seeking their fortunes over the horizons, throughout the Indonesian archipelago and beyond. So feared were they that the word bogeyman, some say a corrupted form of bugis man, was coined to describe these fighters.

138.163.128.39 02:49, 8 February 2007 (UTC)

a legendary ghost-like monster often believed in by children as well as adults.

As well as adults?! What adults? That's the equivalent of saying that Santa Claus gives lumps of coal to adults who don't file for their tax returns with ample time. Does anyone agree? Almighty Rajah 02:55, 22 February 2007 (UTC)

I'm sure you could find at least one adult somewhere who still believes in it. People fear what they do not know, and if they were brought up to believe in the Bogeyman as a child, then it is likely that the fear will continue, even into adulthood. Slokunshialgo 04:41, 30 June 2007 (UTC)

Psychological paranoid phenomena

I am an extremely well-educated layperson (I have a mental health diagnosis). This paragraph strikes a false note with me. I think, at the very least, it needs a [citation needed] exponent. (I would have done it, but am not sure of the correct way.) —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Garvint (talk • contribs) 05:23, 15 May 2007 (UTC).

can someone add this: from In Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels see Bogeymen.--212.202.231.117 10:14, 29 May 2007 (UTC)

Stuff

Deleted "Psychological paranoid phenomena" as it is original research and can barely even be described as pseudoscience. A mishmash of someone's "remedies" for fighting loneliness that has no purpose on this page, was poorly written, and extremely declarative though providing no sources. - Xvall

Airforce Usage?

Would it be reasonable to add something about how the Air Force uses the 'bogey' as a designation for the enemy? 192.160.165.63 20:55, 17 September 2007 (UTC)

Actually, that a different thing. It's pronounced like the o pronounced like Joe. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.43.180.69 (talk) 01:08, 22 September 2007 (UTC)

Of no significance

Considering that the 'bogeyman' is only an American phenomenon and has no real significance in society other than kids 'believing' in him does it really has the credibility of a wikipedia page?

OK, delete the pages on Santa, the Sandman and tooth fairy while you're at it. And it's not only American, I'm Irish and have heard of it, and the article even says that it's of Scottish origin.EamonnPKeane (talk) 00:18, 22 January 2008 (UTC)

I've reinstated the material on other cultures

It seems odd that an article on the bogeyman would ignore its analogues in other cultures. The bogyman is a universal myth after all; all kids are afraid of the dark. This information is not OR; it can be cited, given time. It just needs some work. Serendi^podous 08:35, 5 May 2008 (UTC)

The italian section has useless political references

The political references to the fascism is unappropriate since the bogeyman is only beleived in by children. Belive me, nobody ever think about fascist when talking with children about the "uomo nero", and the comment about the racist connotation is false as well.

I suggest a removal of these parts. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.4.103.17 (talk) 09:21, 28 July 2008 (UTC)