Mysterious nouns.

Why do we say "the Annunciation" and "the Visitation?"

Why don't we say "the Announcement" and "the Visit?"

I mean, look at the other Joyful Mysteries. Sure, "nativity" and "presentation" are kind of highfalutin words, but with "Presentation" there isn't any common synonym I can think of, fand as for "nativity" I am sure I have heard people announce the third mystery as "The Birth of our Lord" without so much as a hiccup. And come on -- we have never to my knowledge used a fancy word for the fifth mystery. It's "the Finding."

If "Finding" is good enough, and we don't have to say things like "the Location of Our Lord in the Temple" then why can't the first mystery be "the Announcement" and the second "the Visit?" As far as I can tell, Mary is unique not only by virtue of her immaculate conception -- she is also the only person in the history of the English language ever to "visitate" anybody.

Yes, this is what passes for meditation in my brain sometimes. I have to roll with what works.

Comments

[BettyDuffy]

I could be wrong, but I think it has something to do with human passivity in the presence of the divine. When we say, The Announcement, it suggests a communique from a human medium, whereas an Annunciation is visited on us by some other medium. Same with visitation. Mary alone might pay a visit, but in this instance, Elizabeth is receiving a visitation from Our Lord.

I'm just guessing though.

[MelanieB]

I wonder if the English form is attempting to mimic a Latin construction.