Dreamtime

English

Etymology

A false calque of Eastern Arrernte Altyerrenge (“the Dreaming”), based on the incorrect assumption that the word is related to altyerre (“a dream”) or altyerre areme (“to dream”). "-time" is an addition unrooted in Aboriginal language.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɹiːmtaɪm/

Proper noun

Dreamtime

1. (Australian Aboriginal mythology) The time of the creation of the world, by the ancestors out of their own essence.
   • 2013, Alexis Wright, The Swan Book, Constable (2016), page 101:

     The tall slender birds were performing a legendary fight in the Dreamtime story – one that the old law had marked on them forever with a wattle of flaming red skin on the back of their heads.

Usage notes

• "Dreaming" is increasingly being used in favour of "Dreamtime", as the latter term implies that the occurrences of the Dreaming are fixed in the past, which is inaccurate to traditional Australian Aboriginal beliefs, which hold that the Dreaming occurs "everywhen" and continues to hold relevance in the present and future.

Synonyms

• Alchera
• Dreaming

Translations

time of creation of the world in Australian mythology

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 夢幻時光／梦幻时光 (mènghuàn shíguāng) (no equivalent exists; lit. "fantasy time")

• Danish: please add this translation if you can
• Dharug: Nura
• Dutch: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: uniaika
• French: Espaces de rêves
• Pitjantjatjara: Jukurrpa
• Portuguese: please add this translation if you can
• Serbo-Croatian: Sanjanje
• Spanish: please add this translation if you can

See also

• songline

Anagrams

• meter maid