What's the difference between Labyrinth and Maze? Although both maze and labyrinth depict a complex and confusing series of pathways, the two are different. A maze is a complex, branching (multicursal) puzzle that includes choices of path and direction, while a labyrinth is unicursal, i.e., has only a si...
If you do want to draw a sharp distinction in modern usage, you could posit that a labyrinth is a type of maze that was made intentionally and can be walked through.
This could just be due to usage change over time, similar to how “literally” can mean the same thing as “figuratively” now a days. But I’m not an etymologist.
I would guess that it’s actually a jargonification of extant words.
Merriam Webster includes a neat etymology section on the definitions I linked, that traces both words to the Renaissance (ish). The entry for “maze” does note an alternate definition as a neurological test with at least one dead end, but (1) that doesn’t match the claim OP’s article headline makes and (2) scientific jargon is not common English.
(If jargon WERE common English, we’d have an entirely different argument about tomatoes being fruits or vegetables.)
This isn’t true. Go look up the definition for either word, and it doesn’t comport with the usage rules claimed.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/labyrinth
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maze
If you do want to draw a sharp distinction in modern usage, you could posit that a labyrinth is a type of maze that was made intentionally and can be walked through.
This could just be due to usage change over time, similar to how “literally” can mean the same thing as “figuratively” now a days. But I’m not an etymologist.
I would guess that it’s actually a jargonification of extant words.
Merriam Webster includes a neat etymology section on the definitions I linked, that traces both words to the Renaissance (ish). The entry for “maze” does note an alternate definition as a neurological test with at least one dead end, but (1) that doesn’t match the claim OP’s article headline makes and (2) scientific jargon is not common English.
(If jargon WERE common English, we’d have an entirely different argument about tomatoes being fruits or vegetables.)
The real TIL is always in the comments
That’s like an internet rule