Etiology

Etiology refers to explanations that focus on origins rather than sequence of events. In many literary and religious traditions, etiological material explains why a ritual is performed, why a law exists, why a place has a particular name, or why a condition is understood in a certain way. These explanations often take the form of narratives that link present reality to an interpreted past. Etiology is not concerned with reconstructing history in a modern analytical sense but with providing meaning, justification, and coherence. By grounding current practices or beliefs in an origin story, etiological explanations help communities understand and legitimize how their world is ordered.