A person immersed in a fantasy world, a traveler to distant lands, or a simple layman, probably came across the word "wasteland". It is found everywhere: in the news, books, games, stories and much more. But what is a wasteland and where did this concept come from? To answer the question, you need to understand the etymology and origin of the phrase.
Value
Turning to many sources, it is possible to formulate a definition that the wasteland is an uninhabited plot of land. It is often used in books, but is described in different ways. In particular, in the meaning of the wasteland, the terrain is not protected from the wind, with overgrown grass and shrubs. It is difficult to plow such land, and it will not bear fruit, since it contains an admixture of sand.
You can meet this word in famous films with a post-apocalyptic theme of the world. For example, in the film “Mad Max”, whose Universe completely resembles a wasteland, tells about the unenviable fate of the heroes of the movie. Often the phrase represents the problems and hard lives of people in computer games.
There is an expression: "Well, where we are not." You can’t say the same about the wasteland, because the interpretation of the phrase indicates the opposite. This is a place where you can build a house, but it is very difficult to live, because in the wasteland there are no deciduous trees that protect from the wind, and the land on it does not bear fruit. It is difficult to say what the wasteland means, since some sources express their understanding of this word in different ways. For example, Ushakov’s explanatory dictionary has several interpretations:
- Landform.
- A certain plot of land deprived of a permanent owner.
- Alpine terrain with loose soil mixed with sand.
So, the word is used in relation to some type of earth's surface.
The most famous wastelands in the world
The celebrity of the word is due to a series of events in certain places. So, the city from the distant times of the USSR still inspires fear in many residents of Russia - Chernobyl. The disaster that happened in 1986 thundered all over the world. Because of it, the land completely lost the locals, as they needed to be relocated to a safe space. The city is empty, and now it is not recommended to come to inexperienced fans to explore abandoned areas.
To determine what a wasteland is, is not an easy decision, since such a place is similar to the steppe and misleads outsiders. Not all locations of the globe are dangerous, like Chernobyl.
There is such a place as moorland - a mountainous space unsuitable for human life. It is not dangerous, but the soil there is completely loose, which does not even allow any buildings to be built on it. The name of the area was in honor of the fact that almost all the mountains are overgrown with ordinary heather (Calluna vulgaris). The location extends to the Pennine Mountains of Great Britain.
People often confuse deserts and wastelands, which is considered erroneous, because both concepts have different meanings and the first indicates a plot of land without vegetation.
Origin
It is not known exactly where the word came from, however, its existence is rooted in the distant past. A striking example is the fact that the wasteland began to arise during the feudal fragmentation and the Tatar-Mongol yoke. People had to leave their homes, go to other cities due to difficult times.
What is a wasteland, it becomes clear from the time of the Second World War. Terrible time has generated not only a huge amount of losses, but also destroyed cities. As soon as the territory was captured by enemy forces, extracted the most valuable, and then subjected to fire, a bare territory appeared on the site of the settlement. So, a piece of land became an uninhabitable wasteland.
Currently, they are located in settlements long separated from large cities, such as small villages or lonely buildings.
Synonyms
If you rephrase a word, choosing another that has a similar meaning and an approximate sound, you can give the following examples:
- The tract. A place that is completely different from other land. It can be both a field and former settlements.
- The desert. A monastery or cell completely separated from the main temple, and also not inhabited by people.
- Wild field.
- Wasteland. Unfinished or completely neglected place.
It becomes clear that the meanings of the wasteland are different and have many meanings.
Unsuitable land: what is happening on it?
Of course, after a person leaves a certain territory, it becomes clear that life on it is not possible. However, this is a myth, because over time the area is overgrown with many plants. The most popular among them are plantain and wormwood.
Vivid signs
Now it has become known what the word "wasteland" means and in which cases it should be used correctly: it refers to places left by people where the soil partially consists of sand and is unsuitable for agriculture. It is characterized by an open area of the territory that is not protected from the wind. Its population is small, and the area around is overgrown, with a minimum number of plants. It is often indicated that the wasteland is such a historical phenomenon when a small village or village is completely left without local residents.