ANTEDATING OF "SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY"

[Shapiro, Fred]

I apologize for the heading in all caps.  I have a reason for it not worth explaining.

"Self-fulfilling prophecy" is widely attributed as a coinage of Robert K. Merton's, and OED's first use is Merton in 1949.  It appears much earlier here:

1842 _Provincial Medical Journal and Retrospect of the Medical Sciences_ 29 Oct. 84 (JSTOR)  Thus, suppose a case where there was a strong probability that death would ensue, were we to announce that probability in the patient's hearing, the effect produced on his mind may convert probability into reality; the teacher's words may become a self-fulfilling prophecy, and he become the agent of the patient's death.

Fred Shapiro

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