Changes

==Origin==

==Origin==

Italian ''ciarlatano'', alteration of ''cerretano'', [[literally]], inhabitant of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerreto_di_Spoleto Cerreto, Italy]

Italian ''ciarlatano'', alteration of ''cerretano'', [[literally]], inhabitant of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerreto_di_Spoleto Cerreto, Italy]

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_century 1618]

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_century 1618]

==Definitions==

==Definitions==

*1: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quackery quack]

*1: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quackery quack]

*2: one making usually showy pretenses to [[knowledge]] or [[ability]] : [[fraud]], faker  

*2: one making usually showy pretenses to [[knowledge]] or [[ability]] : [[fraud]], faker  

==Description==

==Description==

A '''charlatan''' (also called ''swindler'' or ''mountebank'') is a [[person]] practicing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quackery quackery] or some similar [[confidence]] trick in order to obtain [[money]], [[fame]] or other [[advantages]] via some form of pretense or [[deception]].

A '''charlatan''' (also called ''swindler'' or ''mountebank'') is a [[person]] practicing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quackery quackery] or some similar [[confidence]] trick in order to obtain [[money]], [[fame]] or other [[advantages]] via some form of pretense or [[deception]].

The [[word]] comes from French ''charlatan'', a seller of [[medicines]] who might advertise his [[presence]] with [[music]] and an outdoor [[stage]] show. The best known of the Parisian charlatans was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabarin Tabarin], who set up a [[stage]] in the Place Dauphin, Paris in 1618, and whose [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commedia_dell%27arte ''commedia dell'arte''] [[inspired]] skits and whose farces inspired [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moli%C3%A8re Molière]. The word can also be traced to Spanish; ''charlatán'', an indiscreetly talkative person, a chatterbox. Ultimately, etymologists trace "charlatan" from either the Italian ''ciarlare'', to prattle; or from ''Cerretano'', a resident of Cerreto, a village in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbria Umbria], known for its quacks.

The [[word]] comes from French ''charlatan'', a seller of [[medicines]] who might advertise his [[presence]] with [[music]] and an outdoor [[stage]] show. The best known of the Parisian charlatans was [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabarin Tabarin], who set up a [[stage]] in the Place Dauphin, Paris in 1618, and whose [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commedia_dell%27arte ''commedia dell'arte''] [[inspired]] skits and whose farces inspired [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moli%C3%A8re Molière]. The word can also be traced to Spanish; ''charlatán'', an indiscreetly talkative person, a chatterbox. Ultimately, etymologists trace "charlatan" from either the Italian ''ciarlare'', to prattle; or from ''Cerretano'', a resident of Cerreto, a village in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbria Umbria], known for its quacks.

In usage, a [[subtle]] [[difference]] is drawn between the charlatan and other kinds of [[confidence]] people. The charlatan is usually a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales salesperson]. He does not try to create a [[personal]] [[relationship]] with his marks, or set up an elaborate [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoax hoax] using roleplaying. Rather, the person called a charlatan is being accused of resorting to quackery, [[pseudoscience]], or some knowingly employed bogus means of [[impressing]] people in order to swindle his [[victims]] by selling them worthless nostrums and similar [[goods]] or [[services]] that will not deliver on the [[promises]] made for them. The [[word]] calls forth the image of an old-time [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicine_show medicine show operator], who has long since left town by the time the people who bought his "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_oil snake oil]" or similarly named tonic realize that it does not perform as advertised.

In usage, a [[subtle]] [[difference]] is drawn between the charlatan and other kinds of [[confidence]] people. The charlatan is usually a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales salesperson]. He does not try to create a [[personal]] [[relationship]] with his marks, or set up an elaborate [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoax hoax] using roleplaying. Rather, the person called a charlatan is being accused of resorting to quackery, [[pseudoscience]], or some knowingly employed bogus means of [[impressing]] people in order to swindle his [[victims]] by selling them worthless nostrums and similar [[goods]] or [[services]] that will not deliver on the [[promises]] made for them. The [[word]] calls forth the image of an old-time [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicine_show medicine show operator], who has long since left town by the time the people who bought his "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_oil snake oil]" or similarly named tonic realize that it does not perform as advertised.

In reported [[spiritual]] [[communications]], a charlatan is a [[person]] who fakes [[evidence]] that a spirit is "making [[contact]]" with the [[medium]] and [[seekers]]. This has been challenged successfully by skeptics who wrote passwords and gave them to people of [[trust]], containing a password that should be spoken by the person if he ever tried to make contact, to [[validate]] the [[truth]] of the claim. No such claim has been verified. Notable people who have successfully debunked the claims of purported [[supernatural]] mediums include Brazilian writer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monteiro_Lobato Monteiro Lobato] and magician [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houdini Houdini].

In reported [[spiritual]] [[communications]], a charlatan is a [[person]] who fakes [[evidence]] that a spirit is "making [[contact]]" with the [[medium]] and [[seekers]]. This has been challenged successfully by skeptics who wrote passwords and gave them to people of [[trust]], containing a password that should be spoken by the person if he ever tried to make contact, to [[validate]] the [[truth]] of the claim. No such claim has been verified. Notable people who have successfully debunked the claims of purported [[supernatural]] mediums include Brazilian writer [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monteiro_Lobato Monteiro Lobato] and magician [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houdini Houdini].

==See also==

==See also==

*'''''[[Fraud]]'''''

*'''''[[Fraud]]'''''

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category: General Reference]]