Entertaiment is a broad subject, with a vast array of possible objects, images, and structures. It is also an extremely complex and multifaceted industry, with a seemingly unlimited ability to adapt, remix, and evolve. It is therefore a particularly challenging subject for T E News to approach in its fall 2011 issue. We have attempted to provide an overview of the countless forms that entertainment can take, as well as demonstrate how these familiar and seemingly intractable forms continue to be reshaped and reimagined by both individuals and institutions.
The word entertain comes from the Latin intertenere, based on the Indo-European root ten, meaning “to hold inside.” See also amuse and distract.