I finally found a decent link discussing the variants of déjà vu. Summary:
déjà vu – already seen. I used to get this frequently years ago; personally it was a strong feeling that I had already dreamt what was happening.
presque vu – almost seen. The experience of having a hugely significant truth almost in your mental grasp, only for it to slip away. Yep.
jamais vu – never seen. When a familiar experience suddenly seems completely novel. I guess a close parallel here must be the repetition of a word until it loses all meaning (any favourites for this?).
The only original reference I can find – and where I read about them – is in Catch-22.
Interestingly enough the definition link comes from h2g2, the online attempt to create a real Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Originally created by the late Mr Adams and now under the management of the BBC.
A great deal of the content is excellent. As an e.g. check the Word Wise section for hours of mosst eenteresting reading.
26-May-03 at 8:10 am | Permalink
déjà vu – already seen. I used to get this frequently years ago; personally it was a strong feeling that I had already dreamt what was happening.