Sea change orsea-change is anEnglishidiomatic expression that denotes a substantial change in perspective, especially one that affects a group or society at large, on a particular issue. It is similar in usage and meaning to aparadigm shift, and may be viewed as a change to a society or community'szeitgeist, with regard to a specific issue. The phrase evolved from an older and more literal usage when the term referred to an actual "change wrought by the sea",[1] a definition now remaining in very limited usage.
The term appears in William Shakespeare'sThe Tempest in the songFull fathom five sung by a supernatural spirit, Ariel, to Ferdinand, a prince of Naples, after Ferdinand's father's apparent death by drowning. The termsea change is used to mean a metamorphosis or alteration.[2][3]
A literary character may transform over time into a better person after undergoing various trials or tragedies (e.g. "There is a sea change in Scrooge's personality towards the end ofCharles Dickens'A Christmas Carol.") As with the termPotemkin village,sea change has also been used in business culture. In the United States, it is often used as a corporate or institutionalbuzzword. In this context, it need not refer to a substantial or significant transformation.[4]
