OK, Marker, your lesser case is different from the general case, and was IIRC what Wilbur and Orville used in their early craft. Like ship propellers, eh?
Lyman:
Helicopters fly by converting vibration into fear, which levitates the machine and it's contents. Or summat.
Since we helicopter pilots typically combine vibration and thrust, the ladies find us very popular.
As to "helicopters are evil" I'll suggest to JT that there is at least a grain of truth in that, given the infamous "helicopter pilots are different" piece by Harry R, and the generally accepted 10X cost per pound gross weight to build a helo versus fixed wing. Such is the price we pay for hovering, or being able to fly backwards, which is a good thing, albeit expensive.
Further for aerodynamicists, the complex interactions of lift production and its byproducts on the multiple rotating wings of a helicopter is an ever fascinating subject, but likely beyond the scope of this thread.
All that considered, it's still a wing with a fluid flowing over it.