Re: Concurrency

Am 22.12.01, Matthew Kehrt yscrifef:

> Due to the recent discussion on the names and values of various
> currencies, I was wondering about the currencies of your various
> concultures.  I'm especially interested in the etymologies of their
> various names.
Visit "www.geocities.com/elemtilas/ill_bethisad/currency.htm"
for currency information in Ill Bethisad.

> The Mererail have two major units of currency.  The primary one is the
> Crest ('cuaiim' /kwai.Im/ pl. 'cuaiimui' /kwai.I.mwi/ literally a symbol
> or emblem.) from the fact that they are normally stamped with the seal
> or emblem of the ruling family.  The value of the cuaiim is far from
> fixed, but is generally considered to be the value of a piece of capper
> one twentieth the volume of a man's fist.
I like this!

In my own world, coins evolved from rings and bracelets used as
trade items. The Daine still use bracelets; countries in the East
tend to use flattened rings. In the West,  the rings got filled
in, becomming discs. The use of discs then filtered eastwards.

The Talarian dollar, the rinar, is worth 12 silver tarxam, each
of which is worth approximately 180 brass falas. The rinar is
also worth approximately 3 gold tarxam. Since coins are measured
by weight, there is no absolutely fixed value. Since their system
has been so stable and conservative over many centuries, it is
considered the best currency in eastern Asia.

One Talarian word for money, trawanar, is ultimately derived from
"tvar nang", an old Daine word for bracelet. Tarxam and falas
were borrowed from Western languages before the great migration:
tarxam < Pers. darahhma < Rom. drachme; falas < Pers. falus <
Rom. folles.

> -M
Padraic.
--
Bethes gwaz vaz ha leal.