Re: The English/French counting system (WAS: number systems fromconlangs)
| From: | John Cowan <cowan@...> |
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| Date: | Tuesday, September 16, 2003, 11:08 |
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Tristan McLeay scripsit:
> _Another_ oddity of Americans and time-telling is the way they use seasons
> for time, in spite of the total absence of a relation between what they're
> saying and the weather. This means that 'fall' may translate into either
> 'autumn' or 'spring' depending on context, and usually the latter.
What on earth are you talking about? "Fall" is a synonym for "autumn",
always; indeed, it is the original and native word, which we in North
America retained when the Brits (and their more junior colonies) switched
to the more pompous Latin derivative. It refers to the period between
21 September and 22 December, give or take a day; of course, in informal
use it may start later or end sooner, depending on the weather and the
climate in the location where the person is speaking. The etymology of
the term is transparent, and refers to the behavior of deciduous trees
in preparation for winter.
--
"May the hair on your toes never fall out!" John Cowan
--Thorin Oakenshield (to Bilbo) jcowan@reutershealth.com
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