Re: The English/French counting system (WAS: number systems fromconlangs)

John Cowan wrote:

>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.
>
>
>
Wrong.  The original word was  "harvest"

This from the Online Etymological Dictionary

autumn - c.1380, from O.Fr. autumpne, from L. autumnus, a word probably
of Etruscan origin. Harvest was the Eng. name for the season until
autumn began to displace it 16c. In Britain, the season is popularly
August through October; in U.S., September through November.

fall (v.) - O.E. feallan (class VII strong verb; past tense feoll, pp.
feallen), from P.Gmc. *fallanan (cf. O.N. falla, O.H.G. fallan), from
PIE base *phol- "to fall" (cf. Armenian p'ul "downfall," Lith. puola "to
fall," O.Prus. aupallai "finds," lit. "falls upon"). Noun sense of
"autumn" (now only in U.S.) is 1664, short for fall of the leaf (1545).
That of "cascade, waterfall" is from 1579. Most of the figurative senses
had developed in M.E. Meaning "to be reduced" (as temperature) is from
1658. To fall in love is 1530; to fall asleep is 1393. Fall guy is from
1906. Fallout "radioactive particles" is from 1950. Fallen "morally
ruined" is from 1628.

I think we should have stuck with "harvest"

David Barrow

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