Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: Odyssey Orbit



Another memorism evidently -- my latin teacher (ca. 1952) said a
gnomonic device was an aid to memory. It's a stretch to go from the
sundial that knows the time?

Actually I couldn't find any etymological reference to peri meaning nearest
-- mostly about as in periphery -- about is rather nearer than farther?

bc




Larry Cartwright wrote:

Bernard Cleyet wrote:
I think peri (gee, helion, etc.) is the same prefix as in peripatetic.
Whatever, it serves as a gnomonic for me.

OK Bernard,
you've gotten my attention and created a teachable moment -

What is a "gnomonic"?

What is your associative connection between the "peri" prefix meaning
"near or nearest", and "peripatetic" which means "moving about hither
and thither"?

I agree it's the same prefix; but I don't see why you are associating
words which use two of the prefix's three totally different meanings.

Ready to learn,

Larry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larry Cartwright <exit60@cablespeed.com>
Retired (June 2001) Physics Teacher
Charlotte MI 48813 USA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Information is not knowledge,
knowledge is not wisdom,
and wisdom is not foresight.
Each grows out of the other
and we need them all."
(Arthur C. Clarke)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~