From: Alex Ferguson (abf@cs.ucc.ie)
Date: Fri 16 Jun 2000 - 21:56:30 EEST
Kmnellist on Dara Happa's elegant decimal system:
> Of course, 4 days in a week, 7 days in a week, but a different week, 4
> seasons in a year, except the 5 seasons, and the sacred time, Ten, which is
> of course, perfect number, as well as seven, which is pretty darn 'ten'like
> these days.
Seemed very clear to me!
> Those Buserians have six different abaci just to keep track of
> the day of the week.
Or was that eight?
> Heortlings have their own problems; 'no one can make me measure anything' ,
> and 'there is always another measurement'
Snerk! "Breaking the ruler is always an option..." And counting things
must be as bad: Imagine the roll-call for the Seven Lightbringers:
"OK, Orlanth, Eurmal, Issaries, me, Challana Arroy, and Flesh Man:
yes, 'all seven' of us are here!"
richc@sypte.co.uk:
> What is the derivation of that "Ob-" prefix by the way? I can see what
> it means from context but what does it _mean_?
Obligatory...
> Getting back to it - I'm absolutely certain both Sartarites and Dara
> Happans will have the concept (not the shared name of course) of a
> "furlong" meaning the length of a furrow. Of course just as they use
> different ploughs (I seem to recall) they will have different standard
> lengths of a furrow with lots of opportunities for confusion. "I told
> the native contingent to meet us a hundred furlongs north of the bridge,
> Sir. I can't understand where they've got to."
They do have different ploughs, though really, the variable here is
size of field! I agree, it does seem a compelling and handy unit
though, whatever its actual size. (Perhaps Odaylans and DH paddy
farmers might disagree...)
Cheers,
Alex.
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