Tony Finch said: >> "minutes" and "seconds" are fractions of 60 and have been so since >> babylonian times for minutes and since 13-mumble for seconds. > > The etymology is actually helpful in this case rather than misleading as > etymologies so often are. > > "minute" is short for "pars minuta prima", the first small part > "second" is short for "pars minuta secunda", the second small part
And I've seen "third" and "fourth", with the obvious meaning, used in old documents. But etymology doesn't override present meanings. -- Clive D.W. Feather | If you lie to the compiler, Email: cl...@davros.org | it will get its revenge. Web: http://www.davros.org | - Henry Spencer Mobile: +44 7973 377646 _______________________________________________ LEAPSECS mailing list LEAPSECS@leapsecond.com https://pairlist6.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/leapsecs
