Re: FW: Sundial Information; wiser sun
Dear Frank, Willy et al, Surely the Dutch word zonnewijzer is similar to the English word waywiser, which is a device used to measure distances along roads. The derivation, according to the Shorter OED, is from the German wegweiser, compounded from weg=way and weiser, from weisen=to show, being an agent that shows. Thus, a waywiser is an agent for showing the length of a way. So, surely a zonnewijzer is a device to show the time from the sun. Jumping from "wijzer" to "wise owl" seems to me far fetched, though fun. Best wishes to all, Chris - Original Message - From: "Frank King" To: "John Carmichael" Cc: "'Sundial Mailing List'" Sent: Saturday, November 20, 2010 9:18 AM Subject: Re: FW: Sundial Information > Dear John (and Willy, Aleks, Wolfgang, et al), > > I have greatly enjoyed the all the answers > to your question about Owls and Sundials... > > Willy Leenders tells us that the Dutch word > zonnewijzer really means "wiser sun". How > many of us knew that? > > Aleks has sent us a nice illustration of a > sundial with a carved owl on the side with > the caption "Greek Sundial". > > Wolfgang Dick referred us to the German > trickster Till Eulenspiegel. > > I have been waiting for someone to remind us > of the German translation of "carrying coals to > Newcastle" which is "Eulen nach Athen tragen". > This, literally, is "to bear owls to Athens". > > In recent times Germans have, instead, been > shipping Euros to Athens (by the shed load). > Maybe it would be wiser to send some Owls? > > For reasons I don't understand, Greece seems > to have surprisingly few sundials given the > plethora of sundials there in classical times. > > I suggest that the Greeks should be sent a > bulk shipment of sundials Made in Germany > to the same specification as Aleks's sundial. > > The locals can then ponder the owl, and wonder > about their lost sundial heritage and even > their lost Euros. > > All the best > > Frank > > --- > https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial > --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: FW: Sundial Information
Dear John (and Willy, Aleks, Wolfgang, et al), I have greatly enjoyed the all the answers to your question about Owls and Sundials... Willy Leenders tells us that the Dutch word zonnewijzer really means "wiser sun". How many of us knew that? Aleks has sent us a nice illustration of a sundial with a carved owl on the side with the caption "Greek Sundial". Wolfgang Dick referred us to the German trickster Till Eulenspiegel. I have been waiting for someone to remind us of the German translation of "carrying coals to Newcastle" which is "Eulen nach Athen tragen". This, literally, is "to bear owls to Athens". In recent times Germans have, instead, been shipping Euros to Athens (by the shed load). Maybe it would be wiser to send some Owls? For reasons I don't understand, Greece seems to have surprisingly few sundials given the plethora of sundials there in classical times. I suggest that the Greeks should be sent a bulk shipment of sundials Made in Germany to the same specification as Aleks's sundial. The locals can then ponder the owl, and wonder about their lost sundial heritage and even their lost Euros. All the best Frank --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: FW: Sundial Information
Perhaps the connection is that the ancient Greek word 'gnomon' means 'one who discerns' or 'that which reveals' . Athena (and her Roman equivalent, Minerva) was the godess of wisdom and her symbol was the owl. Harriet Harriet James Sunnydials 35 Bradley Road Warminster BA12 8BN www.sunnydials.co.uk Tel: 01985 216311 On Fri 19/11/10 3:43 PM , "John Carmichael" jlcarmich...@comcast.net sent: Hi Dialists: I received this intriguing letter from Ohio State University. The writer talks about an old publication called “The Sundial”. And then asked me if I am aware of any relationship between sundials and owls! I am not aware of any association between the two. I asked him to send me any photos of this. Meanwhile, I’m asking you guys if you have seen any relationship between owls and sundials. Thanks! I’ll forward your answers to him, or you can write him directly. John Nathan Varrone [mailto:nathanvarr...@gmail.com] Friday, November 19, 2010 1:20 AM jlcarmich...@comcast.net Sundial Information Dear John Carmichael, I am currently reviving a humor magazine titled _The Sundial _at The Ohio State University. In old issues of _The Sundial_, I often see an owl on top of the drawn images of sundials. Is there any association with owls and sundials that you would know of? Thanks so much for your time, we may do business with you in the future! Best, -- Nathan L. Varrone The Ohio State University Associate Director, 8th Floor Improv President, The Sundial--- --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: FW: Sundial Information
Dear John, > I'm asking you guys if you have seen any > relationship between owls and sundials. I once tried very hard to establish such a relationship but my best intentions were not appreciated... I had a client and I wanted to symbolise sunrise and sunset on the proposed sundial. I offered a really beautiful cock for sunrise and an even more beautiful owl for sunset. The client's comment was brief: too fussy. So there was another good idea that failed to see the light of day :-( Actually there is a College in Cambridge, Hughes Hall, which has a modern down-market sundial and I am pretty sure there is an owl on it. That's because Hughes Hall in Latin is Aula de Hughes and Aula sounds almost like Owl and they have owls all over the place in consequence. OK, I'm just the messenger! Very best wishes Frank --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: FW: Sundial Information
I suspect there's no relationship. The publishers of the humor magazine were probably making an oblique reference to the owl of Athena, which is a symbol of wisdom. A bit sly, but also a bit self-congratulatory (but this is a college humor magazine, not Dean Swift). Brad On Fri, Nov 19, 2010 at 10:43 AM, John Carmichael wrote: > Hi Dialists: > > > > I received this intriguing letter from Ohio State University. The writer > talks about an old publication called “The Sundial”. And then asked me if I > am aware of any relationship between sundials and owls! I am not aware of > any association between the two. I asked him to send me any photos of > this. Meanwhile, I’m asking you guys if you have seen any relationship > between owls and sundials. > > > > Thanks! > > > > I’ll forward your answers to him, or you can write him directly. > > > > John > > > > > > > > *From:* Nathan Varrone [mailto:nathanvarr...@gmail.com] > *Sent:* Friday, November 19, 2010 1:20 AM > *To:* jlcarmich...@comcast.net > *Subject:* Sundial Information > > > > Dear John Carmichael, > > > > I am currently reviving a humor magazine titled *The Sundial *at The Ohio > State University. In old issues of *The Sundial*, I often see an owl on > top of the drawn images of sundials. Is there any association with owls and > sundials that you would know of? > > > > Thanks so much for your time, we may do business with you in the future! > > > > Best, > > -- > Nathan L. Varrone > The Ohio State University > Associate Director, 8th Floor Improv > President, The Sundial > > --- > https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial > > > --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
FW: Sundial Information
Hi Dialists: I received this intriguing letter from Ohio State University. The writer talks about an old publication called "The Sundial". And then asked me if I am aware of any relationship between sundials and owls! I am not aware of any association between the two. I asked him to send me any photos of this. Meanwhile, I'm asking you guys if you have seen any relationship between owls and sundials. Thanks! I'll forward your answers to him, or you can write him directly. John From: Nathan Varrone [mailto:nathanvarr...@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, November 19, 2010 1:20 AM To: jlcarmich...@comcast.net Subject: Sundial Information Dear John Carmichael, I am currently reviving a humor magazine titled The Sundial at The Ohio State University. In old issues of The Sundial, I often see an owl on top of the drawn images of sundials. Is there any association with owls and sundials that you would know of? Thanks so much for your time, we may do business with you in the future! Best, -- Nathan L. Varrone The Ohio State University Associate Director, 8th Floor Improv President, The Sundial --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
