OK, most great and magnificent body of "people who make sundials". The following dialog between John and Patrick has prompted me to ask a question that has troubled me for some time.
I became a "maker of dials" four years ago; only a short time before becoming a member of the internet community. I chose as my username "diallist". I have seen the words "dialer", "dialler", "dyaller" and "dialist". But nowhere have I seen "diallist" but by my own hand. Am I right or wrong in thinking that "diallist" is a proper archaic spelling? I'm not going to change my use of it, but I'd like to know if I'm right or wrong. Thanks in advance for any and all replies. Charles "diallist" : ) -----Original Message----- From: Patrick Powers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: sundial <sundial@rrz.uni-koeln.de> Date: Friday, June 11, 1999 11:54 Subject: gnomons or styles? >Message text written by John Carmichael > >> in the case of sundials which use >strings, cables, rods, or pipes, wouldn't the gnomon be the SAME as the >style because the center of the whole shadow is used to tell time, and not >just the edge?< > >No, strictly speaking, it wouldn't be the same. The gnomon is that >mechanical part of the dial that contains/embodies the shadow casting >element. So if you are talking about the shadow casting device as a part >of the dial it is the gnomon but if you are talking of that part of the >shadow casting device which at any particular time is responsible for the >time estimate that you are making then that part is the style at that time. > >>Should I refer to the cable of my sundials as a gnomon or style or both?< > >The cable of your sundials is the gnomon but the edge of the cable (or its >centre or whatever part is responsible for the time estimate) is the style. > > >>I've noticed that some people spell style as "stile". Which is the >prefered spelling?< > >I prefer 'Style'; (a 'stile' to me is something I climb over to get into a >field) but then as a Brit I have the weird habit of writing 'centre', >'colour', 'preferred',dialling' etc, etc <gg>. I think you use whatever >you think your audience expects! > >Patrick > >
