RE: [Texascavers] A warning from the future

[Rod Goke]

I agree that interpreting the end of the Maya calendar cycle as an "end of the world" prediction should be taken only about as seriously as the joke about November 6, 2012, or the rapture predictions for May 21, 2011. As for the usage of the words "Maya" vs. "Mayan", my understanding is that you are technically correct, and I've heard that explanation before. In actual common usage, however, both "Maya calendar" and "Mayan calendar" are used very frequently, almost interchangeably, as can easily be verified in a few minutes with an Internet search engine. Use of "Mayan" as an adjective has become so common, even in mainstream media and publications, that I can see how people might legitimately argue about whether this is a common mistake or whether it is a case of academicians being slow to adapt to the reality of evolving language. Dictionaries tend to be lagging (not leading) indicators of current language usage. Does anyone know of a reason to prefer "Maya" over "Mayan" for use as an adjective, other than the fact that academicians prefer this convention? Otherwise, I see little reason to prefer one convention over the other on this issue and am content to follow whichever one wins out in actual practice. Thus far, it appears to me that both are acceptable in actual modern usage. Rod -----Original Message----- From: Mark Minton Sent: May 22, 2011 10:25 PM To: texascavers@texascavers.com Subject: RE: [Texascavers] A warning from the future As I understand it, 2012 does not mark the end of the world according to Maya mythology. It is simply the end of a calendar cycle. After that date a new calendar cycle would begin. All talk of apocalypse is modern mythology, not Maya. (In modern usage, the word Mayan is used solely in reference to the language. In all other cases Maya is used as both noun and adjective.) Mark Minton At 10:34 PM 5/22/2011, Rod Goke wrote: >I'm not very familiar with the Aztec calendar, but if it ever >contained an "end of the world" prediction, it probably had to be >revised to record that happening August 13, 1521 (from their >viewpoint, anyway, since that's when their capital, Tenochtitlan, >finally fell to Cortes). I believe that it is the Mayan calendar >that many people claim will end December 21, 2012, leading some to >interpret this as a predicted "end of the world" date. Now, however, >some people are claiming that this interpretation of the Mayan >calendar is off by several weeks and that the real "end of the >world" date will be November 6, 2012. >. . . >(election day) ;-) > >Rod > >-----Original Message----- >From: Louise Power >Sent: May 22, 2011 7:28 PM >To: Texas Cavers >Subject: RE: [Texascavers] A warning from the future > >But wait, doesn't the end of the world come in 2012 (according to >the Aztec calendar)? My friend Jo says yesterday was just supposed >to be the rapture. She says the EOW comes in October. Who should I >believe...the crazy old guy who got it wrong the first time; a >defunct native group; or my best friend? OMG, it's just too much for >my poor old brain to comprehend! Please reply to mmin...@caver.net Permanent email address is mmin...@illinoisalumni.org --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com