Oriented

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passionandparadox
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Oriented

Postby passionandparadox » Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:34 am

This word is interesting for the progression in derived words. At first, there was "orient":
from L. orientem (nom. oriens) "the rising sun, the east, part of the sky where the sun rises," originally "rising" (adj.)
Which eventually became a verb:
from Fr. s'orienter "to take one's bearings," lit. "to face the east"
And finally an adjective, which (at least, upon my own introspection) we have no eastwardly connections to.

Palewriter
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Re: Oriented

Postby Palewriter » Wed Sep 13, 2006 11:34 pm


And finally an adjective, which (at least, upon my own introspection) we have no eastwardly connections to.
Interesting throw-away line there, P&P. Care to expand?

-- PW
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!!! What a ride!"

passionandparadox
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Postby passionandparadox » Wed Sep 13, 2006 11:42 pm

Sure :) I was referring to "oriented" as an adjective (as opposed to a verb). WordNet gives a nice example:
"helping freshmen become oriented to college life"
The word "oriented" seems to betray its etymology by refusing to conjure up any connections to the East. When we talk about things or people becoming "oriented", it has nothing to do with whether they are facing East.

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Postby Palewriter » Thu Sep 14, 2006 12:05 am

Sure :) I was referring to "oriented" as an adjective (as opposed to a verb). WordNet gives a nice example:
"helping freshmen become oriented to college life"
The word "oriented" seems to betray its etymology by refusing to conjure up any connections to the East. When we talk about things or people becoming "oriented", it has nothing to do with whether they are facing East.
Silly me. I thought you meant the adjective "oriental".

Well, since folks way-back-when had no compass, the most reliable way to fix direction would be to go by the sun. Since the sun rises in the East, this would at least become a somewhat trustworthy benchmark (to use a more modern term) for the day's wanderings. OK...we're trying to go North....here's the sun coming up...turn left a quarter turn...

By extension, finding one's way (even easier in a university than in a desert, I suppose) would relate semantically.

-- PW
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!!! What a ride!"

Stargzer
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Postby Stargzer » Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:17 pm

. . . Well, since folks way-back-when had no compass, the most reliable way to fix direction would be to go by the sun. Since the sun rises in the East, this would at least become a somewhat trustworthy benchmark (to use a more modern term) for the day's wanderings. OK...we're trying to go North....here's the sun coming up...turn left a quarter turn...
. . .
-- PW
Quite right for days near the equinoxes, but you'll have to apply a little Kentucky windage the closer you get to a solstice. The Sun's point of rising moves from North to South, passing through due East at the Equinoxes. Ditto for the point of setting in the West. Then again, go too far North or South, and you get a spell of no rising or no setting around the Solstices. :wink:
Regards//Larry

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee

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Postby Palewriter » Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:04 pm

Quite right for days near the equinoxes, but you'll have to apply a little Kentucky windage the closer you get to a solstice. The Sun's point of rising moves from North to South, passing through due East at the Equinoxes. Ditto for the point of setting in the West. Then again, go too far North or South, and you get a spell of no rising or no setting around the Solstices. :wink:
Well, who wants to take a trip in midwinter? And midsummer, the ancients were probably too busy leaping over bonfires and such.

Spring used to be the time to embark on long journeys. Start off around the equinox and you might stand a chance of getting where you wanted to go. Leave any later and you might end up in Arkansas...

You know I'm simply making this $hit up as I go along, right Larry? :-)

-- PW
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!!! What a ride!"

Stargzer
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Postby Stargzer » Sat Sep 16, 2006 2:25 am

. . .
You know I'm simply making this $hit up as I go along, right Larry? :-)

-- PW
Oh, yeah; I forgot: you work in Adverteasing. ;-)
Regards//Larry

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee


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