[meteorite-list] OT: Searching for the correct terminology

From: Michael Murray <mmurray_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:28:43 -0600
Message-ID: <4F2B66E2-0446-4E24-B303-2310F11D0B0F_at_montrose.net>

 From what I can observe on some small specimens, it is more than just
the removal of fusion crust that is involved. As the crust is broken
or chipped off, due to whatever cause, there is a certain, albeit
small amount, of the matrix removed also, leaving the newly exposed
surface very rough. Pitted if you like. The shape of the stone is
not changed all that much of course, and without magnification, one
might not see what the remaining surface is like. Weathering or
whatever the cause, it is a fantastic thing to see the exposed matrix
in its rawest appearance. Fusion crust has its own special appeal and
I don't mean to be taking anything away from crusted stones with my
thoughts on this.

Mike in CO

On Sep 11, 2009, at 6:04 PM, Sterling K. Webb wrote:

> Hi, Bernd, List,
>
> The linguists pin-point the origin of the
> people who brought the Old English
> (Anglo-Saxon) to England as the western
> half of the base of the penisula that is
> now Denmark and the Continental coast
> to the west of that peninsula. They seem
> to have been a coastal people unwilling to
> settle anywhere without the immediate
> use of their warships. Not settling-down
> kind of people at all...
>
> As England is without any doubt the most
> invaded country in history (with the possible
> exception of parts of the Middle East), its
> language contains remnants and relics of
> words from over 60 languages. Some of them
> are more or less inexplicable -- English has
> a few Sumerian words. No one has any idea
> how that happened.
>
> Calculating how much of English comes from
> what language is a messy business and estimates
> vary widely. The French always comes out on top
> because they were the most recent invaders!
>
> There are delicate issues here. Do you count
> Scots words as a dialect of English? Think twice
> before you open your mouth!
>
> Based on the 80,000 most common words in
> English (out of 600,000), the word origins are:
> French and Old Norman --- 28.3%
> Latin --- 28.2%
> All the Germanic languages together --- 25%
> Greek --- 5.3%
> Mysterious, no origin known -- 4%
> Derived from proper names -- 3.3%
> All other languages --- 5.9%
>
> Or, based on the 10,000 most common words:
> French (langue d'o?l): 41%
> "Native" English: 33%
> Latin: 15%
> Old Norse: 2%
> Dutch: 1%
> Other: 10%
>
> But, never forget the basic rule of English: if you
> don't like the word you've got, make one up or
> better still, just go steal a word you like better!
> English has more "constructed" words than most
> languages -- we've made up or stolen about a third
> of the language!
>
> Yes, this is Off Topic! The word METEOR and the
> word COMET are both Greek! (That's the best
> on-topic remark I could manage...)
>
>
> Sterling K. Webb
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----- Original Message ----- From: <bernd.pauli at paulinet.de>
> To: <Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 5:40 PM
> Subject: [meteorite-list] OT: Searching for the correct terminology
>
>
>> Sterling wrote:
>>
>> "Oddly enough in earlier English...I have seen several instances
>> of "to-torn" used to mean not just "torn" but "ripped to shreds."
>>
>> Here's an excerpt from the 5th century writer Paulus Orosius
>> concerning
>> the sack of Rome by the Goths in 410. The translator may even have
>> been
>> King Alfred: "...ond ealda ceastra ond ealde byrig *towurpon*, ..."
>>
>> .. and they *completely* destroyed old castles (fortresses) and old
>> cities (towns), ...
>>
>> "weorpan" is the German word "werfen" (= throw). The prefix "to"
>> intensifies
>> the meaning of the word (see Sterling's comment above!). They did
>> not only
>> "overthrow" the fortresses and towns, they left complete devestation!
>>
>> As both English and German are Germanic or Teutonic languages, you
>> find lots
>> of these "phrasal verbs" in both languages! Maybe some of the
>> "older" List members
>> remember my post: The Aweful German Language (by Mark Twain!).
>>
>> Best wishes,
>>
>> Bernd
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________
>> http://www.meteoritecentral.com
>> Meteorite-list mailing list
>> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
> ______________________________________________
> http://www.meteoritecentral.com
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Received on Fri 11 Sep 2009 08:28:43 PM PDT