Olympus-OM
[Top] [All Lists]

OT Right and Left (!) [OM] "Deasil",

Subject: OT Right and Left (!) [OM] "Deasil",
From: Chris Barker <ftog@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 3 May 2003 06:15:07 +0100
Thanks Moose

I was using, perhaps erroneously, the masculine adjective form of the words. I knew that "to the right" or "left" are feminine (presumably assuming "side" to be feminine ;-)), but I had forgotten about "straight ahead". I shall remember that for my next visit to Spain (I hope, to Andalucia).

But my main point was about the derivation of the modern languages from Latin; I find it so sad that schools do not have time to teach Latin as it makes many languages easier to learn. Mind you, in the UK one of the teaching unions is suggesting that Maths need not be compulsory!

Possible OM content: when I visit Andalucia I shall take my OM4 and 50-250...

Chris


On Friday, May 2, 2003, at 21:52 Europe/London, Moose wrote:

You've got some genders mixed up there. Derecho means right in the sense of 'correct, straight'. Tell a driver to go "al derecho" and he will go straight ahead. "a la derecha" will get him to turn right. Similarly, the noun form 'izquierda' means left and is feminine. "Mira la vista por la izquierda." means "Look at the view to the left." The adjective, of course, ends in 'a' or 'o' depending on the gender of the noun it modifies. So, in Spanish, the symbolic subtext is that straight ahead, straightforward, etc. are masculine qualities and deviation, turning aside, etc. are feminine qualities.

In Italian, the noun for the direction left is 'sinestra', and for right is 'destra', both feminine. The plurals end in 'o'.

Moose

Chris Barker wrote:

<|_:-)_|>

C M I Barker
Cambridgeshire, Great Britain.

+44 (0)7092 251126
mailto:ftog@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.threeshoes.co.uk
http://homepage.mac.com/zuiko
... a nascent photo library.


< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Sponsored by Tako
Impressum | Datenschutz