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"Clockwise" and "Anti-clockwise" in a world without clocks
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 2:25 pm
by Flatted Fifth
If you've been wondering how to describe 2-dimensional rotary motion without referring to clocks (like, lets explore these woods in a clockwise spiral), try "sunwise" for clockwise and "widdershin" for counter-clockwise.
Sunwise: the direction of the sun's movement if you're in the northern hemisphere facing south and observing the sun's passage from east to west, so the same as clockwise
Widdershins: an old word meaning "against the way", it is the opposite of sunwise and is considered sinister or unlucky.
Re: "Clockwise" and "Anti-clockwise" in a world without clocks
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 4:41 pm
by Ewe
I found some stuff about Ed Greenwood talking about clocks here:
https://www.sageadvice.eu/do-watches-or ... en-realms/
Does this mean maybe in a couple years we will have clocks?
Re: "Clockwise" and "Anti-clockwise" in a world without clocks
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 5:44 pm
by Flatted Fifth
I hope so. It would make IC meetings a little less OOC. Plus I just love the sound of clocktowers striking the hour. It would be a nice atmospheric sound addition in the Gate, maybe the Palace District.
Re: "Clockwise" and "Anti-clockwise" in a world without clocks
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2022 12:47 am
by whatsittoya
We have sundials and they might do either way.
Re: "Clockwise" and "Anti-clockwise" in a world without clocks
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2022 1:30 am
by JustAnotherGuy
This post caused some curiosity in me, and I did some digging. Near as I can tell, the actual word clock was first used in the 14th century (roughly around the the time period we are in on the server). It originates from the French word for "Bell". As in the hour-bell a city crier might ring.
When the Egyptians made the sundial, they called it a word that translates to "Shadow clock", but that's a hindsight etymology.
After looking into it, it's my opinion that using the words "Clockwise" or "Counter (anti) Clockwise" doesn't exactly fit within our setting. But also, it's one of the very, very minor inconsistencies compared to some other, much more grievous examples of anachronisms in speech on the server. It's not going to bother me if people use clockwise or counterclockwise, and I would not argue with them if they wanted to defend their position by calling a sundial a clock, and so clockwise would be the path that the shadow passes on the dial. But I'm also not likely to use the terms myself.
Re: "Clockwise" and "Anti-clockwise" in a world without clocks
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2022 10:56 am
by Flatted Fifth
JustAnotherGuy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 02, 2022 1:30 am
This post caused some curiosity in me, and I did some digging. Near as I can tell, the actual word clock was first used in the 14th century (roughly around the the time period we are in on the server). It originates from the French word for "Bell". As in the hour-bell a city crier might ring.
When the Egyptians made the sundial, they called it a word that translates to "Shadow clock", but that's a hindsight etymology.
After looking into it, it's my opinion that using the words "Clockwise" or "Counter (anti) Clockwise" doesn't exactly fit within our setting. But also, it's one of the very, very minor inconsistencies compared to some other, much more grievous examples of anachronisms in speech on the server. It's not going to bother me if people use clockwise or counterclockwise, and I would not argue with them if they wanted to defend their position by calling a sundial a clock, and so clockwise would be the path that the shadow passes on the dial. But I'm also not likely to use the terms myself.
Yeah, it doesn't bother me when people say clockwise or counter-clockwise. Not at all. This is just a teensy nugget for anyone who might be interested. Since "sunwise" specifically refers to the appearance of Earth's sun's movement caused by the direction of Earth's movement and as seen from Earth's northern hemisphere and "widdershins" is an old Germanic word, they don't fit the setting either. Just seem less anachronistic.
Re: "Clockwise" and "Anti-clockwise" in a world without clocks
Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2022 6:02 am
by Antras89
not a Neverwinter city was famous from made pocket's clocks?
Also, we still have "sun clocks" so "Clockwise" and "Anti-clockwise" make sense
Re: "Clockwise" and "Anti-clockwise" in a world without clocks
Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2022 6:57 pm
by DM Ink
Call it Cog-wise!