Larian Banner: Baldur's Gate Patch 9
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 2 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Joined: Nov 2003
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Nov 2003
Feliz Navidad


The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?
~Jeremy Bentham
Joined: Mar 2003
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
Quote
Isn't there a song about Noel?

Anyway...

I didn't know its athiest either!
I thought it was just a shorter way of saying Christmas...

Does it insult people? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohh.gif" alt="" />


Noel is the Winter Solstice (mid-Winter, 22nd December/June).
Litha is the Summer Solstice (mid-Summer, 22nd June/December).
Ostara is the Spring Equinox (mid-Spring, 21st March/September).
I couldn't find the name of the Autumnal Equinox (mid-Autumn, 21st September/March).
(Months are Northern/Southern hemisphere)

Hence, Noel is often associated with Christmas, having a similar date.

To my knowledge, Xmas is spelt that way out of laziness, and for that, it does offend me despite my lack of religion. The Greek idea sounds plausable, though.

Joined: Mar 2003
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
Quote
It isn't an "atheist" form at all:

[color:"orange"]Xmas has been used for hundreds of years in religious writing, where the X represents a Greek chi, the first letter of [the Greek word meaning] "Christ". [/color]

If that's the case, then the Greeks are baing lazy too. Why not write the whole word "Christ" in Greek?

Joined: Mar 2003
Location: brokeTM
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: brokeTM
because they didn't write that way?


It's one of these days...
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Visible
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Visible
Quote
If that's the case, then the Greeks are baing lazy too.


Hey! don't blame the Greeks! But pity the poor medieval copyists, who laboured over all those manuscripts... I don't think it's too surprising that they came up with forms of shorthand.

An edited description of the issue from a doctoral student in medieval studies at the University of Toronto:

[color:"orange"]From as far back as the rise in production of Latin parchment manuscripts in Late Antiquity (in the 4th century AD), copyists have found it convenient to abbreviate commonly used words and terms by "contraction" -- that is, by dropping most of the letters out of a word and drawing a line above those which remain to indicate the abbreviation....

Thus was born the use of the Greek chi (which looks like a Latin X) as shorthand for Christ. Medieval copyists found it rather convenient in other compound words using Christ, such as ... Xmas for Christmas, an abbreviation which appears by 1100. The only thing which has altered over the years is the dropping of the dash over the "X" which signaled "abbreviation" to the medieval reader, and which differentiated this "X" from the Roman X.

Unfortunately, few modern folk know of the extensive use of abbreviations in medieval texts, and so are understandably confused by them when they encounter them today....They also err in pronouncing Xmas as "Ex-mas." A medieval liturgist encountering this abbreviation would have read it aloud as "Christmas."

So, the next time you see Xmas on the sign at the local tree lot, I hope you will smile, and remember that this abbreviation is a living relic of the Middle Ages. [/color]

However, since most people obviously don't know the background (and are not medieval copyists), I do have to agree, HandEFood, that these days it probably is just used a) out of laziness; and b) to save money (in printing costs, on signs, etc.).

Too bad, though... I rather like "living relics"...

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/xmassmiley.gif" alt="" />

Joined: Jun 2003
Location: malaysia
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: malaysia
Selamat Hari Natal <- merry christmas in malay language. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/xmassmiley.gif" alt="" />


[Linked Image from i3.photobucket.com]
......a gift from LaFille......
Joined: Nov 2003
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Nov 2003
aah my bearded friend, it seems I never get old enough to stop learning, thank you and @ HEF yes I did know that 1 ... but couldn't remember it at the time of writing ... it is called (according to an OLD friend) a senior moment <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/xmassmiley.gif" alt="" />


Mea Culpa's Demesne Note; artwork for Avatar courtesy of NWN and CEP Old Elven Saying: "Never say Never if you're gonna live forever!!!" "I didn't do it, it wasn't my fault"
Joined: Mar 2003
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
Thank you Rincewind. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> It's good to see something explaining it a bit better.

So we've abbrevated the abbreviation? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

All the same, I feel that abbreviation is a sign of laziness. If something is used frequently, then it may be warrented, but for common words being used casually, it is not necessary. I think the most depressing abbreviation I have heard of is the Church translating the Bible into SMS. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />

Joined: Nov 2003
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Nov 2003
Yes, we abrev. the abrev.


The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?
~Jeremy Bentham
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: brokeTM
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: brokeTM
bible in sms? gotta see that


It's one of these days...
Joined: Mar 2003
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
Quote
bbl in sms? g2c that

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

Joined: Mar 2003
A
veteran
Offline
veteran
A
Joined: Mar 2003
Some Christmas-like things for your PC <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> (German descriptions) :

Adventskranz

Tannenbaum

Weihnachtskugel

Have fun ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />


When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it.
--Dilbert cartoon

"Interplay.some zombiefied unlife thing going on there" - skavenhorde at RPGWatch
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: California, USA
Kyra_Ny Offline OP
old hand
OP Offline
old hand
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: California, USA
Wow!!!

I didn't expect this topic to become as big as this.
I guess I should ask more of these questions that come to me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />


@ Draghermosran =>
Quote
bible in sms? gotta see that

Draghermosran


They have, it's called the picture Bible and it resembles a comic book with pictures, dialog bubbles, and everything, but it's in book form.


Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />


Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Brasil
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Brasil
Quote
Selamat Hari Natal <- merry christmas in malay language. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/xmassmiley.gif" alt="" />


Nice a lot Jang.

Feliz Natal - merry christmas in portuguese language.

I didn`t even knew that had differences between christmas and Xmas to me is the same thing. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/stupid.gif" alt="" />


Who's gonna show you how to fly!
Joined: Mar 2003
A
veteran
Offline
veteran
A
Joined: Mar 2003
I recently heard in a shop a song containing "feliz navidad". It's Espanol, I think. (Sorry for the missing ~ )



When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it.
--Dilbert cartoon

"Interplay.some zombiefied unlife thing going on there" - skavenhorde at RPGWatch
Joined: Apr 2003
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Apr 2003
a song made famous by Jose Feleciano....god rest his soul.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/xmassmiley.gif" alt="" />


[color:"#33cc3"]Jurak'sRunDownShack!
Third Member of Off-Topic Posters
Defender of the [color:"green"]PIF.
[/color] Das Grosse Grüne Ogre!!! [/color]
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Canada
D
veteran
Offline
veteran
D
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Canada
Quote
I didn`t even knew that had differences between christmas and Xmas to me is the same thing. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/stupid.gif" alt="" />


Christmas: A jolly old fat man dressed in red, carrying a bag of toys, comes down the chimney to light your "baum".
Xmas: A jolly old fat bot dressed in red, carrying a Thomson, comes down the chimney to gun you down.

That's all there is to know <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />.

Joined: Apr 2004
veteran
Offline
veteran
Joined: Apr 2004
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ROFL.gif" alt="" />

Ok, now am i the only one who seems to remember that there was a VERY very sinister myth about our uncle santa????

I will have to go dig through some boxes to get to my old books, but i remember something about santa being an evil guy who used to on Christmas eve, go around sneaking into houses, kidnapping / killing small children.... because the townspeople(especially the kids) never treated him fair (or something like that - because of his dwarflike appearance)

The "tradition" to wake up was borne out of fear, since parents stayd awake to guard their children agianst him....

and if i remember correctly the "tradition" to leave milk and cookies was also in an attempt to please the jolly old fat man (although i believe the myth had it that he was very small and skinny - dwarf like) and make him pass their kids by.

I will go search for it over the weekend and bring the real story without the holes in )

so jolly fat man, wanting to gun you down, would be fairly accurate....



Your existence alone, is excuse enough for the creation of the entire universe… Il you my darling Jeanne-Dré 
Joined: Mar 2003
A
veteran
Offline
veteran
A
Joined: Mar 2003
Reminds me somehow of "Nightmare before Christmas". <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Last edited by AlrikFassbauer; 22/12/04 09:30 PM.

When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it.
--Dilbert cartoon

"Interplay.some zombiefied unlife thing going on there" - skavenhorde at RPGWatch
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: California, USA
Kyra_Ny Offline OP
old hand
OP Offline
old hand
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: California, USA
What’s funny about that is Santa is called “Old Saint Nick” at times
and if you look up “Old Nick” in the Webster’s Dictionary
the definition is: [color:"yellow"]used as a name of the devil.[/color] <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />


Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />


Page 2 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Moderated by  ForkTong, Larian_QA, Lynn, Macbeth 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5