Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris Precisely how long is a 'moment'? | TIME WORDS
Jun 18, 2025
Delve into the fascinating history of time-related terms and their origins, from the meaning of "seconds" to the literal definition of a "clock." Discover how the French decimal calendar reshaped timekeeping and explore the intriguing etymology behind words like "fortnight" and "calendar." The discussion also reveals how diverse cultures interpret time, including the unique phenomena of 'Filipino time.' With refreshing insights, the podcast uncovers how celestial movements have shaped our understanding of months and seasons.
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Time As Division
- The Proto-Indo-European root of "time" means to divide, highlighting time as a division of experience.
- English originally used "tide" for time, showing earlier words blurred daily events and hours.
Clock Came From Bell Sounds
- "Clock" likely imitates an early bell sound and entered English from medieval Latin or Celtic in the 14th century.
- Earlier timepieces had different names like Old English day-mæl and Latin horologium, reflecting varied tech and cultures.
Why Seconds Are 'Second'
- "Second" and the ordinal "second" share the same origin from Latin secunda minuta, literally the "second minute."
- Minutes were first subdivisions of the hour; seconds were subdivisions of those minutes.
