Whoaagh.............. Now this is something to write home about: a clock that eats time. It's this new clock in Cambridge which has a big grasshoppery thing tramping around the edge, apparently eating time. Lisbeth says that the word 'Cronophage' comes from Greek and actually means 'time eater' (chronos = time and phageo - eat, or phagein - to eat.)
It's a particularly weird sort of a clock because it isn't right most of the time. In fact, it only manages to be correct once every five minutes. (So you can't set you watch by it!) However, the maker says he has done it this way - with the pendulum slowing from time to time, and then speeding up - to show that time is subjective and appears to go either faster or slower, depending on what you're up to. In both cases, the maker believes that time is 'not on our side' and so wanted to show the chronophage relentlessly eating it up.
I know that when I'm on the veranda and feeling bored, time seems to go really slowly. Then when we have an interesting visitor, and they sit out here and talk with Lisbeth, time seems to fly by. I suppose, if I'm honest, I have no real sense of time at all. I'm not even aware of its passing. As to it being munched....................
Anyway, back to the clock. When the hour is reached, this crunching, munching clock doesn't even chime. It does have a mechanism, though, which does make a noise. It is a chain being dragged over a wooden coffin! Eewe!
So on that spooky note, I will leave you with the munching jaws of Mr Chronphage.
It's a particularly weird sort of a clock because it isn't right most of the time. In fact, it only manages to be correct once every five minutes. (So you can't set you watch by it!) However, the maker says he has done it this way - with the pendulum slowing from time to time, and then speeding up - to show that time is subjective and appears to go either faster or slower, depending on what you're up to. In both cases, the maker believes that time is 'not on our side' and so wanted to show the chronophage relentlessly eating it up.
I know that when I'm on the veranda and feeling bored, time seems to go really slowly. Then when we have an interesting visitor, and they sit out here and talk with Lisbeth, time seems to fly by. I suppose, if I'm honest, I have no real sense of time at all. I'm not even aware of its passing. As to it being munched....................
Anyway, back to the clock. When the hour is reached, this crunching, munching clock doesn't even chime. It does have a mechanism, though, which does make a noise. It is a chain being dragged over a wooden coffin! Eewe!
So on that spooky note, I will leave you with the munching jaws of Mr Chronphage.
3 comments:
I think you'll find that the greek for To Eat is Phagein (a pedant writes)
Hey there, Mr Anon Pedant
How kind you are to take the time to help me in my talking practice. I will return to my notes and original researches to track down where I got it from. Then I may do some editing.
Please keep me in your sights for further learning opportunities.
MM
Hello, again, Mr Anon Pedant.
I have, as promised, reviewed my notes and found that I was somewhat sloppy in my writing. Hence, I have altered the relevant section to correct what appears to have been an error of copying on my part while, at the same time, adding in your infinitive.
I hope sa vous plait?
What a team!
Mouty
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