|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,543 Likes: 1
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,543 Likes: 1 |
Snow can be...bounced around by winds in a process called saltation
I think of "saltation" as what flat stones when you throw them edgewise across the surface of the water, a.k.a. skipping. (Off on a tangent: consecutive skips are long-short-long-short-long-short-etc depending on how strong your arm is.)
It occurs in medicine, too. Small nerves conduct impulses contiguously, millimeter by millimeter. Bigger nerves are wrapped in a white substance called myelin, which is in sections of finite length that touch each other at "nodes." With them, impulses travel by leaps and bounds from node to node. It's called "saltatory conduction" and, since the steps are longer, it's much faster.
If I'm not mistaken "saltatory" means "jumping" (as in the French "sauter", to jump) and we also see it in "somersault".
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
(Off on a tangent: consecutive skips are long-short-long-short-long-short-etc depending on how strong your arm is.)
really? I've never noticed that when I skip rocks. they usually get consecutively shorter ending with a bunch of tiny uncountables... the very best rock skipping I ever had was several years ago at Indiana Dunes State Park. beautiful, dense flat rocks, and and calm lake... easily 12 or more skips... the last time we were there the waves were so high we couldn't go in the water!
formerly known as etaoin...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 555
addict
|
addict
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 555 |
Saltatory conduction, leapt out at me too. (That's a Tom Swifty, it is!) And yes, wofa, you are right. It is the SULT family; includes Sil, Sal, Sault, and they all mean jump or leap. Desultory, Salient, Somersault, Resilient, Asault.. the roots are not all the same, but I think a recurring one is the Latin, salire. Shall check and return.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
to skip rocks: dap, scon (Scot.)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400 |
what about the great lakes port town of Sault ste Marie. It is a small water fall? or a series of water falls, I have often wondered about how it got its name.
(is Sault Ste Marie in Wisconson or Michigan or some other state? we have some poster from the middle part of US. someone must know.)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Established in 1668, Sault Ste Marie is Michigan's oldest city. It is also the third oldest continuous settlement in the United States.
The first European settlement was established by early French fur traders. Known to them as Sault du Gastogne, it was changed in 1688 by the Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette to Sault Ste Marie, in honor of the Virgin Mary. There is debate about what the name translates to, but French speakers say "Sault" means, "to jump", making Sault Ste. Marie the place where people would com to "jump the St. Mary's".
The St. Mary's River is the only water connection between Lake Superior and the Great Lakes. However, there is a section of the river known as the St. Mary's Rapids where the water falls about 21 feet from the level of Lake Superior to the level of the lower lakes. This natural barrier made it necessary for the construction of the Sault Locks, a project known as the St. Mary's Canal. The first lock was built in 1797, on the Canadian side, but was destroyed in the War of 1812. The US built its first lock in 1885. Today therer are 4 locks in use, continuously being visited by ships and tourists alike.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400 |
but it is in the upper penisula, right? i am not that bad when in comes to US geography.
and what is it abotu the geography that it got the sault --the Ste Marie is clearly from the french trappers, who, like the spanish explorers, tend to name places for the saints day the city/town/fort/what ever was founded. All over US there are saints names for towns.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636 |
Yup, h-of-t, the Sault Ste. Marie Michigan is in the Upper Penninsula. Hey, helen, look up a couple of posts
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
And a somersault is not a vacation in Upper Peninsula. som[er[sault 7sum4!r sClt#8 n. 5altered < MFr sombresault, soubresault < L supra, over + saltus, a leap < pp. of saltare: see SALTANT6 an acrobatic stunt performed by turning the body one full revolution forward or backward, heels over head: often used figuratively, as of a complete reversal of opinion, sympathies, etc. vi. to perform a somersault or a series of somersaults Also som4er[set# 73set#8
More difficult is a winterpepper.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636 |
JAMAICAN PEPPER I can't say enough about this pepper. If you like it hot, this one's for you. The plant, if grown with proper care, can reach five feet in height. These lantern-like peppers grow under the leaves, and when ripe mature from deep orange to fiery red. Similar to the habanero, only mine is bigger, better and yields more. The Jamaican has a great flavor without the aftertaste of the habanero. Great to freeze and enjoy all winter long. That one oughtta have you jumpin' your sombrero
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
to skip rocks: dap, (Scot.)
scon
but how do you pronounce that?
formerly known as etaoin...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
schooner n. < ? Scot dial. scun, to skip a flat stone across water 1 a ship with two or more masts, rigged fore and aft 2 short for PRAIRIE SCHOONER 3 a large beer glass, usually holding a pint
I remember reading that when the first ship of this type was launched, as she left the ways, an onlooker exclaimed:"See how she scoons!" giving the name to the type vessel.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400 |
More on Sault, but i need emanuala-- there is a resturant in NY, Saltenbucco (spelling might be wrong) i am told its an idiom from italian, that means delicious--literally, it means "it jumps into your mouth". (that sault/salt jump root is clear)
there is also a oxtail soup that is often called saltenbucco, too. you sometimes see it on a menu in real italian places. (there are tourist places, and real italian places)--and in NY southern italian places are more common than northern-- red sause vs other sauces is a basic area of differentation. i personally like southern italian (often not italian, but rather sicilian) Tourist-y places skip interesting dishes like oxtail soup.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Our two entrees, pollo vesuvio and vitello saltimbucco, are common fare at most Italian restaurants, but the preparation of these dishes can often go awry. ...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
old hand
|
old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156 |
helen, you are right about the word but I think it is probably saltimbocca (although names of dishes get warped over time, and across the ocean). Saltare means to jump, and bocca is mouth.
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,334
Members9,182
|
Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
0 members (),
752
guests, and
1
robot. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|