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Joined: Dec 2011
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stranger
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stranger
Joined: Dec 2011
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The ethymological and unanswered question about how how we got from the bowl to the head reminds of the legend of Vikings using their ennemie's skulls as drinking bowl. I found reference to this being a myth but to the allegation that it was the practice of nomad tribes of German origin. This would lead me to think that the mazard (skull) use as a mazard (drinking bowl) is not that far fetched. Ahh, the good old days when thinks were simple and recycling commonplace  Have a happy new year.
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Joined: Jun 2002
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
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formerly known as etaoin...
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Joined: Nov 2011
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075 |
Thanks for that, Bert - it is a very credible theory.
I'm immortal until proven otherwise
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Joined: Jun 2002
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
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formerly known as etaoin...
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
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Are you callin' him an egghead?! 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
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OED has 1603 for the earliest use of mazard in the sense of 'head'. Sounds a little late for a derivation from Viking drinking practices. I think that just the general shape of the head would be a sufficient explanation.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290 |
Sounds a little late for a derivation from Viking drinking practices.
The only citation I am aware of your "enemies skull as drinking bowl" is from Herodotus about the Scythians. A connection bteween head and container/vessel of some kind is in Romance word for head from Vulgar Latin testa 'bowl' which replaced words derived from caput. English crazy comes from a potter's term crazed 'marked by little cracks (in the glaze)'.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295 |
We have in Dutch the word "fruit test" , a fruit bowl with little holes in it to drain the water from the washed fruit. Link (dropped into the discussion like a pebble in a fruit bowl)
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,706 |
Similar to our colander , Bran...a perforated pan, usually bowl-shaped, for draining off liquids, as in washing fruit & vegetables, pasta and rice. But yours is prettier  I thought the sports ball was originally a 'human head' so went searching and found this interesting article... The Mesoamerican ballgame or Tlatchtli The bit about human sacrifice is disturbing....glad I didn't play sport back then!
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
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A different ballgame. Thought it was about the link between head and bowl. Superbowl?
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290 |
Superbowl?
I've always thought that this connection was between the venue (i.e., classical-style amphitheater) and a punch bowl. A quick look at its etymology (from Old English bolla 'bowl') shows that heads come into play: Old English heáfod-bolla 'skull' (used as translation of Golgotha, Calvary, heáfodbollan stówe), Middle High German hirn-bolle, Old High German hirni-polla 'brain-pan, skull'. Good call, Branshea.
áó
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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