[lojban] Re: paroi ro mentu

[Jay F Kominek <jkominek@miranda.org>]

On Sat, Sep 28, 2002 at 02:12:22PM +0100, And Rosta wrote:
> > From: John Cowan [mailto:jcowan@reutershealth.com]
> > And Rosta scripsit:
> > 
> > > (What's the difference between 'rotate' and 'revolve'? I'm sure
> > > John will enjoy telling me...)
> > 
> > Whether the axis passes or doesn't pass through the turning body,
> > respectively.  The Earth rotates on its axis daily, and revolves
> > around the sun yearly.
> 
> Is this physics terminology, or universal? Should the Beatles' LP
> have been called 'Rotator'? Is it in fact impossible for meat to
> slowly revolve on a spit?

Probably not universal, just because people are sloppy. There aren't
too many situations where your average person needs to contrast the
two meanings, so in general use I suspect they're blurring.
Physicists, astronomers, aerospace engineers and such would all know
the difference, though, and, I suspect, contrast them in their own
speech, even outside of a scientific setting.

-- 
Jay Kominek <jkominek@miranda.org>
Tact is the ability to tell a man he has
an open mind when he has a hole in his head.