The Origin of Timekeeping Words

[Caruso]

I was reading a book recently that explained where many timekeeping words come from, so I thought I'd share them here.

Minutes comes from the latin partes minutiae primae, meaning the first small part.

Seconds comes from the latin partes minutiae secondae the second small part.

The term o'clock was used to refer to mechanical timekeeping which varies by up to 16 mins compared to the solar time displayed by a sundial. Solar hours get longer and shorter throughout the year with the mid point at the equinoxes.

Sundials are also responsible for clockwise being the direction it is - the movement of hands in a clockwise direction simulates the movement of a sundial shadow in the northern hemisphere where mechanical clocks first appeared.

[Dave O'Sullivan]

Interesting, thanks.

[robt]

Not a lot of people know that there exists another unit, which is 1/60 of a second, called a third. Just a continuation of the same sequence.

Of course it's not really used, since anyone that needs a unit less than a second will generally go with milliseconds, microseconds, nanoseconds, etc. The whole 60th division thing starts to get annoying after a while. It's useful if you are concerned with dividing things into equal units (which is also the reason there are 360 degrees in a circle) but it's not so useful in the age of computers and calculators that can work with arbitrary precision anyway.

[Mr Curta]

Thanks for the interesting info.

Sundials are also responsible for clockwise being the direction it is - the movement of hands in a clockwise direction simulates the movement of a sundial shadow in the northern hemisphere where mechanical clocks first appeared.

This reminded me of something...

Here is the Bolivian congress in La Paz which had its clock reversed in 2014 as a symbol of national identity, a 'Clock of the South' (although as Bolivia is tropical there are times of the year when a sundial shadow moves in a clockwise direction).




Here's my guide (from the absolutely wonderful Red Cap Walking Tours) proudly showing off his Bolivian watch that does the same trick.





Interestingly, the two main indigenous groups view the past as in front of them (it is visible and known) and the future behind them (because they can't see it). https://www.theguardian.com/science/2005/feb/24/4

[demonloop]

A minute is also 1/60 of a degree in angles. I always found that weird. Rifle sight adjustments are measured in these minutes.

[PatrickJ]

A minute is also 1/60 of a degree in angles. I always found that weird. Rifle sight adjustments are measured in these minutes.

Good knowledge!


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[Lukeott]

A minute is also 1/60 of a degree in angles. I always found that weird. Rifle sight adjustments are measured in these minutes.

Still shown as such on many older British technical drawings and even some newer American ones too. The seconds use the symbol '

[seffrican]

I was reading a book recently that explained where many timekeeping words come from, so I thought I'd share them here.

Minutes comes from the latin partes minutiae primae, meaning the first small part.

Seconds comes from the latin partes minutiae secondae the second small part.

The term o'clock was used to refer to mechanical timekeeping which varies by up to 16 mins compared to the solar time displayed by a sundial. Solar hours get longer and shorter throughout the year with the mid point at the equinoxes.

Sundials are also responsible for clockwise being the direction it is - the movement of hands in a clockwise direction simulates the movement of a sundial shadow in the northern hemisphere where mechanical clocks first appeared.

Is it secondae or secundae?

Also, the word clock comes from glock, which is German for bell.

[Caruso]

Secundae indeed. My mistake, he got it right in the book.

Is it secondae or secundae?

Also, the word clock comes from glock, which is German for bell.

[Thewatchbloke]

Not a timekeeping word but obviously related to it, the hairspring component (and therefore its name) was derived from the earlier "Hogshair" regulators. These were stiff fibres or bristles (originally hogs hair) positioned at the end of the balances arc designed to bring it to a halt and shove it back the other direction.