Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2008 June 8

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June 8

Middle Ages

What were the forms of communication is the Middle Ages? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.223.15.49 (talk) 03:02, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Speaking, of course. Writing, for those who could read - usually in Latin, later more often in a vernacular language. Images combined with speech to communicate with the masses who could not read or write - at first paintings or mosaics, later stained-glass windows, in a church telling Bible stories, for example. Flags and later coats-of-arms to communicate who was on whose side in a battle. To take a message a very long distance, you had to walk, ride a horse, or take a ship. Basically, the same as everywhere else in space and time until the invention telegraphic and telephonic communication. Adam Bishop (talk) 03:19, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Also minstrelsy. --Allen (talk) 03:31, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Ah, of course, how could I forget that. Minstrels, troubadors, trouveres, minnesingers, etc. Adam Bishop (talk) 04:11, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Hi, this sounds a bit of a home work question. I'm guessing you are really asking about communications between and within kingdoms - a quick google reveals a lot of academic papers available that go into detail on that. But you really need to give a bit more detail, such as region, before anyone can really help. Mhicaoidh (talk) 05:07, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Related to minstrels are Town criers. For longer distance communication, they had beacons that could be lit in a relay to warn of invaders over a long distance very quickly, but which couldn't carry much information. Sound that travels long distances, such as yodels, whistles and drums could also be used, although these still could not carry as much information as human speech. Let's not forget Carrier pigeons, though! Laïka 16:02, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

See also Smoke signal, Heliograph, Hydraulic telegraph, and Semaphore line.  --Lambiam 06:37, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

GNP, GNP per Capita and Proportion of People Living in Cities

What were the GNP, GNP per capita and proportion of people living in cities of the United States, Great Britain, France and Australia in 1900, 1925 and 1950?

What were the countries with the highest GNP, GNP per capita and proportion of people living in cities in the world in 1900, 1925 and 1950? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.7.166.181 (talk) 08:08, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

This should at least provide historical GDP data for the UK and the USA. Fribbler (talk) 23:13, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Automobile/Consumerism

Is the idea behind embracing the automobile, in the way that I think America and Germany (any possibly man other countries did) to make people consumers of petrol and therefore make them work to pay for it (and therefore productive)? Is all this consumerism just to keep people working? And what is the point in this? So people at the top of the capitalist food-chain can live more comfortably or to make us progress as a human race? And progress towards what? What are the ultimate goals of Western governments? World domination? Utopia? What's going on? ----Seans Potato Business 14:45, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

In America the idea was, I think, to make people consumers of gasoline and of cars so that the oil companies and General Motors would make more profit. See Great American Streetcar Scandal. Some economists think that consumerism and planned obsolescence in general are necessary elements of any healthy economic system. I'm not sure Western governments have "ultimate goals"; most politicians have a horizon that does not reach much further than the next elections – and even that may be too generous.  --Lambiam 21:49, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

What's going on is that the United States is a big place. Outside of major cities, the public transport system is not well developed and there's really not been a big push to develop it. People like having control over their travel, and owning a car is the most direct way to do so. While I'm sure there was plenty of marketing involved, the sheer freedom to hop in the car and go where you want when you want has a strong appeal to many Americans. That aside, I think Lambiam summed up what's going on with Western governments. There's no "ultimate goal," really. Most politicians are focused on providing jobs and money to their constituents, which results in the politician getting reelected. And their constituents are focused on paying the bills and improving their status in life. — The Hand That Feeds You:^Bite 02:17, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

Car rental peak dates

I'm doing some research and trying to find some sort of report on the internet of the car rental peak seasons, specifically in Miami. IS there anyplace on the website I can find this? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.169.13.53 (talk) 18:31, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Here's something you could maybe use [1]. I know it isn't Miami, but I'd say research on this topic is slim pickings. Fribbler (talk) 23:09, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Addressing an Assyrian bishop?

How does one address an Assyrian bishop with the proper terms of respect or gestures expected? What is the general protocol?--Sonjaaa (talk) 20:43, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

I think "Your Grace" is an appropriate form of address. I don't know if kissing the ring is customary, but in any case I think that is only appropriate for people who believe that His Grace is standing in the apostolic succession and ascribe ecclesiastical authority to him because of that.  --Lambiam 21:33, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Austria?

I was watching the Euro 2008 match between Austria and Croatia earlier on (my opinion on the match? Austria were robbed :-0) but I wondered...why do Austria use the Engish(?) version of their name so much? There were ads on the sidelines advertising "Austria Telekom" and I noticed that there national abbreviation is .at ? Fribbler (talk) 23:24, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

As the proper name is Österreich and starts with än Ümläut, it woüld be awkward if the cöde was öe. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 23:51, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

I guess that makes sense for the country code. But why the other uses such as Austrian Airlines? Fribbler (talk) 23:54, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Lots of countries use English names for their airlines. In Austria's case, I think "Austria" is also the Latin form of the country's name, so it's probably been around for a lot longer than the prominence of the English language, Felix Austria and so on. -- Arwel (talk) 00:27, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

I suspected a Latin basis for it. But I wasn't sure. Fribbler (talk) 00:30, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

Austria is the latin name. See here:

Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria nube.

Nam quae Mars aliis, dat tibi diva Venus.

Similar how Switzerland often uses Helvetia.--Tresckow (talk) 00:28, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

There is, in fact, an airline company named Helvetic Airways, but the big one is Swiss, formerly Swissair (1931 - 2002). In addition to Austrian Airlines, Austria also has Austrian Arrows, Austrojet, and LTU Austria, as well as InterSky, Robin Hood Aviation, Teamline Air, Tyrolean Jet Services, and Welcome Air — the only German words occurring in all these names were hidden in the initials "LTU"! I agree with Arwel, and the language of the airline industry has been English for quite a while.

Anglicisms have been gradually asserting themselves in other places in business and advertisement lingo too. Since their unraveling and privatization in the 1990s the telecommunications industry have become anglophone: The Post und Telegraphenverwaltung became Post und Telekom Austria, later split off into Telekom Austria, Mobilkom Austria, and (now they use German, for good old mail and banking!) the Österreichische Post AG. (Around the same time, the PTT was anglified into Swisscom). See also Denglisch#Advertising_language. Two of the intended associations with English and Denglish are progress and international appeal. Another example are stock market indices Austrian Traded Index and Swiss Market Index. Germany is a bit more German, with Deutsche Telekom, Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Deutscher Aktien IndeX 30. ---Sluzzelin talk 01:31, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

In North America, Deutscher Aktien IndeX 30 is called "Dax", which is readily pronounced in English and yet cannot be confused with any other word. Thus, there seems to be no "need" (if I may be allowed an anglophone bias to slip through) to change the time-honoured full German name. ៛ Bielle (talk) 03:58, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

This has nothing to do with English. It might be an additional benefit but not the reason itself. See all the companies that were founded long before English became the dominant language: Austria (disambiguation)--Tresckow (talk) 10:11, 10 June 2008 (UTC)

I do think it has something to do with English. The word Austrian has been in Austrian Airlines for fifty years now. Austrian Airways existed even longer ago. The word Austrian is an English demonym, not Latin, not German, nor any other language. The dominant position of English may be a newer phenomenon, but its gradual invasion started earlier. The old tradition of giving Latin names to student organizations, football clubs and other institutions may also be a factor, but I disagree with "this has nothing to do with English". ---Sluzzelin talk 14:24, 10 June 2008 (UTC)

About Apostasy in Islam (is/maybe one misconception in Islam)?

I am a Sunni Muslim I am not happy about how Islam treats Kafirs. If Muslims convert in Islamic country, they receive capital punishment. It's a human rights violation. It's also a misconception. It a violation of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The word "Apostasy" is offensive to me. It not freedom of religion. Why Islam has this problem and is criticized for it? Note: I am not asking for legal advice and/or a poll. I just want simple answers. Jet (talk) 23:27, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Our article on "Freedom of Religion" has a bit on it. As with all religions, it's subjective. For example Christianity forbids false gods, which could be seen as a dictat regarding apostacy. But it is rarely acted on (though many would say it is acted on in terms of atheists in the USA). Fribbler (talk) 23:36, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

It took Christian Europe hundreds of years to get over fear of conversion and stop killing people. People just have to wisen up and realize that religions that force themselves on people are only hurting themselves. Religion has to be in people's hearts if it's going to do any good. People forced into a religion will not respect it as much as people who freely choose it and recognize what they have. Wrad (talk) 23:39, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Countries (and groups) that punish conversion with death are criticised for it, although not as much as if it happened in the West for all the reasons that other human rights violations are less criticized - trade, interference in internal affairs and the sheer uselessness of criticizing a country if it doesn't want to listen. DJ Clayworth (talk) 16:44, 9 June 2008 (UTC)