Julia Thompson wrote: > >My dictionary has the following definition: > >midwinter n. 1. The middle of the winter. 2. The period of the winter >solstice, about December 22. > Definition (2) is the corollary of the Earth-based definition of _Winter_ - and it contradicts (1), because December 22 marks the time when Winter begins or Autumn ends. >So by the second definition, you don't need all the extra stuff to explain >why Mid-Winter Day was on the *solstice*. > >And no, the English language doesn't necessarily make sense when you think >it should.... > But this ain't no English, this is Latin. Solstice = not-moving Sun = Sun doesn't get higher or lower this day. If you measure the angle from the horizon to the sun at noon for every day, in *all* days except two the Sun is either rising or falling. The two days when the Sun doesn't change the position are the solstices. Alberto Monteiro
