A few thoughts . . .
"DOn H." wrote:
> Okay, any suggestions on a planet name? I'm open! Call it a lack of
> any creativity on my part when I was writing about it. I look back at my
> first part and wonder why I wrote some of what I wrote.
It is not our place to question what you wrote . . . {evil grin}.
As for the name . . . Triton was the god of water . . . as was Neptune. However,
those both have planets named after them. Water is an ancient and widespread
word, which goes back ultimately to prehistoric Indo-European *wod�r. Its
relatives include Greek h�d�r �water� (source of English prefix hydro-), Latin
unda �wave� (source of English redundant, surround, undulate, etc.), Russian voda
�water� (source of English vodka), Gaelic uisge �water� (source of English
whisky), Lithuanian vandu� �water,� Latvian �dens �water,� Sanskrit ud�n �water,�
and Hittite watar �water.� In the Germanic languages it has become German wasser
(source of English vaseline), Dutch and English water, Swedish vatten, and Danish
vand. Otter comes from a variant of the same Indo-European base, as may winter,
and wet is closely related.
As a variant word, ocean may be a possibility . . . if you are serious about
having the name linked to a meaning. In Greek mythology, �kean�s was a great
river or sea that completely encircled the world. This was personified as
�kean�s, a Titan who was god of this outer sea. The name passed into English via
Latin �ceanus and Old French occean, and to begin with was used only for this
mythical sea, or for the whole body of water surrounding the Eurasian landmass,
with which it was identified. Not until the end of the 14th century did it begin
to be applied to large individual sections of the Earth�s seas.
Would either of these do? I researched the word �sea,� but it was not
interesting except to bring up a few ancient words like the Germanic *saiwiz.
OR . . . we could create some really bizarre and non-related name.
Instead . . . perhaps . . . call our home . . . �Rain.�
> Quick note though. Since the islands are sort of floating around on
> this "Water World", let's assume that all the water is fresh water.
> There can't really be any streams on the islands (rain-fed ponds and
> lakes can be possible though) because there's no source to feed the
> stream (but if someone has an idea on making this workable, let me know;
> I want everything to be possible).
If my island is large enough, then it could have its own hydraulic cycle. The
rain falls onto the landmasses
(islands) and collects into the lakes and ponds of our little worlds. The water
percolates down through the earth and, perhaps, mixes with the saltwater beneath
the island. Due to capillary action and the pressure of water moving beneath
each landmass, the saltwater passes through what acts like a membrane and filters
some of the salt. The final effect is that larger islands can have natural
springs pumping fresh water from the inner depths of each island. Smaller
islands, if they are small enough, would have to have plants that could filter
the salt out and create their own fresh water like cactus or kelp (seaweed).
> Good entry David Scott Adams! Hopefully we'll see some more
> participants (HINT!!!!!!!!!HINT!!!!!!!!!)
Another thing . . . call me Scott . . . please. Very few persons are allowed to
call me by my first name. I prefer Scott.
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