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Archiver > TMG > 2000-03 > 0952077298


From: "Kent, John G" <>
Subject: TMG-L: New/Old Style v Gregorian/Julian
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 09:54:58 -0000


>>>> From the many messages on this thread, there is still confusion about
Julian/Gregorian and New Style/Old Style. The first relates to the
calendar: the second to the start of the year. The two are not
synonymous<<<<<<<

This is just plain wrong - although I say this with trepidation <g>. I am
afraid that we cannot set ourselves up to decide what words mean, unless we
live in Alice's Wonderland. If we wish to be considered as 'scientific' in
our research we must stick by strict definitions to our terminology. (I can
call a robin an eagle if I wish, but needn't expect people to take much
notice of me). Learned bodies of specialists are the academic way of
reaching a generally recognised nomenclature - hence that is a robin, and
this is an eagle! I believe that the R. Historical Society's view should be
noted. Here are some other reasons for believing that New Style =
Gregorian...

SOURCES:
Encyclopedia Britannica, Webster's Dictionary (USA) and Chamber's & Oxford
Dictionaries (UK) both equate New Style with Gregorian calendar and Old
Style with Julian. ie Old/New style have nothing to do with New Year's day

CONTEMPORY RECORD:
James Clegg's diary (Derbyshire, England) for September 1752:

2nd At home all afternoon then took a ride out .....

14th This day the use of the new Stile in numbring the days of the month
commenceth ...

PRACTICALITY:
4-Aug-1660 is an ambiguous date - even if you are told which country the
date refers to you have still got to find out when that country changed its
calendar.

4-Aug-1660 New Style - is definitive, we don't have to worry where we are.
It might even be Samuel Pepys writing in his diary, but refering to a date
in Holland.

4-Feb-1659/60 is precise (being pedantic you might want to write Old Style
after it!)

In other words double year numbers define dates precisely as does OS and NS
when correctly used.

I rest my case.....

John
- -------------------------------
John Kent
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