Distances (linear measures)

[Edmund]

Isidore of Seville writes that "two leagues or three miles make one 'rasta' among Germani." I do not have the page reference to hand, but if you need it, I can hunt it up. Thus, according to Isidore of Seville, one rasta = three Roman miles = 4,400 meters. I doubt that the rasta was an exact breadth, and Isidore's equation should likely be seen as a rough approximation. It is tempting to think that the rasta was defined in terms of the body, as the ell and fathom have traditionally been. Thus, the rasta may have been thought of as so many strides: around 6,ooo, assuming an average breadth of stride for a man to be about 3/4 of a meter, would be a rough equivalent.


--- In gothic-l at yahoogroups.com, marja erwin <marja-e at ...> wrote:
>
> 1,000 Roman paces of 2 steps each = 1 Roman mile
> 
> 1½ Roman miles = 1 Gallic league, I think
> 
> so then 3 Roman miles = 1 Gothic rasta
> 
> One short rest break every 2-4 miles isn't unreasonable.
> 
> On Mon, 2013-06-24 at 23:45 +0000, David wrote:
> >   
> > 
> > 
> > Consulting Lehmann's Gothic Etymological Dictionary, for "rasta" we
> > find: It is only recorded in acc. sg. in Matthew 5:41, "equivalent of
> > two leagues... one being equal to 1500 Roman paces". So glossing it as
> > "mile" seems about right. The etymology is called "obscure", but cf.
> > cognates OE raest, rest; OS rasta; OHG resta. 
> > 
> > Lehmann on "aleina" = "ell (distance from elbow to finger tips)", only
> > acc. sg. Matthew 6:27. Cf. OE eln, OHG elina. Connected to
> > proto-Indo-European olina, "elbow".
> > 
> > I hope this is helpful.
> > David
> > 
> > --- In gothic-l at yahoogroups.com, OSCAR HERRE <duke.co@> wrote:
> > >
> > > didnt they use the inch as a measure.....i think its alein or alan
> > fer the inch.....
> > > 
> > > --- On Sun, 6/23/13, halsteis@ <halsteis@> wrote:
> > > 
> > > 
> > > From: halsteis@ <halsteis@>
> > > Subject: Re: [gothic-l] Distances (linear measures)
> > > To: gothic-l at yahoogroups.com
> > > Date: Sunday, June 23, 2013, 12:11 PM
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Â  
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Hi.
> > > In Norway Rast means "rest/pause". One "Rast way" is the distance
> > you
> > > travel between taking a pause, and possible a snack.
> > > 
> > > Don't know if this is any connection.
> > > 
> > > Halstein.
> > > 
> > > > I was looking for the Gothic word for -MILE- and I found Rasta.
> > > > Fine, but just what does Rasta mean? I have a hard time believing
> > that
> > > > the Goths had a measurement equal to a Roman mile.
> > > > And, what other measurements did the Goths have?
> > > >
> > > > As always, thank you for your help.
> > > > Tom
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
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> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >
> > 
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> > 
> >
>


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