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Are the Nine Virtues supported in the Sagas?
(Doug Freyburger) wrote in
m:
Nik wrote:
Dirk Bruere wrote:
True, but just because there are Nine Worlds does not
mean there exist only Nine Virtues. It's a bit like
Newton claiming a mystical seven colours in the spectrum
by adding Indigo.
The alleged colour "Indigo"
Why is "indigo" an alleged color? Colors have two sources
of definition:
1) If you eye can tell the difference, it can be called a
new color. Go lipstick shopping with your wife some time
and you'll see that even if *your* eye can't tell them
apart, as long as *hers* can that qualifies, too.
2) If the language and culture support it, it qualifies.
So "dusty rose" and "chartreuse" are colors, as is "indigo".
But there are also words that indicate color that don't have
any appearent source. Indigo is the shade of an ink made
from a specific plant, chartruese is the color of a revolting
tasting liquer, dusty rose is from a breed of flowers. On
this scale, I wonder if the word "orange" was used before the
fruit was known to English speakers.
Compare with red, yellow, green, blue, white, black and gray
with are called "primary colors" in lists with some or all of
them as members.
Now consider that modern English has spring, summer, autumn
and winter, but Old Norse only had summer and winter.
that's becuase they were stupid.
Bertie
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