Today is March 31. It is the last day of the first quarter of 2020. A quarter is just a fancy way of saying one-fourth. It is one of five commonly used words in the English language that start with the letter Q. The other four words are Queen, Question, Quality, and Quadratic (as in Quadratic Equation). All other words that start with Q have been banned in backwoods Kentucky, which pretty much eliminate their use for all but the very highest educated people.
The word quarter comes from the Latin word "quartus". Quartus can either be translated as "fourth" or as a common way of ordering milk at pubs in the middle ages. Pub-goers loved the taste of fresh cow milk, and since the common size at the time was 1/4 of a gallon, they would just say "quart us" to order it.
In the mid 14th century, quarter referred to cutting a body in fourths. To quarter someone was an extreme punishment, usually reserved for terrible crimes. In the 1590's "quarter" was a term meaning putting up soldiers in your house for a period of time. If the soldiers said "quartus" it meant they wanted a place to sleep and usually a quart of milk.
Calling a 25 cent piece a quarter is attributed to the USA. This was first recorded in 1783. Back then Motel 6 was actually called Motel 1/4 of a dollar. This led to ex-soldiers stopping by and asking for quarters for a quarter. They could also say "quartus" for a nice tankard of milk, but that cost a dime and doesn't make for good literature or humor.
A quarter horse is a horse known for their quarter mile time. They were first bred by English settlers in America during the 1600's. Apparently they were quarter horse and three quarters bread. Early breeders said they needed a lot of dough to raise these horses. Read more about quarter horses here.
A quarterback originally referred to a Scottish rugby position. It referred to the position that the player lined up at. There would be a line of players. At the next level would be the quarterback (one quarter of the way back), then halfback, then fullback. There was no such thing as a threequarterback, which would have been logical, since the Scots aren't known for being very good at fractions. In American football the quarterback is loosely based on the Scottish rugby position. They can do a few more things...like throw a forward pass...but they line up in the same relative position.
A quarter note (American), or crotchet (British), is a note played for a quarter of a whole note. I have to admit, I play both drums and guitars and I still don't know what any of the notes mean or what they are doing on those lines. I play either dischord or datchord or I just beat it. It is all good.
Anyway, I should head off to bed. It is quarter past ten and I have to get up early because school is starting fourth quarter tomorrow. See you next week!
The word quarter comes from the Latin word "quartus". Quartus can either be translated as "fourth" or as a common way of ordering milk at pubs in the middle ages. Pub-goers loved the taste of fresh cow milk, and since the common size at the time was 1/4 of a gallon, they would just say "quart us" to order it.
In the mid 14th century, quarter referred to cutting a body in fourths. To quarter someone was an extreme punishment, usually reserved for terrible crimes. In the 1590's "quarter" was a term meaning putting up soldiers in your house for a period of time. If the soldiers said "quartus" it meant they wanted a place to sleep and usually a quart of milk.
Calling a 25 cent piece a quarter is attributed to the USA. This was first recorded in 1783. Back then Motel 6 was actually called Motel 1/4 of a dollar. This led to ex-soldiers stopping by and asking for quarters for a quarter. They could also say "quartus" for a nice tankard of milk, but that cost a dime and doesn't make for good literature or humor.
A quarter horse is a horse known for their quarter mile time. They were first bred by English settlers in America during the 1600's. Apparently they were quarter horse and three quarters bread. Early breeders said they needed a lot of dough to raise these horses. Read more about quarter horses here.
A quarterback originally referred to a Scottish rugby position. It referred to the position that the player lined up at. There would be a line of players. At the next level would be the quarterback (one quarter of the way back), then halfback, then fullback. There was no such thing as a threequarterback, which would have been logical, since the Scots aren't known for being very good at fractions. In American football the quarterback is loosely based on the Scottish rugby position. They can do a few more things...like throw a forward pass...but they line up in the same relative position.
A quarter note (American), or crotchet (British), is a note played for a quarter of a whole note. I have to admit, I play both drums and guitars and I still don't know what any of the notes mean or what they are doing on those lines. I play either dischord or datchord or I just beat it. It is all good.
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| Actual quarter note photographed by a piano player |
Aye, you're a corker Mr. Chocolate Drink! It's obvious your synapses are firing in overdrive yet again. No less than what we all would expect from a guy from Kansas, Ontario, a little known village in extreme west southwest Ontario Canada that invented the curling stone, the wee curve in the blade of a hockey stick, and butter tarts; proud accomplishments all, eh. I look forward to your post next week. En attendant de nous revoir, mon petit ami écrivain!
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