Re: "Lunettes"

Jean-Christophe 'Papou' Millot (papou@canl.nc)
Thu, 29 Oct 1998 07:36:49 +1100

Hi all,

As a french speaking person, I can answer the origin of the name of this
unit (but not the use for a unit of light)

Lunettes is the french word for eyeglasses. OK. This is also the french w=
ord
for refractor scope, as a matter of fact. In french, a telescope is only =
a
reflector scope. We also use this word for as rather round shaped window.
(the back window of a car is called "la lunette arriere". I know, it is n=
ot
round but is has round corners)

The fist meaning of lunette was the small round shaped windows, which wer=
e
shaped as a small moon.

As the french word for the Moon is "la Lune", a small Lune is a Lunette.

We don't use the word Lunette for a small moon anymore but we still use t=
his
word for eyeglasses , for scopes and sometimes for a small window.

But for the light unit, never heard about it ...

Jean-Christophe 'Papou' Millot
22d17mS, 166d28mE


-----Message d'origine-----
De : Edward S Light <light@argoscomp.com>
=C0 : SeeSat-L@cds.plasma.mpe-garching.mpg.de
<SeeSat-L@cds.plasma.mpe-garching.mpg.de>
Cc : light@argoscomp.com <light@argoscomp.com>
Date : jeudi 29 octobre 1998 02:35
Objet : "Lunettes"


>
>I thought "lunettes" was the French word for eyeglasses. Maybe 1 lunette
>is just bright enough for a myope to see without glasses? :) (Sorry!)
>
>Ed Light
>