Sunday, February 21, 2016

KLEM FM


The song prominently features a xylophone. Now the word xylophone is interesting. The word came to us via Greek xylon [wood] + phone [sound]. The instrument is probably an ancient one as suggested by the photograph below, but the name is actually quite recent.


Xylon also appears in the chemical term "xylene" because the molecule* was first isolated from wood tar. 

The etymology link above mentions that the word xylon is the same as "the Cross" in the original Greek language New Testament.  Curious, I looked into that. It turns out that the very symbol of Christianity has a contentious word history. The actual word used by the Greeks was stauros:
The word "stauros" occurs 27 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures (the 'New Testament'). This word has been consistently translated in the New World Translation as "torture stake" and never as "cross". It is the implement on which Jesus Christ was affixed and executed. Also, another Greek word was used by the Bible writers "xylon", as the same implement of execution in regard to Jesus, which denotes, "wood, a piece of wood, anything made of wood..." At those places where "xylon" is used in connection with Jesus' execution the New World Translation has rendered it as "stake". Is there any justification for the New World Translation to do this with these Greek words? link
The link goes into excruciating detail. I don't know what to make of it other than the Greeks wrote stauros [stake] and the Romans wrote crux [cross]. But surely there is plenty of extant evidence that the Romans did crucify as a primary means of execution?
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*Xylene is usually plural (xylenes) because there are three closely related (and hard to separate) xylene species designated ortho, meta, and para:

8 comments:

chickelit said...

Regarding the chemical structures, wood (unlike soft plants) is loaded with those six-membered benzene rings. I should have mentioned that explicitly when considering the rigidity of wood back here (cue the puns). Lignin (wood) is stiff because of those six-membered rings. Coal is rich in six-membered rings because it is dead wood.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

A few decades ago, I accompanied a friend to a metaphysical doctor who performed acupuncture and other non-traditional methods of (torture). Hi office was up a few flights of stairs on Broadway in Boulder. (just South of Walnut)(I checked, he is no longer there) After the acupuncture, the doc brought us into his xylophone room. It was an medium sized acoustic room filled with xylophones. They lined the walls in a square. I was mesmerized. I whacked a few of the bars and the sound was like heaven. I wanted to be left alone with his xylophones, but it was not to be. To this day, I desire to re-create a xylophone room. Someday!

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Hi = His

bagoh20 said...

I like Xylene.
I like the smell.
I like how it cleans
I like the name.
I like Xylene.

deborah said...

So benzene is only bad when it's hooked to something that makes it toxic/carcinogenic?

Methadras said...

bagoh20 said...

I like Xylene.
I like the smell.
I like how it cleans
I like the name.
I like Xylene.


Yeah, well your liver will tell you to go fuck yourself if it ever comes in contact with your skin.

chickelit said...

deborah said...So benzene is only bad when it's hooked to something that makes it toxic/carcinogenic?

Benzene is only bad when it's not hooked to something. The "hooks" give benzene metabolic "handles" so to speak.

chickelit said...

bagoh20 said...

I like Xylene.
I like the smell.


Me too. Benzene, toluene, xylene, phenol, anisole, benzaldehyde (especially), styrene...I can tell them apart by one whiff.

Aromatics.