Re: Why 'Vellum' (was: Nice character chart source)

Mark E. Shoulson wrote:

>
> Peter T. Daniels wrote:
>
> >(There is an unfortunate product called "parchment paper," sold to the
> >same people who think they can learn calligraphy from a kit. It is a
> >particularly poor quality paper that deteriorates especially quickly
> >because of the acids in it.)
> >
> In cooking "parchment" or "parchment paper" refers to paper which is
> impregnated with silicone. Kind of like a high-tech, heat-resistant
> waxed paper, and very handy to cook on. All of which is neither here nor
> there.

Yeah -- just don't try writing on it.

> Again referring to B. L. Ullman's _Ancient Writing_, he says that
> "parchment" is from Latin _pergamena_ which is from Pergamum, which was
> the center of parchment trade, even as Byblos, center of papyrus trade,
> gave its name to papyrus in Greek (and of course, to "Bible", "biblio-"
> and so forth).

The etymologies are not in dispute.

> I have no vested interest in Ullman's book, nor can I speak to its
> reliability or even to Ullman's reputation in the field; others here
> probably know more about that than I do. It just happens to be one that
> I have and one that I remember touched on these matters.

"Again"?

Just be aware that it wasn't published in 1964 (or whatever date appears
in your copy -- it, and the series it's in, has probably never been out
of print); it was published in 1932 or so.
--
Peter T. Daniels grammatim@...