centurion Posted 20 June , 2014 Share Posted 20 June , 2014 One for the pedants here. A 1920s dictionary of mine gives ephemera as a singular noun, plural ephemerae. A modern one gives ephemeron as the singular, ephemera the plural. Can we have a ruling? An ephemera is a Mayfly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kath Posted 20 June , 2014 Share Posted 20 June , 2014 Hello Kath, As it was his grandfathers, I always presumed that he inherited it. regards khaki "it was his grandfathers" That's what he said. Kath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 20 June , 2014 Author Share Posted 20 June , 2014 Sorry Kath, I have only had one coffee so far and I don't quite understand your last post. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kath Posted 20 June , 2014 Share Posted 20 June , 2014 Sorry for being so cryptic. When I worked in the antiquarian book trade, I had dodgy characters claiming books were their grandfathers - in one case the library book had its impressed lettering chiseled out. I suspected "it was his grandfathers" might have been a tale. Kath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 20 June , 2014 Author Share Posted 20 June , 2014 Hello Kath, That could have been the case, even though he wasn't selling it, but even if he had purchased it at some other time, I would have thought he would have been interested in reuniting the medal with the document. I would have been quite happy to let it go to him but his indifferent attitude resulted in an historical lost opportunity. At the time it bothered me, it doesn't anymore, but odd behavior such as his tends to remain in my memory. I still have the document, I wonder if he still has the medal??? khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kath Posted 20 June , 2014 Share Posted 20 June , 2014 Talking of ephemera - what happened to the letters? There's a lucrative trade in 'covers', envelopes without the original contents. Why? Does anyone know? Kath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnumbellum Posted 20 June , 2014 Share Posted 20 June , 2014 One for the pedants here. A 1920s dictionary of mine gives ephemera as a singular noun, plural ephemerae. A modern one gives ephemeron as the singular, ephemera the plural. Can we have a ruling? Try Liddell & Scott (my edition is 1876, but others are available): ephemera is the neuter plural of ephemeros, meaning "for a day" - epi (for), hemera (day). The singular therefore is indubitably ephemeron. The 1920s so-called 'dictionary' was obviously compiled by an ignoramus trying out cod Latin (first declension). And, yes, Liddell is as in Alice Liddell, of Wonderland and Looking Glass fame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 21 June , 2014 Share Posted 21 June , 2014 Liddell as in Alice's father, I think you'll find. Re post #26, I remember an old Punch cartoon. St Peter is saying to one of the souls: "You're being reincarnated as a mayfly. Have a nice day!" Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnumbellum Posted 21 June , 2014 Share Posted 21 June , 2014 Liddell as in Alice's father, I think you'll find. Indeed, that is what I intended to convey, by citing the family name obviously held in common. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 21 June , 2014 Author Share Posted 21 June , 2014 Talking of ephemera - what happened to the letters? There's a lucrative trade in 'covers', envelopes without the original contents. Why? Does anyone know? Kath. Hi Kath, A good point, it's possible that in some cases the contents were considered too personal by the receiver or family and were destroyed or just separated from the envelope or the philatelists over the years considered the contents irrelevant to their hobby. I think in some cases if they (the envelopes) had stamps on them were given to the children, I have noticed many GW soldier portrait cards that were mailed have had the stamp carefully removed. Stamp collecting amongst children was almost universal for many years, I think every one I knew ( at school) when I was young had a stamp collecting book, an essential Christmas or birthday present. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 21 June , 2014 Share Posted 21 June , 2014 The singular therefore is indubitably ephemeron. So, what, for example, in WW1 terms, would be correctly called an ephemeron? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kath Posted 21 June , 2014 Share Posted 21 June , 2014 "in some cases the contents were considered too personal" Khaki, yes that's likely. And thinking about it, how often do we keep a letter separate because it's easer to re-read rather than continually taking it out of the envelope. Also the envelope might be used as a bookmark. Kath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 22 June , 2014 Share Posted 22 June , 2014 Cigarette cards would appear to fit neatly into the catagory: Photo Album including WW1 examples https://www.flickr.com/photos/glosters/sets/72157625871241129/ Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 22 June , 2014 Share Posted 22 June , 2014 From the Front 1916 to Bristol Further images relating to the letter and a transcript can be viewed on Flickr Link https://www.flickr.com/photos/glosters/14292179698/in/photostream Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 22 June , 2014 Share Posted 22 June , 2014 Sorry for being so cryptic. When I worked in the antiquarian book trade, I had dodgy characters claiming books were their grandfathers - in one case the library book had its impressed lettering chiseled out. I suspected "it was his grandfathers" might have been a tale. Kath. Or even "It was his grandfather's", of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kath Posted 22 June , 2014 Share Posted 22 June , 2014 Or even "It was his grandfather's", of course. Your (sic) picking on me. Kath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 22 June , 2014 Author Share Posted 22 June , 2014 Cigarette cards would appear to fit neatly into the catagory: Photo Album including WW1 examples https://www.flickr.com/photos/glosters/sets/72157625871241129/ Norman Very interesting link Norman, thanks, I have several complete sets and an album that were left to me by my father-in-law, puppies/engineering/football and one that I really enjoy, the VC winners of the Great War, which shows images of them 'winning' their medal. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 22 June , 2014 Share Posted 22 June , 2014 Since cigarette cards and the like were meant to be collected, perhaps they don't qualify as ephemera? Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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