Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2013 July 1

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July 1

Signature

If I were sign a signature on a letter for a two year old infant, what would the signature be called? Is there a specific word for this sort of a signature?--KAVEBEAR (talk) 02:08, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

It would be a proxy signature if the child were able to give informed consent and simply couldn't write or wasn't present but you had (limited or unlimited) power of attorney. In this case the technical term might be "cute". Or perhaps a symbolic act in loco parentis. Legally, in loco parentis consent doesn't require signing as the child. μηδείς (talk) 02:43, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

When someone takes legal action on behalf of a child, it's sometimes referred to as "A (by their tutor) v B" or "A (by their next friend) v B". Any help? --Shirt58 (talk) 11:51, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

In a monarchy, an underage king or queen may have a regent sign for them, carrying the weight of law. Not sure if there's a special name for the regent's signature, though. StuRat (talk) 13:23, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

stately homes - tall tower from which to enjoy the landscape

I am looking for the generic name of a tall building, usually build less than a mile away from a stately home, either during the 18th century or the 19th century when it was fashionable to have one, and that tower was built for decorative purposes as well as a viewpoint across a landscape. I can't remember well, but I think it is semanticalty related to the word "jealousy" or "pride" or some other emotion. --Lgriot (talk) 12:17, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

A folly? (though it may not necessarily be tall) --Melburnian (talk) 12:24, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

I'd go with "folly" too, although it covers a multitude of other pointless (but rather fun) edifices too. A good example is Leith Hill Tower in Surrey. The term "folly tower" seems to be used - there is actually a tower called The Folly Tower in South Wales, there's also Faringdon Folly Tower [1] in Oxfordshire, and Perrott’s Folly Tower [2] in Birmingham. Alansplodge (talk) 12:43, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

Yes! thank you! So not an emotion, just a state of mind. --Lgriot (talk) 12:50, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

Resolved

I know this has been marked resolved, but I wanted to add a note about Belvedere (structure), which is a building designed for enjoying a view and which can take the form of a tall tower. Follies tend to be defined as serving no useful purpose (although obviously they did, in the mind of the person who caused them to be created, even if that was just to look nice on the skyline). Belvederes are definitely viewpoints but some are also follies. A few examples: Belvedere auf dem Klausberg, Belvédère tower, Claremont Beldevere Tower, and Fort Belvedere, Surrey, which was originally both a folly and a belvedere. - Karenjc 21:15, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

Nice! That explains the title to this Escher piece :) SemanticMantis (talk) 21:48, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

Sorry for being an officious killjoy. I removed the image according to WP:F. Of course it's worth looking at (with the edit-summary caption left by the person who posted it): "Belvedere", depicting a fictional Belvedere, and possible folly.. The article is Belvedere (M. C. Escher) ---Sluzzelin talk 00:46, 3 July 2013 (UTC)

Russian translation

Can anybody help me find in either pages 4,5,6 in this book the part about the author's visit to Hawaii/Sandwich Islands? And then guide me to the pages that talks about a funeral for a Hawaiian prince. Also any help reading that part would be much appreciated but it is understandable if you decline this part of the request since it would be a rather daunting task. --KAVEBEAR (talk) 19:27, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

I don't see anything on pages 4, 5 or 6, but according to the table of contents, there ought to be something in a later chapter, starting at p.364 (381 in the file). That chapter should start with something about "Sandwich Island", and later in the list of keywords in the table of contents there is something about "Honolulu" and then a bit later something about a pokhoron' , i.e. a funeral. Fut.Perf. ☼ 19:54, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

The funeral story might be somewhere around p.391 (p.409 in the file), but somebody who actually reads Russian will have to take it from here. Fut.Perf. ☼ 20:07, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

It seems to start at the final paragraph on p. 389 (our p. 407), and goes through to the end of p. 393 (our p. 411). That's four and a half pages (and in the pre-revolutionary orthography to boot), if anyone's up for it. A task for a rainy day, methinks. Was there any particular fact or topic you were interested in? -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 20:45, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

Actually don't translate it because there already exist a translation made by the Hawaiian Historical Society; don't want to waste anyone's time. I just wanted someone to skim those pages to seem if it mentions any "thumbnail sketches of how various court officials appeared to him at the funeral" (words not from the book but David Forbes). Also if someone can translate the captions on the images it would be great.--KAVEBEAR (talk) 23:03, 1 July 2013 (UTC)

I read the funeral passage, but didn’t see anything about drawing a sketch. What images do you speaking about? I understand all this as verbal descriptions only. Though, the word очерк from the book’s title could create an ambiguity: nowadays it means “short story” or a “description”, but it also has an obsolete meaning, something like “silhouette”. Incnis Mrsi (talk) 16:45, 3 July 2013 (UTC)