Clocks around the world: how other languages tell time

Summary

This script explores the fascinating diversity of timekeeping around the world, from the peculiar Swahili Time near the equator to the ancient Egyptian sundials with temporal hours that change with the seasons. It delves into unique cultural practices like the Thai six-hour clock, the Japanese 30-hour day, and the Yorùbá reliance on natural cues for time. The narrative highlights the rich tapestry of human ingenuity in measuring time, challenging our conventional understanding of the day and revealing the beauty in these varied approaches.

Takeaways

• 🕒 The world uses various methods to tell time, influenced by culture and language.
• 🏰 In Zanzibar, the House of Wonders has a clock that deviates from standard time, reading 6 o'clock at noon and 3:00 at 9am.
• ⏰ Swahili Time is different from standard time; it adjusts the starting point of the day based on the reliable sunrise around the equator.
• 🌞 The concept of 'equal hours' versus 'temporal hours' shows that an hour's length can change with daylight duration, affecting timekeeping methods.
• 🕰️ Some medieval Italian clocks and Thai timekeeping still use a system of six-hour cycles within a 24-hour day.
• 🕌 The mechanical elephant clock in Dubai, inspired by al-Jazari, had to account for the variability in the length of hours throughout the year.
• 📚 The ancient Egyptian sundial divides daylight into twelve segments, demonstrating the concept of temporal hours that change with the seasons.
• 🏺 The word 'klepsydra' evolved from referring to a water clock to an hourglass, reflecting the evolution of timekeeping devices.
• 🇨🇳 In Chinese, different characters represent a full day-night cycle and daylight hours, with a historical system of hundredths and smaller units to measure time.
• 🗝️ The Nāhua people divided the day into four parts and the night into seven, with a different understanding of clockwise motion.
• 🎶 In northern India, the day is divided into eight pahar, influencing both ceremonial practices and everyday language.
• 🇯🇵 Japanese timekeeping has moved away from unequal hours to embrace the 12 and 24-hour clock, with creative extensions for late-night events.

Q & A

How many hours are typically in a day according to the standard timekeeping?

In standard timekeeping, there are 24 hours in a day.

What is the House of Wonders in Zanzibar, Tanzania?

The House of Wonders is a famous local landmark in Zanzibar, Tanzania, with a clock on top that operates on a unique time system.

Why does the clock at the House of Wonders in Zanzibar read 6 o'clock at noon?

The clock at the House of Wonders operates on a local time system where noon is marked at 6 o'clock, reflecting a cultural adaptation of timekeeping.

What is Swahili Time and how does it differ from standard time?

Swahili Time is a local timekeeping system near the equator where the day starts at 6 in the local time zone, and people mentally adjust the hour hand when they tell the time.

How do the Thai people traditionally count the hours in a day?

In the Thai way of keeping time, hours are counted from one to six, and this cycle repeats four times a day, resulting in a 24-hour day.

What are 'temporal hours' and how do they differ from 'equal hours'?

Temporal hours are hours that vary in length depending on the time of year and the amount of daylight, whereas equal hours are of a fixed length, as used in modern standard timekeeping.

What is the significance of the sundial in ancient Egypt in terms of timekeeping?

The Egyptian sundial divided sunlight from sunrise to sunset into twelve segments, creating temporal hours that would expand and contract with the seasons.

What is the term for the water clock in ancient and medieval times, and how was it used?

The term for the water clock in ancient and medieval times is 'klepsydra'. It was used to measure time by the regulated flow of water.

How did the Chinese traditionally divide the day into time units?

Traditionally, the Chinese divided the day into twelve 'shí' or equal hours and further subdivided the day into hundredths, with a hundred 'kè' per day.

What is the concept of 'pahar' in northern India and how does it relate to timekeeping?

Pahar refers to the division of the day into eight parts in northern India, which not only determined the ceremonial and musical themes but also had practical applications in daily life.

How does the Japanese concept of extending time beyond the standard 24 hours work?

In Japan, late night events can stretch to 25 o'clock, 29 o'clock, or even 30 o'clock, creating a 30-hour day where the last six hours overlap with the start of the next day.

What is unique about the timekeeping method in Ilé-Ifẹ̀, Nigeria?

In Ilé-Ifẹ̀, Nigeria, an old sundial divides the day into sixteen segments, but instead of using numbers, the locals use the names of birds that cry out at the same time each day to keep track of time.