http://wiki.osiris-web.com/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Fornication 2026-04-19T23:07:01Z Revision history for this page on the wiki MediaWiki 1.41.1 http://wiki.osiris-web.com/index.php?title=Fornication&diff=2425&oldid=prev 2012-09-23T21:59:05Z

<p>1 revision: Discworld import</p> <p><b>New page</b></p><div>&#039;&#039;&#039;Fornication&#039;&#039;&#039; is a time-honoured technical term whose origins are lost in the mists of time, but which is thought to have arisen as a means of giving an exact description to a practice associated with the [[Flint-knapping|world&#039;s oldest profession]]. <br /> <br /> The fornication in the vaulted cellars of the [[Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork]] has been described as &#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;absolutely wonderful&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;, and so prolific that there is more of it down there than in the rest of [[Ankh-Morpork]] put together. There is no special time to turn up to see it, but it is always best to arrange an appointment first - just contact [[Mavolio Bent]] and he will see to it, as it is most convenient if small well-ordered groups visit in normal banking hours.<br /> <br /> The noun and adjectival sense all apparently derive from the Latatian word &#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;fornix&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;, meaning a non-circular, pointed, arch, usually brought together in pairs at right-angles to each other, to provide the strongest possible support for a stone-flagged floor on an upper floor, as well as to provide a soaring vista of rounded curves disappearing up to a shared point up in the roof-space.<br /> <br /> Well, what did you &#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;think&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039; we were referring to? <br /> <br /> It is quite possible that this specialised descriptive term from the practice of master masonry is not known to many people.... you may be surprised.<br /> <br /> Further discussed in [[Book:Making Money|Making Money]].<br /> <br /> ==Annotation==<br /> <br /> Coming down the centuries to us from [[Hwel|William Shakespeare]], we have the colourful demotic phrase &#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;to make the beast with two backs&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;, denoting a particularly intimate, if not always private, human activity. What else is a fornicated arch - two arches brought together at a commmon apex, at right angles to each other, remember - except a kind of gestalt entity with two &quot;backs&quot;? <br /> <br /> [[Category:Discworld culture]]</div>

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