# How north and south became associated with midnight and noon



## drei_lengua

Cześć,

I was wondering how north and south became associated with midnight (północ)and noon (południe) po polsku. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. At noon the sun is directly overhead. Wasn't sure how the association came about but am curious.

Dziękuje z góry,

Drei


----------



## werrr

drei_lengua said:


> ... At noon the sun is directly overhead. ...


Really? I live nearby Poland, that means in the nothern hemisphere, and my experience is different. At noon the sun is on the top of its way, but never directly overhead. It's apparently in the south (southern hillsides are warmer, sun shadows aim to the nord...).


----------



## papillon

Ukrainian has the same phenomenon:
south - південь (pivden')
north - північ (pivnich)


----------



## mcibor

I tried to find the answer today, but nobody could give me a definite one.

I presume, that time was first, then the geography. And yes, in Poland at noon (w południe) sun is visibly to the south (na południe), especially in the winter time.

Wschód (East) and Zachód (West) are also connected directly to the sun (which in Poland rises and sets only twice a year in those directions)

To say the truth I'm quite interested in the proper answer, where does this association come from.

Michal


----------



## dima_david

So, in Polish the noon is associated with South, right? The opposite, as suggested in the original message would not make sense.

In Russian such an association very occasionally can be found. One such place is in the Russian translation of the Bible: Деяния 8:26 "Филиппу Ангел Господень сказал: встань и иди на полдень, на дорогу, идущую из Иерусалима в Газу". Every English version I've checked, including King James', uses simply "South": Acts 8:26 "And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza". So do newer Spanish translations. However, an older Spanish translation, "Reina Valera Antigua", uses "el mediodía": Hechos 8:26 "Empero el ángel de Señor habló á Felipe, diciendo: Levántate y ve hacia el mediodía, al camino que desciende de Jerusalem á Gaza". My guess is that this association was used in the original Latin or Greek, and was generally used in the ancient world, where both directions and time were usually determined by the Sun.


----------



## agipiki

hi!
if you look at the map of Europe you'll see that Polish East is really North and West is South. maybe that is an answer.


----------



## drei_lengua

dima_david said:


> So, in Polish the noon is associated with South, right? The opposite, as suggested in the original message would not make sense.


 
Cześć Dima_david,

Could you elaborate on what you meant by the text highlighted in blue?  I am curious to understand what you meant.   

Drei


----------



## papillon

I believe he was referring to


> south and north became associated with midnight (północ)and noon (południe)


By chance, the order in which they are listed may give the impression that south is midnight and north is midday.  But we know that that's not what you meant.


----------



## drei_lengua

papillon said:


> I believe he was referring to
> By chance, the order in which they are listed may give the impression that south is midnight and north is midday. But we know that that's not what you meant.


 
Dziękuję.  Good catch Dima_david and Papillon!  I will update my text.   

Drei


----------

