Notes & Queries
Who first described aristocratic blood as “blue” and why?
n The warriors of Islam called the Moors (or more poetically by the lyrical name Blackamoors) ruled over most of Spain for five centuries.?Toward the end of their rule the Spanish aristocrats of Castile began to distinguish themselves from these darker-skinned people by adopting the name “sangre azul”, blue blood, to describe themselves. The expression simply refers to the fact that these nobles had lighter complexions than the Moors and that the veins in their skins showed up a vivid blue. Pure Castilians became known as “blue bloods” and the term was borrowed to describe the European noblemen of other countries. Interestingly, the British nowadays make use of this expression in another way.?Universities with the highest prestige and pedigrees, like Cambridge and Oxford, are called “blue-brick” universities. Ferdie Kilian, Uitenhage
Why do I have nightmares if I sleep on my back?
n Dreams, including nightmares, are associated with light (rapid eye movement) sleep. When you sleep on your back there is a tendency for the tongue to fall back, partly obstructing the airway (a cause of snoring) and preventing deep sleep, thus pre-disposing you to nightmares. Bob Heys, Halifax, Yorkshire
Do we need critics?
n Sir Thomas Beecham once sat in a university committee to consider whether there should be a chair of music criticism. “Certainly,” he said, “provided it is electric!” Hilary Wright, Victoria, Canada
The recent fires in the United States were described as the worst for 50 years. The same was said about the floods in Mozambique. What happened to the weather 50 years ago: was it caused by global warming?
n The forest fires are so widespread because of the policy of firefighting and control whereby brushwood has been allowed to remain instead of being cleared. Fires were fought and extinguished instead of allowing them to burn at a slow rate. Australians have learned the subtle difference between a cool and a hot burn, and the US government has now indicated that it must adopt the same policy. The floods in Mozambique, though, may be related to global warming, with greater evaporation rates and subsequent downpours. Jack Hill, St Albans, Hertfordshire
n If there were extensive fires in the western US 50 years ago they might have been caused by a similar meteorological situation to the one Britain had this year. For many months there was a very stable weather pattern affecting most of the northern hemisphere. A part of this pattern was a large high-pressure zone occupying the eastern Pacific, another in the Atlantic and another in eastern Europe. This seems to have been largely responsible for the forest fires in the US, extreme heat and drought in southeastern Europe and Britain’s on/off summer weather. Strangely, western Europe may end up cooler and wetter if global warming has one of its predicted effects, which is to reduce or switch off the Gulf Stream. Neil Holmes, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire Any answers? n Why is the pet name for children “kids”? Surely there was a cuter choice then baby goats? Luke, Humansdorp Send your Notes & Queries to POBox 91667, Auckland Park, 2006, fax to (011) 727 7111, or e-mail to [email protected]. Please keep questions and answers short