- Joined
- Nov 30, 2004
- Messages
- 1
- Likes
- 0
- Location
- Dunboyne, Co Meath, Ireland
- Website
- www.nirvanawood.com
I cannot (can I?) be the first to pose the question of what we term ourselves when two or more gather in the name of woodturning? For example we know of collective terms such as Flock of Birds, Host of Angels, Cast of Actors, Panel of Experts, Den of Thieves…. But what of woodturners?
Apparently there is no word that can safely and accurately group us, without defining the activity of the group. When sociologists talk about humans in groups, the general word they use is "group." But we are more than just a “group†of woodturners since the term can be applied to almost any gathering of humans, animals or plants. Words that are used to describe creatures of the sea, air, and land are singular collective nouns - like the English words fish, fowl, and cattle.
So let me be the first to propose that we are a BARAH of woodturners. In the absence of any other term – and I have scoured the world-wide-web for a solution – I think barah perfectly fits the bill. Let me explain - it’s a very ancient word which arises in different cultures and traditions and, depending on where you find it, has different interpretations. In essence its means “to cutâ€Â; “to createâ€Â; “to choose/selectâ€Â; “to make something out of nothingâ€Â.
That’s what we do.. we select or choose and then cut a tree or a log, and we create something from what was nothing.
Welcome to the Barah
Niall Cahill
www.nirvanawood.com
Apparently there is no word that can safely and accurately group us, without defining the activity of the group. When sociologists talk about humans in groups, the general word they use is "group." But we are more than just a “group†of woodturners since the term can be applied to almost any gathering of humans, animals or plants. Words that are used to describe creatures of the sea, air, and land are singular collective nouns - like the English words fish, fowl, and cattle.
So let me be the first to propose that we are a BARAH of woodturners. In the absence of any other term – and I have scoured the world-wide-web for a solution – I think barah perfectly fits the bill. Let me explain - it’s a very ancient word which arises in different cultures and traditions and, depending on where you find it, has different interpretations. In essence its means “to cutâ€Â; “to createâ€Â; “to choose/selectâ€Â; “to make something out of nothingâ€Â.
That’s what we do.. we select or choose and then cut a tree or a log, and we create something from what was nothing.
Welcome to the Barah
Niall Cahill
www.nirvanawood.com