Dear Nicola,
I am sure others will answer more appropriately than me on the difference
between panno & tela.
The only thing i can confirm is that pouce in french is used to denote the
"inch" imperial measures.
I worked for a while in France in a technical field and the expression " le
pipe (pronuonced pip) de 12 pouce" was commonplace.
Sergio Viggiani
----- Original Message -----
From: Nicola M. Gentili <[log in to unmask]>
To: ENGLAND MAILBASE <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2000 12:08 AM
Subject: measurements.
> Dear Colleagues,
>
> I am taking the liberty of calling upon you for some information.
>
> In some research that I am doing I come across Italian measurements of
> the 1660s and find that at Faenza un braccio "da panno" of 12 once
> was 0.638 m., "da tela" of 12 once was 0.720 m.
>
> What is the meaning of "da panno" and of "da tela"?
>
> Also, is the word "once" derived from the Latin "unus" from which the
English
> words "ounce" (28.4 g) and "inch" (0.254 m) are derived?
>
> Can it be that the Italian word "once" and the English word "inch" both
> designate a unit of length of about 2.5 cm?
>
> Notice also that in French the word "pouce" means not only "thumb"--
> which can be considered a "finger" corresponding to the Italian
> "dito"--but also "pouce" means "inch."
>
> If it is not inconvenient, I would appreciate your help in answering these
> questions.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Nicola M. Gentili
>
> --
> Mr. NICOLA M. GENTILI
> Administrative Coordinator
> Center for Italian Studies
> Film Studies Program
> Lecturer in Italian
> Department of Romance Languages
> University of Pennsylvania
> 549 Williams Hall
> 36th & Spruce Streets
> Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305
> Phone: (215) 898-6040
> Fax: (215) 898-0933
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
> http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~ngentili/
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