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> Wind is "named" after where it comes from. This is absolutely true, but has always infuriated me because it seems needlessly contrary as compared to the way

> Wind is "named" after where it comes from. This is absolutely true, but has always infuriated me because it seems needlessly contrary as compared to the way we speak about anything else travelling in a direction as read from a compass. Does anybody know why it's the case?

ahartmetz 8y ago
Probably because it matters where the air was before. Stuff like: north wind is could, south wind is warm, west wind is humid, etc
- bartread 8y ago
  Doesn't that very much depend on where you are though? E.g., with respect to the equator, major bodies of water and landmasses, mountain ranges, prevailing weather conditions. Also perhaps on seasons. I can understand that it might be just an ancient tradition originating from a particular part of the world, that we've turned into a convention, but it loses meaning when you go elsewhere.
  - Arnt 8y ago
    It rather depends on where you are, but so does language. The words we use were cast locally. If you speak English some words were cast in the Ukraine, some in Germany, some in Rome, some in France, some in Britain, but the people living in those places weren't obliged to make the words globally meaningful. If you go to Cape Town, a "north wind" presumably doesn't mean cold, because the area north of the city isn't colder than the city itself. This didn't matter to the people who first said "north wind" and I don't think it means much nowadays either. Just another little thing to watch out for in intercultural communication.
yesenadam 8y ago
Can you name anything else named after where it's going, not where it comes from? I can't think of anything named like that, but I guess there must be some.
- cr1895 8y ago
  Within a marine context, current is typically given as direction to while wind and waves are direction from.
- bartread 8y ago
  Or when you're out walking you might say that you're "heading north". Granted if you wanted to report your rough position relative to someone else you might say something like, "I'm 500m north of you."

ahartmetz 8y ago

Probably because it matters where the air was before. Stuff like: north wind is could, south wind is warm, west wind is humid, etc

bartread 8y ago
Doesn't that very much depend on where you are though? E.g., with respect to the equator, major bodies of water and landmasses, mountain ranges, prevailing weather conditions. Also perhaps on seasons. I can understand that it might be just an ancient tradition originating from a particular part of the world, that we've turned into a convention, but it loses meaning when you go elsewhere.
- Arnt 8y ago
  It rather depends on where you are, but so does language. The words we use were cast locally. If you speak English some words were cast in the Ukraine, some in Germany, some in Rome, some in France, some in Britain, but the people living in those places weren't obliged to make the words globally meaningful. If you go to Cape Town, a "north wind" presumably doesn't mean cold, because the area north of the city isn't colder than the city itself. This didn't matter to the people who first said "north wind" and I don't think it means much nowadays either. Just another little thing to watch out for in intercultural communication.

yesenadam 8y ago

Can you name anything else named after where it's going, not where it comes from? I can't think of anything named like that, but I guess there must be some.

cr1895 8y ago
Within a marine context, current is typically given as direction to while wind and waves are direction from.
bartread 8y ago
Or when you're out walking you might say that you're "heading north". Granted if you wanted to report your rough position relative to someone else you might say something like, "I'm 500m north of you."