> You want to see where a hand compass is pointing, you turn until the needle points ahead or 'up'; then you read off the heading (or the other way around). Not

> You want to see where a hand compass is pointing, you turn until the needle points ahead or 'up'; then you read off the heading (or the other way around). Not too far from that, to writing it on paper that way. No, that's not how you use a compass to determine which way you're facing. (Perhaps that's what you meant by "or the other way around.") To use a compass, you turn it until the magnetic needle points to "North" on the dial. Then you read the heading from the top of the dial, and that's the direction you're facing. Note that the needle might point in any direction. The magnetic needle only points ahead (up) if you are facing north." What you're accomplishing by turning the compass is calibrating* the dial, so that it is aligned with the local magnetic field. In other words, so that "North" on the dial is actually magnetic north. The only thing that your example says is that you have a strong cultural expectation that north is up. So you face north, and the compass needle points up. Circular reference. But suppose we'd stuck with the traditional European map orientation -- with east being up. (Hence the verb "to orient," related to the adjective "oriental.") Then we'd think it perfectly natural for the compass rose to point left.