How Many Continents Are There?

[holy king]

from http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=continent:

continent
1382, "self-restraining," from L. continentem (nom. continens), prp. of continere "hold together" (see contain). Meaning moved from "exercising self-restraint" to "chaste" 14c., and to bowel and bladder control 19c. Geographical sense is 1559, from continent land (1470), translating L. terra continens "continuous land" (see continue).

eurasafrica, america, australia, antarctica and pretty much every island in existance?

 

[LucyDuke]

from http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=continent:

eurasafrica, america, australia, antarctica and pretty much every island in existance?

Psst. Words have lots of meanings.

 

[holy king]

Psst. Words have lots of meanings.

psst: but this one (like most) evolved from only one particular meaning. taking that original definition is certainly one of the better ways to approach the problem.

 

[LucyDuke]

psst: but this one (like most) evolved from only one particular meaning. taking that original definition is certainly one of the better ways to approach the problem.

I think it's one of the worst ways to approach the problem. It's a matter of geography. Geography is built on geology. This isn't a question of language. It's a question of geography and geology. In those fields it would be stupid to call Goat Island a continent.

 

[holy king]

I think it's one of the worst ways to approach the problem. It's a matter of geography. Geography is built on geology. This isn't a question of language. It's a question of geography and geology. In those fields it would be stupid to call Goat Island a continent.

well, i think this is a problem of labeling and language only.

 

[Aegis]

As you can clearly see there are 3 continents.

LOL, is that a map from Final Fantasy VI after the world blew up?

 

[holy king]

LOL, is that a map from Final Fantasy VI after the world blew up?

should be civ2 zoomed out...

 

[Truronian]

LOL, is that a map from Final Fantasy VI after the world blew up?

That's a map Alpha Centauri from SMAC/X.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

psst: but this one (like most) evolved from only one particular meaning. taking that original definition is certainly one of the better ways to approach the problem.

I think it's one of the worst ways to approach the problem. It's a matter of geography. Geography is built on geology. This isn't a question of language. It's a question of geography and geology. In those fields it would be stupid to call Goat Island a continent.

well, i think this is a problem of labeling and language only.

HEY! KEEP IT DOWN YOU TWO!!!

 

[Aegis]

should be civ2 zoomed out...

It's similar to the map of FFVI. My first thought was someone took the time to create it in a CIV generator.

 

[LucyDuke]

Hush, Eran!

well, i think this is a problem of labeling and language only.

Would you like to nominate a word for what we're talking about? Most people use "continent", but if you have a better word I'd be happy to use it.

 

[holy king]

Would you like to nominate a word for what we're talking about? Most people use "continent", but if you have a better word I'd be happy to use it.

what exactly are we looking for in your opinion?

 

[LucyDuke]

what exactly are we looking for in your opinion?

Everyone's quibbling about criteria. Pick a set of criteria that seems most reasonable to you, I guess. I'm pretty satisfied with something to the effect of "it's on its own major continental plate and it's a large mass of land distinct from other large masses of land". Of course we're going to quibble about "major" and "large" and "distinct", but I'll post my map again if you want. It's got some nice examples.

 

[holy king]

Everyone's quibbling about criteria. Pick a set of criteria that seems most reasonable to you, I guess. I'm pretty satisfied with something to the effect of "it's on its own major continental plate and it's a large mass of land distinct from other large masses of land". Of course we're going to quibble about "major" and "large" and "distinct", but I'll post my map again if you want. It's got some nice examples.

show me an example where it is actually important what exactly a continent is. why does it have to be major and large?
in my opinion this is merely a linguistic problem with no practical effects, so we could as well go back to the creation of the word "continent", take that definition and call the cook islands a continent.

 

[LucyDuke]

show me an example where it is actually important what exactly a continent is. why does it have to be major and large?
in my opinion this is merely a linguistic problem with no practical effects, so we could as well go back to the creation of the word "continent", take that definition and call the cook islands a continent.

If it doesn't matter in your opinion, I'm unable to convince you otherwise. The rest of us will just keep using reasonable definitions, if you don't mind.

 

[holy king]

If it doesn't matter in your opinion, I'm unable to convince you otherwise. The rest of us will just keep using reasonable definitions, if you don't mind.

if you think it is necessary to reason in such a way, go on.