At 10:27 AM 12/03/1999 -0800, you wrote:
>A friend and I were discussing the media coverage of the WTO meeting in
>Seattle.
>
>The word "curfew" came up and she told me that it is from the French (old)
>cuevrefeu, couvrir (cover) + feu (fire). Meaning, its time (in the evening)
>to cover or put your fire out - perhaps to help hide from attack?
>
>Now it means to stay indoors.
>
>Now, Dr. Tim should agree that the Germans have a much better term,
>
>"Ausgangverbot - it is forbidden to go out"
>
>Mind you I just can't imagine the authorities using the German term!
>
>Alistair

Doktor Tim's reply:

Oxford English Dictionary:

Curfew: (cover + fire) A regulation by which, at a fixed hour in the
evening, a bell was rung, as a signal that fires were to be extinguished.

Cassell's German-English Dictionary:

Ausgang: 3. time or day or afternoon or evening off (for a servant), free
time.

Verbot: prohibition; inhibition; suppression; veto; ban.

Translation, free time forbidden to servants.

The meaning may be similar, but it is not quite the same as putting out the
fire. Just goes to show how poorly language translations can sometimes
create misunderstanding.

Further from Cassell's:

Curfew: ...., Polizeistunde.

Polizei: Police

Stunde: hour; period, lesson; distance covered in an hour.

I think "police hour" is most appropriate to the Battle in Seattle. I am
amazed that the throwing of tear gas at the peaceful, permited crouds of
legitimate protesters was of greater concern to the authorities that 3 or 5
officers were not given the responsability to arrest the dozen or so of
hooligans responsable for destruction of property. The media as well should
be truly asshamed at focusing on the few a**holes who used the legitimate
civil disobediants as a cover for their vandalism. Social sanctions were
grossly miss applied here. The lawless got away with bulls**t, the lawful
were penalized. One more flag flies to signal social deterioration by this
blatant misapplication of otherwise good law by those charged with the
pursuit of justice. Proof that in this case that justice was surely blind.

T.P. Stephens aka Doktor Tim
Surveyor, Mechanic, Poet, Philosopher
San Juan Island, WA