News1 min ago
Turn of the century
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I'm sometimes confused over the use of the above phrase. What does it mean without making clear which century is involved? From a written BBC flyer:- Jonathan Miller discusses the relationship between visual art and madness in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century; Not having heard the broadcast yet, I suspect its era is late 19C - early 20C. Is that right?
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yes, you are right in assuming he means 1899 - 1900-ish, often lso known as 'fin de siecle' - why use plain english when you can alienate the servants with foreign talk :)
I think you raise an important point though: westernised global society only appears to have reflected extensively on its 'recent' past in the 20th century, so in 1990 everyone was familiar with 'turn of the centiury' meaning 1899 - 1900. With the turn of a new century, the water is muddied. Turn of the century now quite validly means 1999 - 2000 ish.
People writing about more distant times would be careful to place the reader in a clear context before throwing in a phrase of this type.
But with Miller he's clearly alluding to the general nuttiness, drug-taking and arty set around in 'decadent' Vienna which included Schiele and Klimt and his barenakedladypaintings and psychedilic textures.
I think you raise an important point though: westernised global society only appears to have reflected extensively on its 'recent' past in the 20th century, so in 1990 everyone was familiar with 'turn of the centiury' meaning 1899 - 1900. With the turn of a new century, the water is muddied. Turn of the century now quite validly means 1999 - 2000 ish.
People writing about more distant times would be careful to place the reader in a clear context before throwing in a phrase of this type.
But with Miller he's clearly alluding to the general nuttiness, drug-taking and arty set around in 'decadent' Vienna which included Schiele and Klimt and his barenakedladypaintings and psychedilic textures.
Is this perhaps an old TV program or book, maybe more than 10 years old?
If this program or book was made/written in the mid to late 1990s, then it would be obvious what "turn of the centruty" they were talking about, the 1899-1900 one.
But once you get into the 2000s then turn of the century becomes more confusing and I doubt anyone would use it in the first few years of a NEW century.
If this program or book was made/written in the mid to late 1990s, then it would be obvious what "turn of the centruty" they were talking about, the 1899-1900 one.
But once you get into the 2000s then turn of the century becomes more confusing and I doubt anyone would use it in the first few years of a NEW century.
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