Nerdy fact: a gargoyle is only a gargoyle if it's there for drainage from a roof or other architectural feature. If it's just decorative, it's a grotesque or just a plain old statue.
this post was submitted on 11 Jan 2024
27 points (96.6% liked)
No Stupid Questions
2311 readers
71 users here now
There is no such thing as a Stupid Question!
Don't be embarrassed of your curiosity; everyone has questions that they may feel uncomfortable asking certain people, so this place gives you a nice area not to be judged about asking it. Everyone here is willing to help.
- ex. How do I change oil
- ex. How to tie shoes
- ex. Can you cry underwater?
Reminder that the rules for lemmy.ca still apply!
Thanks for reading all of this, even if you didn't read all of this, and your eye started somewhere else, have a watermelon slice π.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
It is also worth noting that the word "gargoyle" and "gargle" have the same root word.
gargle (v.)
1520s, from French gargouiller "to gurgle, bubble" (14c.), from Old French gargole "throat, waterspout," which is perhaps from garg-, imitative of throat sounds, + *goule, dialect word for "mouth," from Latin gula "throat." Related: Gargled; gargling. The earlier, native, form of the word was Middle English gargarize (early 15c.), from Latin gargarizare, from Greek gargarizein.
(via etymonline)
Thatβs awesome!
This is a great fact!!
grotesque?
Gate guardians
Depending on the culture the lion statues represent prosperity, security or prestige.
Where I live the older generation had a tradition to place one or two lion statues on the entrance of the house when their mortgage is paid off. So prosperity and prestige I guess.
The mortgage detail is especially interesting!
Guardians or guardian statues.