Talk:sandal
Sand
editSandals to step on sand. Isn't it it's etymology? הראש (talk) 16:09, 28 July 2017 (UTC)
- Sorry, no. That's what's known as folk etymology. —Stephen (Talk) 02:23, 29 July 2017 (UTC)
Inaccurate picture
editThe English entry previously used the picture to the right with the caption "Three types of sandals". I'm not saying there aren't some people who would describe any footwear without a closed upper a "sandal" for lack of any other word closer at hand, but this is actually an (awkward) illustration of the three main forms of Roman footwear. A is the caliga, which is almost invariably translated as a boot or hobnail boot. B is the solea, the actual Roman sandal. C isn't a picture of anything except possibly a field dressing for an injured foot. It's a poor attempt at the calceus that just somehow forgot to include the shoe part and left the upper and lower binding. The actual shoe would have a sole whose layers and insole would be held together with hobnails and there was always a full leather upper. There are carbatinae that could easily be called sandals—although the Romans didn't consider them to be— but those are closed over the toe and open at the mid and rear of the foot.
Anyway, if C ever existed (which it very much didn't), it's possible some English speakers might call all three sandals if they didn't notice how heavy-duty As actually were. Even so, I'm sure there are better images out there we can use to illustrate the idea that won't be made up out of whole cloth. — LlywelynII 17:21, 5 July 2023 (UTC)