Bonita Cohn on tue 13 jul 99
Excerpted from an article "Why On Earth Do They Call It Throwing?" by Dennis
Krueger, from the Studio Potter magazine. The complete article can be found
at: http://www.studiopotter.org/
'Potters at Marshall Pottery in Texas describe their work at the potters
wheel as turning. They understand only the modern meaning of to throw and do
not use it to describe their work. However, the Old English word thrawan
from which to throw comes, means to twist or turn. Going back even farther,
the Indo-European root *ter- means to rub, rub by twisting, twist, turn.
The German word "drehen", a direct relative of to throw, means turn and is
used in German for throwing. Because the activity of forming pots on the
wheel has not changed since Old English times, the word throw has retained
its original meaning in the language of pottery but has developed a
completely different meaning in everyday usage. Those who say they throw pots
are using the historically correct term. Those who say they turn pots are
using more current language. Both are saying the same thing.
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