[GuineaMcPig]

I'm writing a column for my school newspaper (I'm the music editor) and am looking for a very specific word or phrase...

It's a phrase that means "the beginning and ending dates" of a period of time. Whether it's a person's life or WWII or the 2nd Viennese school.

Help me please!

~Jordan

 

[DanG]

Something with "span" might be what you need. Lifespan, WWII spanned from 1939 to 1945, etc. Is that what you were looking for?

 

[mjg]

Actually, is it just the begining or ending time? One or the other?

 

[granodemostasa]

"duration", 'time", "interval" and "space" are also good.

 

[Jahn]

You can be romantic about it and say Era. Like, "It was the end of an Era, a time of Innocence where blah blah"

 

[Usagi]

Tide, "hands of time", passage, sweep, essence, panorama, purview (if used correctly), scope, fugacious (if short period)

If you are unable to find a word directly relating to your reference, utilize metaphors; provided it’s not a technical report.

 

[Edwood]

Epoc.


I love that one. It's so grandiose and epic.

-Ed

 

[PSmith08]

Floruit*, usually abbreviated fl., can be used to indicate the time when something was in full swing.

For example, you could say (after looking up the dates, these are just rough guesses): "The Second Viennese School (fl. 1905-1920), under Arnold Schoenberg, sought to progress beyond the chromatic language developed by Richard Wagner." Or something to that effect.

*This is the 3rd sg. perf. indic. act. form of florere (to bloom) from Latin.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSmith08 For example, you could say (after looking up the dates, these are just rough guesses): "The Second Viennese School (fl. 1905-1920), under Arnold Schoenberg, sought to progress beyond the chromatic language developed by Richard Wagner." Or something to that effect.

Impressive

 

[catachresis]

Durn, others got to 'era' and 'epoch' before me. What about 'milieu'?

Gosh, P.S. Smith, 'flourit' was a new one on me.

 

[Teerawit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by catachresis Durn, others got to 'era' and 'epoch' before me. What about 'milieu'? Gosh, P.S. Smith, 'flourit' was a new one on me.

I don't think milieu will work. It refers to the physical surroundings/environment.

 

[PSmith08]

Floruit sort of stands between circa and giving precise dates. It does not have to encompass the complete lifespan of a person or thing, but rather is best suited to the period of greatest activity.

It is, if I may coin a new phrase, a precise generalizer.

 

[wakeride74]

PSmith08 getting all ostentatious with the vocab... nice!

 

[PSmith08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 PSmith08 getting all ostentatious with the vocab... nice!

What can I say?

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSmith08 Floruit sort of stands between circa and giving precise dates. It does not have to encompass the complete lifespan of a person or thing, but rather is best suited to the period of greatest activity.

Is it ever used in an un-abbreviated form?

I imagine the English word flourish is derived from it.