Burblings

[rhythmaning]

My wife had a nightmare about a paternoster lift. These are lifts which are open (no doors) and move continually: you simply step in as it goes by your floor, and step out as it reaches the floor you want.

There used to be one in the biochemistry department when I was a student. (I didn't do biochemistry, but they did good sandwiches in the canteen, so we'd go up there sometimes, play on the lift, enjoy the view, and eat lunch.)

As my wife was taliking about her dream, I was wondering why they were called "paternoster" lifts.

So of course I looked it up on wikipedia. And of course wikipedia was able to tell me!

Apparently it is because people find these lifts quite intimidating and scary - nightmarish, even. So people used to say prayers before getting into the lift. And Pater noster are the first two words of "the Lord's Prayer" in Latin...

Comments

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

Aw, shucks. You answer sounds more plausible.

But I think I prefer the one in wikipedia...

[liadnan]

I'm pretty sure I'm right though. "buckets etc on a chain that moves round" were being called "paternosters" long before the concept was applied to lifts.