Skip to the content

Green star symbolism

by Alkanadi, October 5, 2015

Messages: 12

Language: English

Alkanadi (User's profile) October 5, 2015, 2:13:44 PM

I just wanted to point this out for no particular reason. I am not sure who is right.
The five arms of the green star supposedly signify the five continents... it’s a myth
source
the five-pointed star represents the five continents
source
the five points of the star symbolise the five continents.
source
the five-pointed star represents the five continents.
source

Tempodivalse (User's profile) October 5, 2015, 5:17:19 PM

It's a star. A lot of flags feature stars. I'm not sure we need to read too closely into this.

00100100 (User's profile) October 6, 2015, 3:03:09 AM

Alkanadi:I just wanted to point this out for no particular reason. I am not sure who is right.
The five arms of the green star supposedly signify the five continents... it’s a myth
source
Well, I lost my trust for this one as soon as they said everyone knows that there's seven continents. Nope, this is not the view everywhere.

For an example of "five continents":
In 1914, the Olympic flag presented by Pierre de Coubertin at the Paris Congress was adopted. It includes the five interlaced rings, which represent the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games.
(From the Preamble of the Olympic Charter, p. 12)

Tempodivalse (User's profile) October 6, 2015, 4:30:54 AM

Europe is not a continent. Do they teach otherwise in U.S. schools?...

vikungen (User's profile) October 6, 2015, 6:25:20 AM

Tempodivalse:Europe is not a continent. Do they teach otherwise in U.S. schools?...
There are six kontinentoj:

- Eurasia
- Africa
- North-America
- South-America
- Antarctica
- Australia

And then there are seven mondopartoj:

- Europe
- Asia
- Africa
- North-America
- South-America
- Antarctica
- Oceania

both what Wikipedia says and what my public education has told me, easy as that.

nornen (User's profile) October 6, 2015, 7:24:03 AM

vikungen:what Wikipedia says
Wiki:The seven-continent model is usually taught in China, India, the Philippines, parts of Western Europe and most English-speaking countries, including Australia[25] and England[26]
The six-continent combined-Eurasia model is mostly used in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Japan.
The six-continent combined-America model is used in France and its former colonies, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Latin America,[27] Greece,[19] and some other parts of Europe.
A five-continent model is obtained from the six-continent model by excluding Antarctica as uninhabited. This is used for example in the Olympic Charter.[28]

vikungen (User's profile) October 6, 2015, 7:47:19 AM

Another problem is that English (to my knowledge) does not differ between mondparto (verdensdel) and continent.

sudanglo (User's profile) October 6, 2015, 8:52:56 AM

Tempodivalse:Europe is not a continent. Do they teach otherwise in U.S. schools?...
In British English there is a clear distinction between the Continent (ie Europe) and Britain.

Continental - adjective - definition

of or characteristic of Europe, excluding the British Isles

eshapard (User's profile) October 15, 2015, 9:24:27 PM

Tempodivalse:Europe is not a continent. Do they teach otherwise in U.S. schools?...
Yes. I was taught that Europe and Asia are different continents when I was young. It never made sense to me. But it probably depends on where you go to school and when (and who our teacher is).

NJ Esperantist (User's profile) October 15, 2015, 10:16:50 PM

I think CGP Grey says it best: [link]

Back to the top