Random Word Post – colophon
@oneoveralpha (434)
Brookville, Pennsylvania
February 17, 2016 1:14pm CST
I find a random word by flipping through my 2003 The New Webster’s Concise Dictionary and write a quick – often silly – little post about it.
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“colophon – A publisher’s distinctive emblem, usually printed on the title page of a book. From the Greek kolophon summit.”
I went with this word just because I didn’t know there was a special word for this. I always figured it was just the publisher’s logo, much like it would appear on any company’s stationary. So I read the beginning of the definition and I decided to use it. As I typed it up, I went on to read the full definition. What does a summit have to do with this? If you compared a book to a mountain (which, I have to admit, I’ve never done, but I think there might be some interesting possibilities with that) you would think the beginning – where the title page is – would be the base while the end would be the summit. Who knows.
1 person likes this
2 responses
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
17 Feb 16
Originally the colophon was a statement about the details of the book's publication (including the publisher's name and, often, their sign or mark). The statement in early books was generally on the last page and was the final thing printed, hence the metaphorical meaning of 'summit'. It was only later that publishers put their mark on the title page and the term came to refer just to the logo at the foot of the title page.
Colophon was also the name of a city near Ephesus (so called because it was built on a ridge). It was noted for the fine quality of the resin from the pine trees which grew there and so gave its name to the resin used for violin bows, which some people still call colophony.
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@oneoveralpha (434)
• Brookville, Pennsylvania
17 Feb 16
Thank you, that makes some sense now. 
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (48435)
• Mojave, California
17 Feb 16
So many ways you can write and perceive things for that matter.
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