09.04.2015

 Eridanus as a generic river

Eridanus is the constellation of the River, and probably represents a generic river. "Etymologically, the term river denotes the 'banks' of a river, rather than the water that flows between them. Its distant ancestor is Latin ripa 'bank'" [Ayto], 'that which is cut out by the river'. The word river comes from the Indo-European root *rei-¹ 'To scratch, tear, cut', from the extended form *reip-. Derivatives: rive (from Old Norse rifa, to tear), riven (torn apart), rift (from Middle English rift, rift, from a Scandinavian akin to Danish rift, breach, from Germanic *rifti), rife, (from Old English ryfe abundant), riparian ('of a river bank'), rivage (shore),river (French riviere, 'river', 'land lying along a river; river', from Late Latin riparia, 'land lying along a riverbank', feminine of riparius, 'of a riverbank', from ripa, 'riverbank'), arrive ('to reach the shore'), rivet(from Latin ripa, bank < 'that which is cut out by a river'). [Pokorny 1 rei- 857. Watkins]

Source: http://www.constellationsofwords.com/Constellations/Eridanus.html

Orion & Eridanus
Sky map
ink on paper
14.8x10.6cm
08.04.2015