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{{Short description|Horizontal structural piece separating a door from a window above it}} |
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[[Image:DoorEsplanadeDec071260.jpg|thumb|A transom and transom window over double doors]] |
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{{other uses|Transom (disambiguation)}} |
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| ⚫ | In [[architecture]], a '''transom''' is a transverse horizontal structural beam or bar, or a crosspiece separating a door from a window above it. This contrasts with a [[mullion]], a |
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[[File:10 Downing Street. MOD 45155532 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Door of [[10 Downing Street]], London]] |
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| ⚫ | In [[architecture]], a '''transom''' is a transverse horizontal structural beam or bar, or a crosspiece separating a door from a window above it. This contrasts with a [[mullion]], a vertical structural member.<ref name="efficient">{{cite web |url=http://www.efficientwindows.org/glossary.cfm#t |title=The Efficient Windows Collaborative: Glossary |access-date=2007-12-13 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071128060303/http://www.efficientwindows.org/glossary.cfm#t |archive-date=2007-11-28 }}</ref> Transom or '''transom window''' is also the customary [[American English|U.S.]] word used for a '''transom light''', the window over this crosspiece.<ref name="efficient"/><ref name=bigblue>{{cite web |url=http://www.bigbluewindow.com/faq.aspx#q50 |title=What is a transom window? |publisher=Big Blue Window |access-date=2007-12-13 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228022533/http://www.bigbluewindow.com/faq.aspx#q50 |archive-date=2007-12-28 }}</ref> In [[British English|Britain]], the transom light is usually referred to as a [[fanlight]], often with a semi-circular shape, especially when the window is segmented like the slats of a folding [[hand fan]]. A prominent example of this is at the main entrance of [[10 Downing Street]], the official residence of the British prime minister. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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In [[Gothic architecture|early Gothic]] [[Church (building)|ecclesiastical]] work, transoms are found only in [[belfry (architecture)|belfry]] unglazed windows or [[spire]] lights, where they were deemed necessary to strengthen the [[mullion]]s in the absence of the [[iron]] [[wiktionary:stay|stay]] bars, which in glazed windows served a similar purpose. In the later Gothic, and more especially the [[English Gothic architecture#Perpendicular Gothic|Perpendicular Period]], the introduction of transoms became common in windows of all kinds.<ref name=gothic>{{cite web |url=http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/1/9/7/3/19737/19737.htm |title=The Principles of Gothic Ecclesiastical Architecture, Elucidated by Question and Answer, 4th ed. |publisher=Project Gutenberg | |
In [[Gothic architecture|early Gothic]] [[Church (building)|ecclesiastical]] work, transoms are found only in [[belfry (architecture)|belfry]] unglazed windows or [[spire]] lights, where they were deemed necessary to strengthen the [[mullion]]s in the absence of the [[iron]] [[wiktionary:stay|stay]] bars, which in glazed windows served a similar purpose. In the later Gothic, and more especially the [[English Gothic architecture#Perpendicular Gothic|Perpendicular Period]], the introduction of transoms became common in windows of all kinds.<ref name=gothic>{{cite web |url=http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/1/9/7/3/19737/19737.htm |title=The Principles of Gothic Ecclesiastical Architecture, Elucidated by Question and Answer, 4th ed. |publisher=Project Gutenberg |access-date=2007-12-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625135303/http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/1/9/7/3/19737/19737.htm |archive-date=2011-06-25 }}</ref> |
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==Function== |
==Function== |
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Transom windows which could be opened to provide cross-ventilation while maintaining security and privacy (due to their small size and height above floor level) were a common feature of office buildings and |
Transom windows which could be opened to provide cross-ventilation while maintaining security and privacy (due to their small size and height above floor level) were a common feature of apartments, homes, office buildings, schools, and other buildings before [[central air conditioning]] and [[central heating|heating]] became common beginning in the early-to-mid 20th century.<ref>Fred. T. Hodgson, "Ventilation of Middle-Class Dwellings", ''Popular Science News'' August 1902, [https://books.google.com/books?id=fWLnAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA185 p. 185]</ref><ref>"Going 'over the transom': Interior Windows and the Hardware that Moves them", ''Old-House Journal'' January–February 1996, p. 52</ref> |
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In order to operate opening transom windows, they were generally fitted with |
In order to operate opening transom windows, they were generally fitted with transom operators, a sort of wand assembly.<ref>Brian D. Coleman, "Window Hardware 101" ''Old House Interiors'' July–August 2010, p. 29</ref> In industrial buildings, transom operators could use a variety of mechanical arrangements.<ref>Lord & Burnham Company, Manufacturers of Sash Operating Apparatus for Hinged and Pivoted Sash, in ''Chemical Engineering Catalog'', 1919, [https://books.google.com/books?id=uxETAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA706 p. 706]</ref> |
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==Idiomatic usage== |
==Idiomatic usage== |
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The phrase "over the transom" refers to works submitted for [[publication]] without being [[solicitation|solicited]]. The image evoked is of a writer tossing a [[manuscript]] through the open window over the door of the [[publisher]]'s office.<ref name=freelance>{{cite web |url=http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/articles/gettingstarted/QAoverthetransom.htm |title=What Does Over The Transom Mean? |publisher=About Freelance Writing | |
The phrase "over the transom" refers to works submitted for [[publication]] without being [[solicitation|solicited]]. The image evoked is of a writer tossing a [[manuscript]] through the open window over the door of the [[publisher]]'s office.<ref name=freelance>{{cite web |url=http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/articles/gettingstarted/QAoverthetransom.htm |title=What Does Over The Transom Mean? |publisher=About Freelance Writing |access-date=2007-12-13 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213192844/http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/articles/gettingstarted/QAoverthetransom.htm |archive-date=2007-12-13 }}</ref> |
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Similarly, the phrase is used to describe the means by which confidential documents, information or tips were delivered anonymously to someone who is not officially supposed to have them.<ref>Hartocollis, Anemona. [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/16/nyregion/16indict.html?ex=1353301200&en=7eea0ce14dac4703&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink Former G.O.P. Official Admits He Evaded Taxes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105234045/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/16/nyregion/16indict.html?ex=1353301200&en=7eea0ce14dac4703&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink |date=2017-11-05 }}, ''The New York Times'', 16 November 2007. DA Morganthau Cites "Over the Transom" Letter as root of fraud investigation</ref> |
Similarly, the phrase is used to describe the means by which confidential documents, information or tips were delivered anonymously to someone who is not officially supposed to have them.<ref>Hartocollis, Anemona. [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/16/nyregion/16indict.html?ex=1353301200&en=7eea0ce14dac4703&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink Former G.O.P. Official Admits He Evaded Taxes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105234045/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/16/nyregion/16indict.html?ex=1353301200&en=7eea0ce14dac4703&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink |date=2017-11-05 }}, ''The New York Times'', 16 November 2007. DA Morganthau Cites "Over the Transom" Letter as root of fraud investigation</ref> |
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Some such phrases may refer instead to the [[transom (nautical)|transom]] of a ship - large waves from behind can bring water over the transom. |
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[[File:Kochi Castle 05.JPG|right|thumb|A ''ranma'' found in [[Kōchi Castle]] designed to look like a wave.]] |
[[File:Kochi Castle 05.JPG|right|thumb|A ''ranma'' found in [[Kōchi Castle]] designed to look like a wave.]] |
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"Like pushing a piano through a transom" is a folk idiom used to describe something exceedingly difficult; its application to childbirth (and possibly its origin) has been attributed to [[Alice Roosevelt Longworth]] and [[Fannie Brice]]. |
"Like pushing a piano through a transom" is a folk idiom used to describe something exceedingly difficult; its application to childbirth (and possibly its origin) has been attributed to [[Alice Roosevelt Longworth]] and [[Fannie Brice]]. |
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==France== |
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In French, transom windows are called {{lang|fr|vasistas}} (previously spelled {{lang|fr|wass-ist-dass}}), from the German {{lang|de|was ist das?}}; lit. "what is that?".<ref>“[http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/vasistas vasistas]” in ''{{lang|fr|[[:fr:Trésor de la langue française informatisé|Trésor de la langue française informatisé]]}}'' (''The Digitized Treasury of the French Language'').</ref><ref>[https://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2013/11/vasistas.html Grammarphobia blog: vasistas]</ref> |
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==Japan== |
==Japan== |
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Architectural details called {{nihongo|''ranma''|[[:ja:欄間|欄間]]|}} are often found above doors in traditional Japanese |
Architectural details called {{nihongo|''ranma''|[[:ja:欄間|欄間]]|}} are often found above doors in traditional Japanese buildings. |
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These details can be anything from simple [[shōji]]-style dividers to elaborate wooden carvings |
These details can be anything from simple [[shōji]]-style dividers to elaborate wooden carvings, and they serve as a traditional welcome to visitors of the head of the household. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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| ⚫ | |||
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* [[Lev door]] |
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| ⚫ | |||
* [[Fanlight]], a semicircular or semi-elliptical transom window |
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* [[Roof lantern]] |
* [[Roof lantern]] |
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* [[Sidelight]] |
* [[Sidelight]] |
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* [[ |
* [[Skylight]] |
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| ⚫ | |||
== References == |
== References == |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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== External links == |
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{{Room}} |
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[[Category:Architectural elements]] |
[[Category:Architectural elements]] |
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[[Category:Windows]] |
[[Category:Windows]] |
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<!-- Please du not remove. Cannot be connected through Wikidata since "imposte" is already pointing to "impost" --> |
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Revision as of 07:04, 5 June 2024
.jpg)
In architecture, a transom is a transverse horizontal structural beam or bar, or a crosspiece separating a door from a window above it. This contrasts with a mullion, a vertical structural member.[1] Transom or transom window is also the customary U.S. word used for a transom light, the window over this crosspiece.[1][2] In Britain, the transom light is usually referred to as a fanlight, often with a semi-circular shape, especially when the window is segmented like the slats of a folding hand fan. A prominent example of this is at the main entrance of 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British prime minister.
History
In early Gothic ecclesiastical work, transoms are found only in belfry unglazed windows or spire lights, where they were deemed necessary to strengthen the mullions in the absence of the iron stay bars, which in glazed windows served a similar purpose. In the later Gothic, and more especially the Perpendicular Period, the introduction of transoms became common in windows of all kinds.[3]
Function
Transom windows which could be opened to provide cross-ventilation while maintaining security and privacy (due to their small size and height above floor level) were a common feature of apartments, homes, office buildings, schools, and other buildings before central air conditioning and heating became common beginning in the early-to-mid 20th century.[4][5]
In order to operate opening transom windows, they were generally fitted with transom operators, a sort of wand assembly.[6] In industrial buildings, transom operators could use a variety of mechanical arrangements.[7]
Idiomatic usage
The phrase "over the transom" refers to works submitted for publication without being solicited. The image evoked is of a writer tossing a manuscript through the open window over the door of the publisher's office.[8]
Similarly, the phrase is used to describe the means by which confidential documents, information or tips were delivered anonymously to someone who is not officially supposed to have them.[9]
Some such phrases may refer instead to the transom of a ship - large waves from behind can bring water over the transom.
"Like pushing a piano through a transom" is a folk idiom used to describe something exceedingly difficult; its application to childbirth (and possibly its origin) has been attributed to Alice Roosevelt Longworth and Fannie Brice.
France
In French, transom windows are called vasistas (previously spelled wass-ist-dass), from the German was ist das?; lit. "what is that?".[10][11]
Japan
Architectural details called ranma (欄間) are often found above doors in traditional Japanese buildings.
These details can be anything from simple shōji-style dividers to elaborate wooden carvings, and they serve as a traditional welcome to visitors of the head of the household.
See also
References
- ^ a b "The Efficient Windows Collaborative: Glossary". Archived from the original on 2007-11-28. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
- ^ "What is a transom window?". Big Blue Window. Archived from the original on 2007-12-28. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
- ^ "The Principles of Gothic Ecclesiastical Architecture, Elucidated by Question and Answer, 4th ed". Project Gutenberg. Archived from the original on 2011-06-25. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
- ^ Fred. T. Hodgson, "Ventilation of Middle-Class Dwellings", Popular Science News August 1902, p. 185
- ^ "Going 'over the transom': Interior Windows and the Hardware that Moves them", Old-House Journal January–February 1996, p. 52
- ^ Brian D. Coleman, "Window Hardware 101" Old House Interiors July–August 2010, p. 29
- ^ Lord & Burnham Company, Manufacturers of Sash Operating Apparatus for Hinged and Pivoted Sash, in Chemical Engineering Catalog, 1919, p. 706
- ^ "What Does Over The Transom Mean?". About Freelance Writing. Archived from the original on 2007-12-13. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
- ^ Hartocollis, Anemona. Former G.O.P. Official Admits He Evaded Taxes Archived 2017-11-05 at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times, 16 November 2007. DA Morganthau Cites "Over the Transom" Letter as root of fraud investigation
- ^ “vasistas” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
- ^ Grammarphobia blog: vasistas
External links
The dictionary definition of transom window at Wiktionary
Media related to Transoms (architectural elements) at Wikimedia Commons
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