The human bones in a Peruvian cathedral catacomb I recently visited were arranged in piles, in a herringbone fashion. Why? Does the etymology of the term herringbone have anything to do with this, or just with the fish???
I doubt that the word ‘herringbone’ when used to describe a pattern is derived from bones in a catacomb. Rather, the catacomb used a herringbone pattern because it is the most efficient way to stack bones that resists collapsing. The use of the term ‘herringbone’ in this case is coincidental.
Fear Itself has the right derivation. The term originated because when filleted a herring’s bones were exposed in, you guessed it, a herringbone pattern:
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Well, that poor herring suffered a massive blow from a shark’s tail that dislocated all the ribs on one side of its body. Let’s try that again:
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[ul](A)
[li](B)[/li][QUOTE=Polycarp]
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[/QUOTE]
[/ul]
Personally, I like (A) better. (B) has a bad over-bite or weak chin and appears to be bug eyed. That may be why the shark didn’t bother attacking (B). 