What is the Definition of Improper Time in Special Relativity?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the terminology of "improper time" in the context of special relativity, contrasting it with "proper time" and "coordinate time." Participants explore the acceptance and clarity of these terms within the field.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express confusion regarding the term "improper time," suggesting it may not be widely accepted terminology.
  • Others propose that "improper time" might be someone's interpretation of "coordinate time."
  • A participant mentions that searches for "improper time" yield few results, indicating it may not be a common term.
  • One participant critiques a definition of "improper time" as unclear, arguing that time measured with a single moving clock is proper time, while time measured with two clocks is ambiguous.
  • Another participant suggests that the term "improper time" could be attributed to Wolfram's unique terminology, which they have not encountered elsewhere.
  • A participant discusses the etymology of "proper" in "proper time," noting its roots in Latin and its connection to the German term "Eigenzeit."
  • Another participant confirms that "Eigenzeit" translates to proper time in German.
  • A later post humorously presents an example of "improper time," but does not elaborate further.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally do not agree on the acceptance or clarity of the term "improper time," with multiple competing views on its validity and usage remaining unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Some participants highlight that the term "improper time" lacks a clear definition, which may contribute to confusion. The discussion also touches on the nuances of terminology and its implications in the context of special relativity.

FranzDiCoccio
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Hi all,

this is just a terminology question. I am aware of the definition of "proper time" (and "proper length") in the context of special relativity.
I recently heard the term "improper time", as opposed to proper time, of course.
Is that accepted terminology?

Sounds weird to me.
 
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Sounds weird to me too. Must be someone's idea of coordinate time.
 
Phinds, thanks for your help!

Ok so the correct (or accepted) terminology is "coordinate time".
Cool.

I did some searches for "improper time" and I get a relatively small number of hits, which makes me think that this term is at least not very widespread.
However one of these hits is from a somewhat authoritative source...
 
FranzDiCoccio said:
Phinds, thanks for your help!

Ok so the correct (or accepted) terminology is "coordinate time".
Cool.

I did some searches for "improper time" and I get a relatively small number of hits, which makes me think that this term is at least not very widespread.
However one of these hits is from a somewhat authoritative source...
"Time measured with two clocks or a single moving clock." Makes no sense. Time measured with a single moving clock is proper time and time measured with two clocks could mean most anything.
 
I have never heard of the term either. I would stick with “proper time” or “coordinate time”, both of which are well known and useful concepts. Using obscure terms can lead to confusion, even if it has a clear definition, which this one doesn’t.
 
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In this context of "proper time", the word "proper" is not used in the usual English sense, but is used to mean "one's own" as in the Latin "proprius" from which "proper" is derived, and one of the meanings of "propre" in French. (The word "property" derives from the same source). I think the adjective "proper" in "proper time" was originally a translation of the prefix "eigen" from German, which has a similar meaning and has been left as "eigen" in other terms such as "eigenvalue" and "eigenvector".
 
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