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Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 8:07 pm
Post subject: zap |
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hello
what could it mean in colloquial speech except for its literal meaning?
I would also like to know its origin if any |
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Salvatore Volatile
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 8:07 pm
Post subject: Re: zap (OT) |
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Bob wrote:
| Quote: | This reminds me of something I've wondered about for a long time. When I
was a kid in the early '60s we had a TV (Zenith) with a remote control. It
operated by striking metal rods (like one-pronged tuning forks). The TV
responded to the sound. As humans we didn't hear the sound that the TV
responded to, but did hear a fairly loud "clack" as the spring-loaded
hammer mechanism did its thing.
Because of that "clack" we called the remote control "the clacker". To
this day we still use that term to refer to TV (and ofher) remote
controls. Now we are into the second generation as my kids use the same
term.
So, does anyone else call their remote control "the clacker"?
|
I've never heard that, but I've used "the clicker", and I've noticed
others using "the clicker" if anything more often than terms like "the
zapper". Which is odd since the remote controls of today, at least, and
those I used in the past, made no clicking sound. |
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Lars Eighner
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 8:17 pm
Post subject: Re: zap |
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In our last episode,
<1131455272.053312.235460@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
the lovely and talented hyx1999@hotmail.com
broadcast on alt.usage.english:
| Quote: | hello
what could it mean in colloquial speech except for its literal meaning?
|
The definitions in my dictionary (MWCD11) cover about everything
I can think of. So I have to ask for an example of colloquial
speech which you cannot understand. You haven't even told us
which part of speech you are concerned with.
| Quote: | I would also like to know its origin if any
|
Evidently, onomatopoeic, from the sound of a gun being fired.
--
Lars Eighner usenet@larseighner.com http://www.larseighner.com/
Housework can't kill you, but why take a chance? --Phyllis Diller |
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the Omrud
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 8:29 pm
Post subject: Re: zap |
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<hyx1999@hotmail.com> spake thusly:
| Quote: | hello
what could it mean in colloquial speech except for its literal meaning?
|
<re "zap"> - it helps us if you put the question in the body as well
as the subject.
I am curious about what you think the literal meaning of "zap" is?
The word indicates action at a distance by use of a device - you
could use it of shooting somebody with a Ray Gun, or changing the
channel on your TV with the remote control, or killing a baddie in a
computer game.
| Quote: | I would also like to know its origin if any
|
Interesting - I don't know. Could be from 1950s comics.
--
David
=====
replace usenet with the |
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dimestore
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 9:21 pm
Post subject: Re: zap |
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| Quote: | The word indicates action at a distance by use of a device - you
could use it of shooting somebody with a Ray Gun, or changing the
channel on your TV with the remote control, or killing a baddie in a
computer game.
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Or cooking something in a microwave. |
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Jim Lawton
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 9:30 pm
Post subject: Re: zap |
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On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 14:21:21 GMT, "dimestore" <dimefudge@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
| Quote: |
The word indicates action at a distance by use of a device - you
could use it of shooting somebody with a Ray Gun, or changing the
channel on your TV with the remote control, or killing a baddie in a
computer game.
Or cooking something in a microwave.
|
And I have a feeling that some call the television remote control "the zapper".
--
Jim
the Yorkshire polymoth |
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R H Draney
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 9:48 pm
Post subject: Re: zap |
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dimestore filted:
| Quote: |
The word indicates action at a distance by use of a device - you
could use it of shooting somebody with a Ray Gun, or changing the
channel on your TV with the remote control, or killing a baddie in a
computer game.
Or cooking something in a microwave.
|
Or assigning a value to a decimal field: "Zero and Add Packed"....
(Just making sure we cover all the bases)....r |
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Bertel Lund Hansen
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 9:49 pm
Post subject: Re: zap |
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Jim Lawton skrev:
| Quote: | And I have a feeling that some call the television remote control "the zapper".
|
In Danish we have taken the English verb "zap" and used it for
the action that a person performs when switching tv-channels all
the time. "The zapper" would be a person then.
You are a programmer, right? ZAP was a command in some machine
language (Z80?) meaning "zero add packed".
--
Bertel
Denmark |
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Lanarcam
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 10:04 pm
Post subject: Re: zap |
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Jim Lawton wrote:
| Quote: | On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 14:21:21 GMT, "dimestore" <dimefudge@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
The word indicates action at a distance by use of a device - you
could use it of shooting somebody with a Ray Gun, or changing the
channel on your TV with the remote control, or killing a baddie in a
computer game.
Or cooking something in a microwave.
And I have a feeling that some call the television remote control "the zapper".
|
In French we call the action of switching channels with a remote
"zapper"
I have heard this was tyically franglais and never in English. |
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Jim Lawton
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 10:09 pm
Post subject: Re: zap |
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On Tue, 8 Nov 2005 15:49:30 +0100, Bertel Lund Hansen
<nospamfilius@lundhansen.dk> wrote:
| Quote: | Jim Lawton skrev:
And I have a feeling that some call the television remote control "the zapper".
In Danish we have taken the English verb "zap" and used it for
the action that a person performs when switching tv-channels all
the time. "The zapper" would be a person then.
You are a programmer, right? ZAP was a command in some machine
language (Z80?) meaning "zero add packed".
|
I thought it rang some bell - my immediate circle have picked up the word
"stoz", which I use when I am very tired, or stymied in some activity - "Gosh,
I'm stozzed", "That's stozzed that idea" . That was an instruction in ICL PLAN -
Store Zero.
Now I'm trying to remember the machine code, dammit. 000 ? think that was LDX.,
ah, here we are http://tinyurl.com/a3ftg 033. Thank goodness, could have put my
processor in a loop for the whole afternoon.
--
Jim
the Yorkshire polymoth |
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Donna Richoux
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 11:21 pm
Post subject: Re: zap |
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Lanarcam <lanarcam1@yahoo.fr> wrote:
| Quote: | Jim Lawton wrote:
"dimestore" <dimefudge@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
The word indicates action at a distance by use of a device - you
could use it of shooting somebody with a Ray Gun, or changing the
channel on your TV with the remote control, or killing a baddie in a
computer game.
Or cooking something in a microwave.
And I have a feeling that some call the television remote control "the
zapper".
In French we call the action of switching channels with a remote
"zapper"
I have heard this was tyically franglais and never in English.
|
"Zapper" is, too, English. The Merriam-Webster llth:
Main Entry: zapˇper
Function: noun
Date: 1969
one that zaps: as a : an electronic device
designed to attract and kill insects b : a person
who habitually changes channels (as to avoid
commercials) c : a remote control device used for
zapping
They date "zap" to 1929.
--
Best wishes -- Donna Richoux |
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Lars Eighner
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 11:25 pm
Post subject: Re: zap |
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In our last episode,
<1h5px1c.iz5bsie7280N%trio@euronet.nl>,
the lovely and talented Donna Richoux
broadcast on alt.usage.english:
| Quote: | They date "zap" to 1929.
|
It's finally happening. The 20th century is beginning to seem
like a long time ago.
--
Lars Eighner usenet@larseighner.com http://www.larseighner.com/
No problem is so large it cannot be run away from. --Charles M. Schultz |
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Bob
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 11:26 pm
Post subject: Re: zap (OT) |
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On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 13:29:42 +0000, the Omrud wrote:
| Quote: |
The word indicates action at a distance by use of a device - you could use
it of shooting somebody with a Ray Gun, or changing the channel on your TV
with the remote control...
|
This reminds me of something I've wondered about for a long time. When I
was a kid in the early '60s we had a TV (Zenith) with a remote control. It
operated by striking metal rods (like one-pronged tuning forks). The TV
responded to the sound. As humans we didn't hear the sound that the TV
responded to, but did hear a fairly loud "clack" as the spring-loaded
hammer mechanism did its thing.
Because of that "clack" we called the remote control "the clacker". To
this day we still use that term to refer to TV (and ofher) remote
controls. Now we are into the second generation as my kids use the same
term.
So, does anyone else call their remote control "the clacker"?
Bob |
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Lars Eighner
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 11:34 pm
Post subject: Re: zap (OT) |
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In our last episode,
<pan.2005.11.08.16.26.14.512448@dont.spam.me>,
the lovely and talented Bob
broadcast on alt.usage.english:
| Quote: | On Tue, 08 Nov 2005 13:29:42 +0000, the Omrud wrote:
The word indicates action at a distance by use of a device - you could use
it of shooting somebody with a Ray Gun, or changing the channel on your TV
with the remote control...
This reminds me of something I've wondered about for a long time. When I
was a kid in the early '60s we had a TV (Zenith) with a remote control. It
operated by striking metal rods (like one-pronged tuning forks). The TV
responded to the sound. As humans we didn't hear the sound that the TV
responded to, but did hear a fairly loud "clack" as the spring-loaded
hammer mechanism did its thing.
Because of that "clack" we called the remote control "the clacker". To
this day we still use that term to refer to TV (and ofher) remote
controls. Now we are into the second generation as my kids use the same
term.
So, does anyone else call their remote control "the clacker"?
|
"The clicker" - but not from any association with the old
remotes. I didn't have them and didn't know anyone who did.
It seems to me, however, that there were infrared remotes before
tuning was entirely electronic. There was a click associated
with the first infrared remotes I had, which I'm pretty sure was
a servo that turned the tuner.
--
Lars Eighner usenet@larseighner.com http://www.larseighner.com/
Writing is turning one's worst moments into money. --J. P. Donleavy |
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Bob Cunningham
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 11:42 pm
Post subject: Re: zap |
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On Tue, 8 Nov 2005 17:21:10 +0100, trio@euronet.nl (Donna
Richoux) said:
| Quote: | Lanarcam <lanarcam1@yahoo.fr> wrote:
|
[...]
| Quote: | In French we call the action of switching channels with a remote
"zapper" I have heard this was tyically franglais and never in English.
"Zapper" is, too, English. The Merriam-Webster llth:
Main Entry: zapˇper
Function: noun
|
But I understand Lanarcam to say there is a French *verb*
"zapper", and that he or she hasn't heard of that verb in
English.
_The Oxford Hachette French Dictionary_ does indeed have a
verb "zapper", meaning to flick through TV channels, and it
has no noun "zapper". For the English noun "zapper" they
give the French noun "télécommande".
--
Bob Cunningham, Southern California USofA
Let those who have the least to lose be vanguards of new forms.
Let those who need to win respect observe accepted norms.
-- Woody Wordpecker, ca 1996 |
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