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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Mic vs Mike #191012 05/11/2010 9:03 AM Joined: May 2010 Posts: 963 Alaska Tromboniator old hand Tromboniator old hand Joined: May 2010 Posts: 963 Alaska Back in the Cretaceous, a casual reference to a microphone was rendered on the page as "mike." Nowadays, when I drive past the Champagne Palace, the sign says "Open Mic", and there's just no way that I can avoid pronouncing that as "mick". When did "mic" slip in when I wasn't looking, and is it odd to anyone else? Particularly after the once-near-ubiquity of Bic pens? Is a bicycle now a bic? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Mic vs Mike Tromboniator #191016 05/11/2010 10:57 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 I, too, find it odd and want to pronounce it "mick" but it is merely the standard abbreviation for microphone found on the input jack on amps or connection boxes. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Mic vs Mike Faldage #191021 05/11/2010 12:13 PM Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Vermont Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,210 Vermont well, Open Mike would seem to be something different altogether!! formerly known as etaoin... Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Mic vs Mike Buffalo Shrdlu #191031 05/11/2010 3:38 PM Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,974 Likes: 3 Land of the Flat Water LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,974 Likes: 3 Land of the Flat Water ....depending on how Mike feels about it, yes? ----please, draw me a sheep---- Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Mic vs Mike Tromboniator #191049 05/12/2010 2:16 AM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 618 Australia doc_comfort addict doc_comfort addict Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 618 Australia In my short years, I've always seen it as mic. And I'm not sure the bike analogy holds, unless you intend to pronounce bic "bice". Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Mic vs Mike doc_comfort #191057 05/12/2010 5:09 AM Joined: May 2010 Posts: 963 Alaska Tromboniator old hand Tromboniator old hand Joined: May 2010 Posts: 963 Alaska Okay, BS(!) and LJ8, thanks for your help. Next time I'll ask Mike. doc, that's what my daughter, 28 this year, tells me: "Dad, it's ALWAYS been that way." Well, no. You're probably right about bic, though. Faldage, I don't think I'm talking about an abbreviation here, although that may explain it. I'm trying to think of an analogous example, and I'm failing. Looks as if I'm going to have another high horse shot out from under me. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Mic vs Mike doc_comfort #191058 05/12/2010 5:11 AM Joined: May 2010 Posts: 963 Alaska Tromboniator old hand Tromboniator old hand Joined: May 2010 Posts: 963 Alaska Last edited by Tromboniator; 05/14/2010 2:53 AM. Reason: Duplicate post Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Mic vs Mike doc_comfort #191059 05/12/2010 5:14 AM Joined: May 2010 Posts: 963 Alaska Tromboniator old hand Tromboniator old hand Joined: May 2010 Posts: 963 Alaska Although, come to think of it, why IS a bicycle called a bike rather than a bice? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Mic vs Mike Tromboniator #191064 05/12/2010 1:36 PM Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh why IS a bicycle called a bike rather than a bice? Because we have a spelling "system" that is broken and unfit for its job. Ceci n'est pas un seing. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Mic vs Mike zmjezhd #191072 05/12/2010 6:53 PM Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague BranShea Carpal Tunnel BranShea Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague So have we. I cannot find out why our word 'bicycle' - 'rijwiel' became 'fiets' in daily use. Fiets??? That can't be a real word with any origin at all. The French did it decently in this case; vélocipède - vélo. The Germans too; Fahrrad - Rad. But they sure will have other anomalies. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. 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