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?

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.

well, Open Mike would seem to be something different altogether!!

....depending on how Mike feels about it, yes?

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".

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.

Although, come to think of it, why IS a bicycle called a bike rather than a bice?

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.

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.