Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 2 of 4 1 2 3 4
#1774 05/02/00 07:58 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
J
jmh Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
J
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
Philip

Spot on - take the £1,000,000!


Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
J
jmh Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
J
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
tsu (is the diminutive OK?)

Oz is definitely Australia. I imagine it comes from Aussie to Ozzie to Oz but willing to be corrected by a real native. There was a magazine called "Oz" in the sixties (or was it seventies) but I don't think there was a connection.


Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 81
P
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
P
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 81
I've never seen the Australian Durex but I gather it's a transparent cellophane type tape like Sellotape in the UK. In the UK Durex is a brand of condoms made by the London Rubber Company (I kid you not. Rubber is not a slang british term for condoms.)


Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
>tsu (is the diminutive OK?)

let's see... the supreme universal... yeah, that works for me. besides wm® is prolly too formal. (but we digress :)

http://members.aol.com/tsuwm/

Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
J
jmh Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
J
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
Regarding Philip's last posting -

hence the problem British children have when they ask an American child if they can borrow a rubber (eraser).


Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
J
jmh Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
J
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
> but we digress :)

so what's new :)





Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 140
member
Offline
member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 140
Very interesting thread, this. To tidy up a little loose end for me, tsuwm, I think your "duct tape" is the same as the Oz (and presumably UK) "gaffer tape". Can you confirm this?

Re: <BTW, got any hunches as you approach the century mark?>
Surely the most likely promotion for a journeyman is "master". If this is so I hope you would not consider it a demotion!

Rgds, lusy


Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Some people, especially in Europe, use the term "gaffer's tape" in reference to duct tape. This use is incorrect. Gaffer's tape is, in fact, a completely different adhesive. It is more clothlike, usually black (though sometimes white), and its sticky stuff melts easily. In general, gaffer's tape is evil. [It would be just like the Brits to have a completely different name for duct tape (i.e., gaffer tape) to completely confuse both products. ed.]

BTW, germaine to this thread, duct tape could certainly be used for securing contestants' seats.

http://members.aol.com/tsuwm/

#1782 05/03/00 12:54 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542

no, wouldn't consider this a demotion... merely exiguous recognition.

http://members.aol.com/tsuwm/

#1783 05/03/00 07:17 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 81
P
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
P
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 81
Personally I think gaffer tape is wonderful. It's easy to tear pieces from the role and it can be removed with some ease. These properties make it a great favourite with musicians and theatres for temporary holding of microphone leads &c. in place. However, I don't know the origin of it's name. I know gaffer is a term for a leader of a group of workers and particularly in modern use a chief electrician and I suppose this is where the term comes from with regards to the tape. But where does gaffer originate and what is it's relation to gaff.


Page 2 of 4 1 2 3 4

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,271
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 263 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,502
LukeJavan8 9,915
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5