--- Christophe Grandsire
<christophe.grandsire@...> wrote:
> > (Which is a strange expression: until the
> > telephone, there was no
> > other kind! Similar cases: "analog watch", "snow
> > skiing", "postal mail".)
>
> LOL, strange that it's the original version that
> receives a specialised name,
> rather than the offspring.
In my experience, the above are v. rare: I've heard of
"snow skiing", but I'd never call it that; I'd call it
"skiing". I'd only use "analog watch" (vs. "digital
watch") if I'm discussing watches with someone and
we've got a mixed lot of watches to keep separate. I
don't even know what "postal mail" means. I'd guess
some kind of internal mail system in the Post Office?
A kind of intraoffice mail, maybe.
> In French it's the
> contrary: "montre" is normally
> understood as an analog watch. "Montre digitale" is
> the other kind (or we can
Yes. That sounds more familliar.
> use the expressions "montre à aiguille" and "montre
> à chiffres", but then both
> kinds are separately named, and those names are used
> only to prevent
> confusion). "Ski" is always understood to be on
> snow.
Yes.
> French people seem rather to keep names for original
> things and give new names
> to specialised offsprings, something that I
> personally find rather logical.
> Surprising that English is different in that
> respect...
Just goes to show that English is not monolithic. Or
whatever. There's more than one way shave a wombat
style of thing.
> Christophe.
Padraic.
=====
beuyont alch geont la ciay la cina
mangeiont alch geont y faues la lima;
pe' ne m' molestyont
que faciont
doazque y facyont in rima.
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