Not just on ebay but everywhere people saying the console is bad, when people say games console that's even worse. It's almost as annoying as when people refer to .tap files, or .tzx files as ROMs.
It's probably unimportant, superficial even, but it boils my piss for some reason too :evil:
Another Swindon denizen I see! Been to the computer museum yet?
No I havn't been but I'd love to go. Whereabouts is it? (I live in swindon but am actually from cornwall....at least there are some pasty shops in town!:p)
What you can do is pretend to yourself that those people on eBay are actually being highly astute and knowledgeable, and using the word "console" in its original mainframe-related sense, meaning "device that accepts input from the computer operator to be dispatched to the main processing unit". Whether this means that they could satisfy the terms of the auction just by sending you an empty Spectrum case is a matter of debate...
...nah, who am I kidding? They're just being ignorant.
And I hate it when they describe it as "rare" Aaaarrrgghhh! They may not be commonplace anymore but I'd hardly describe a spectrum+ as rare. I wish they were then we would all be sitting on a veritable goldmine!
No I havn't been but I'd love to go. Whereabouts is it? (I live in swindon but am actually from cornwall....at least there are some pasty shops in town!:p)
Oh yeah, Swindon is pretty classy like that ;)
It's in Theatre Square - at the top end of town, near the town hall - there's the library on the right hand side, and some misc shops on the left including the Computing History Museum. I think they're open Saturdays plus various other days if something's going on, like a games day or the kids' games design classes they do.
And then you have "tape lead" which here in the U.S. sounds weird. I know, I know, it's the correct way, etc. But in every other language I know, "cord" or "cable" are used instead.
In Portugal mobile phones are called "telemobiles" (direct translation). :smile:
Let's add some stuff to the list. How about people who call products not by their name but the brand by which they were made popular?
-Transistor instead of Radio
-Xerox instead of copy
-UHU instead of glue
It just tells me not to deal with these people as they haven't the faintest idea what they're talking about.
That might just be a reason to deal with such people: if they haven't got a clue what they're selling. Read: might have some valuable/rare goodies but no idea those are worth something.
In general I like dealing with people that share the interest in a system, but I don't care much if people are clueless about things like the distinction between console & programmable homecomputer. Similarly with popular use of the world 'hacker' in mainstream media (used as 'cracker', ignoring the original meaning of 'modding/using things for unintented purposes'). People won't change those habits, no point in getting yourself worked up about it. :p
Or those Brits who refer to their cellular mobile telephone as a 'mobile'.
The point is that one is at least accurate, the other is just plain ignorance. A mobile telephone is at least 'mobile', in that it is not fixed to any permanent structure. What it is not is a 'cell' in the cellular network. The 'cell' is the coverage area provided by a single transceiver mast.
It's almost as dumb as Stephen Fry telling everyone how your GPS transmits signals to satellites so they can work out where you are.
The point is that one is at least accurate, the other is just plain ignorance. A mobile telephone is at least 'mobile', in that it is not fixed to any permanent structure. What it is not is a 'cell' in the cellular network. The 'cell' is the coverage area provided by a single transceiver mast.
a mobile is short for a mobile telephone.
a cell is short for a cell phone, which is short for a cellular telephone.
neither expression makes any sense until you take into account the fact that it's a shortened word. When you take that into account both are as correct as each other.
It's almost as dumb as Stephen Fry telling everyone how your GPS transmits signals to satellites so they can work out where you are.
It wasn't just me who grimmaced when he said that then! They often get stuff wrong on that show to some degree or other, I think. Presumably, in order to come up with a steady supply of "interesting" things, the truth is stretched a little sometimes...
Or Americans who refer to their cellular mobile telephone as a 'cell'.
It just tells me not to deal with these people as they haven't the faintest idea what they're talking about.
In germany cellular phones are called "Handy" (from "Hand").
In polish "Cyfrowe" is the translation of "Digital" which is totally confusing.
Also "Kompakty" is not the name of Didaktic Kompakt Spectrum clone, but polish word for "CD". %)
The polish word "Swiatlowody" can be also confused with "Swiatlo wody" ("Light of water"), but really means Optical cable.
And german "Halbleiter" (Semiconductor) can be confused with "Halbe Leiter" (Half of a ladder).
Human languages are hard...
Heh heh. Just posted on Twitter about the Speccy2010 machine I've ordered, and immediately got a reply back: "wow - a zx spectrum console!" And it hadn't occurred to me, but - damn, he's right. There IS such a thing as a Spectrum console now!
..well..admitedly, it does look the part doesn't it?!!... You'll have to plug in those two Sega joypads, just for that authentic consoley feel now won't ya!!!
The polish word "Swiatlowody" can be also confused with "Swiatlo wody" ("Light of water"), but really means Optical cable.
So if i walk into either a Polska skep or Polonia store (in my area of the west mids there a few) and ask for "Swiatlowody" i would be ofered a wide range of broadband services by local providers..but if i say it incorrectly i will offered some bottled water out the fridge? ;-)
So if i walk into either a Polska skep or Polonia store (in my area of the west mids there a few) and ask for "Swiatlowody" i would be ofered a wide range of broadband services by local providers..but if i say it incorrectly i will offered some bottled water out the fridge? ;-)
or some one could mistake it for a suedo teddy boy styled 70's pop group
Comments
Another Swindon denizen I see! Been to the computer museum yet?
It's probably unimportant, superficial even, but it boils my piss for some reason too :evil:
It just tells me not to deal with these people as they haven't the faintest idea what they're talking about.
- IONIAN-GAMES.com -
No I havn't been but I'd love to go. Whereabouts is it? (I live in swindon but am actually from cornwall....at least there are some pasty shops in town!:p)
Or those Brits who refer to their cellular mobile telephone as a 'mobile'.
It just tells me not to deal with these people as they haven't the faintest idea what they're talking about.
I still call it a portable telephone.
I prefer to call it a waste-of-money-yet-sadly-needed-in-potential-emergencies.
...nah, who am I kidding? They're just being ignorant.
Get your own language then... that way you can call it whatever you like!
In the meantime, you are speaking English, so it's a mobile....
It's called English for a reason...
Oh yeah, Swindon is pretty classy like that ;)
It's in Theatre Square - at the top end of town, near the town hall - there's the library on the right hand side, and some misc shops on the left including the Computing History Museum. I think they're open Saturdays plus various other days if something's going on, like a games day or the kids' games design classes they do.
Listed in category:
* Video Games >
* Vintage & Retro Gaming >
* Sinclair >
* Consoles
Maybe a strongly worded letter to ebaybods point out their error would make you feel better? :D
And then you have "tape lead" which here in the U.S. sounds weird. I know, I know, it's the correct way, etc. But in every other language I know, "cord" or "cable" are used instead.
In Portugal mobile phones are called "telemobiles" (direct translation). :smile:
Let's add some stuff to the list. How about people who call products not by their name but the brand by which they were made popular?
-Transistor instead of Radio
-Xerox instead of copy
-UHU instead of glue
Etc.
In general I like dealing with people that share the interest in a system, but I don't care much if people are clueless about things like the distinction between console & programmable homecomputer. Similarly with popular use of the world 'hacker' in mainstream media (used as 'cracker', ignoring the original meaning of 'modding/using things for unintented purposes'). People won't change those habits, no point in getting yourself worked up about it. :p
Marathon instead of Snickers!
It's almost as dumb as Stephen Fry telling everyone how your GPS transmits signals to satellites so they can work out where you are.
- IONIAN-GAMES.com -
This word comes from German word Kammer and may mean:
a) cell
b) chamber, room, but also ... shed :)
In the 90ties when you talked about "kom?rka" in Poland you could be easily misunderstood ;)
a mobile is short for a mobile telephone.
a cell is short for a cell phone, which is short for a cellular telephone.
neither expression makes any sense until you take into account the fact that it's a shortened word. When you take that into account both are as correct as each other.
Stop moaning :p
In germany cellular phones are called "Handy" (from "Hand").
In polish "Cyfrowe" is the translation of "Digital" which is totally confusing.
Also "Kompakty" is not the name of Didaktic Kompakt Spectrum clone, but polish word for "CD". %)
The polish word "Swiatlowody" can be also confused with "Swiatlo wody" ("Light of water"), but really means Optical cable.
And german "Halbleiter" (Semiconductor) can be confused with "Halbe Leiter" (Half of a ladder).
Human languages are hard...
Yes this really bugs me, has done for years...
...but this does not - it is just a local name for what we refer to as a 'mobile'
Yup, them there be colloquialisms ... "cell" on one side of the pond, "mobile" on the other.
Just like a "bubbler" is a colloquialism in Wisconsin for "water fountain" ... who cares, as long as you know what's being talked about.
Really? I though Bubbler was a game for the Spectrum Console? ;)
..well..admitedly, it does look the part doesn't it?!!... You'll have to plug in those two Sega joypads, just for that authentic consoley feel now won't ya!!!
I though "bubbler" is a colloquialism for "water closet";);).
So if i walk into either a Polska skep or Polonia store (in my area of the west mids there a few) and ask for "Swiatlowody" i would be ofered a wide range of broadband services by local providers..but if i say it incorrectly i will offered some bottled water out the fridge? ;-)
or some one could mistake it for a suedo teddy boy styled 70's pop group
:p