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| Peter T. Daniels... |
 Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:02 am |
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Isn't it interesting that no shorter phrase has come into use for "air
conditioner"? "Conditioner" all by itself refers to hair conditioner,
and I don't think a phrase "hair conditioner" even exists.
Compare "machine" for "answering machine" in less than a decade after
their introduction.
Compare "fridge" for "refrigerator" (perhaps via "Frigidaire").
Not even something like "room cooler," which is both shorter and
nativer. A "cooler" is an insulated box for carrying picnic supplies
etc., and also a variety of refrigerator.
Perhaps there's been a Pondian split, as "vacuum cleaner" becomes
"vacuum" in the US and usurps the brand name "hoover" over there. |
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| Peter T. Daniels... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:26 am |
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On Oct 1, 11:14 am, Harlan Messinger
<hmessinger.removet... at (no spam) comcast.net> wrote:
[quote:27a76a5626]Peter T. Daniels wrote:
Isn't it interesting that no shorter phrase has come into use for "air
conditioner"? "Conditioner" all by itself refers to hair conditioner,
and I don't think a phrase "hair conditioner" even exists.
"Is the aycee on?" "This house has central air."
[/quote:27a76a5626]
The latter is Realtor-speak. The former strikes me as quite unusual.
The Realtor industry is once again trying to protect its tradmark on
that term -- unfortunately, with the expression "Only Realtors are
members of the [whatever the name of the trade association is],"
whereas what they intend is "Only members of the [association] are
[legally entitled to call themselves] Realtors." |
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| Peter T. Daniels... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:13 am |
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On Oct 1, 11:43 am, James Hogg <Jas.H... at (no spam) gOUTmail.com> wrote:
[quote:4ad84e9987]Quoth "Peter T. Daniels" <gramma... at (no spam) verizon.net>, and I quote:
On Oct 1, 11:14 am, Harlan Messinger
hmessinger.removet... at (no spam) comcast.net> wrote:
Peter T. Daniels wrote:
Isn't it interesting that no shorter phrase has come into use for "air
conditioner"? "Conditioner" all by itself refers to hair conditioner,
and I don't think a phrase "hair conditioner" even exists.
"Is the aycee on?" "This house has central air."
The latter is Realtor-speak. The former strikes me as quite unusual.
The phrase "the AC on" gets about 1,040,000 hits on Google. Even
when you discount the minority that don't refer to air
conditioning, and even though we know that a Google search can't
be used for serious statistical purposes, that's still a high
frequency.
[/quote:4ad84e9987]
All that says is that it's easier to spell the phrase with two letters
than with 14. |
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| Peter T. Daniels... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:14 am |
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On Oct 1, 12:50 pm, Derek Turner <frde... at (no spam) cesmail.net> wrote:
[quote:b7030f0394]On Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:26:58 -0700, Peter T. Daniels wrote:
"Is the aycee on?" "This house has central air."
The latter is Realtor-speak. The former strikes me as quite unusual.
FWIW AC (pronounced aycee) is very usual in BrE and Indian English (IME).
[/quote:b7030f0394]
Golly, do you suppose that might be why I asked whether there are
Pondian differences? |
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| Peter T. Daniels... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:16 am |
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On Oct 1, 12:16 pm, R H Draney <dadoc... at (no spam) spamcop.net> wrote:
[quote:6d0d51ca4a]Peter T. Daniels filted:
Isn't it interesting that no shorter phrase has come into use for "air
conditioner"? "Conditioner" all by itself refers to hair conditioner,
and I don't think a phrase "hair conditioner" even exists.
Compare "machine" for "answering machine" in less than a decade after
their introduction.
Compare "fridge" for "refrigerator" (perhaps via "Frigidaire").
Compare "clicker" for "remote control"....
[/quote:6d0d51ca4a]
Haven't heard that in decades. Perhaps because they don't "click."
The usual name is "remote."
[quote:6d0d51ca4a]Not even something like "room cooler," which is both shorter and
nativer. A "cooler" is an insulated box for carrying picnic supplies
etc., and also a variety of refrigerator.
In these desert climes, a "cooler" is a different sort of animal from an "air
conditioner"...the former (sometimes called a "swamp cooler") uses evaporation,
raises the humidity of the area it serves, and fails to do anything at all
useful when the ambient humidity is above a certain threshold....r
[/quote:6d0d51ca4a]
I don't know what climes "these" are, but over here that's a
"humidifier." We also have "dehumidifiers" that fall short of being
air conditioners. |
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| Jerry Friedman... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:17 am |
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On Oct 1, 10:16 am, R H Draney <dadoc... at (no spam) spamcop.net> wrote:
[quote:04505ef84f]Peter T. Daniels filted:
Isn't it interesting that no shorter phrase has come into use for "air
conditioner"? "Conditioner" all by itself refers to hair conditioner,
and I don't think a phrase "hair conditioner" even exists.
....[/quote:04505ef84f]
In my experience, "AC" (sometimes written "A/C") and "air" are very
common, as others have said.
[quote:04505ef84f]Not even something like "room cooler," which is both shorter and
nativer. A "cooler" is an insulated box for carrying picnic supplies
etc., and also a variety of refrigerator.
In these desert climes, a "cooler" is a different sort of animal from an "air
conditioner"...the former (sometimes called a "swamp cooler") uses evaporation,
raises the humidity of the area it serves, and fails to do anything at all
useful when the ambient humidity is above a certain threshold....r
[/quote:04505ef84f]
Which is why a friend of mine says, "I don't know why it's called
that. It won't cool a swamp worth a damn."
I must admit that when another friend told me he'd gotten a cooler, I
didn't snap (as we say here in northern New Mexico to mean
"understand"); I though he meant one of those food carriers, until he
started talking about how much more comfortable he'd be in summer.
In _these_ desert climes, both evaporative cooling and the kind that
works in New York may be called air conditioning. When the latter
needs to be distinguished, it may be called refrigerated air.
--
Jerry Friedman |
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| Peter T. Daniels... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:53 am |
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On Oct 1, 1:22 pm, HVS <use... at (no spam) REMOVETHISwhhvs.co.uk> wrote:
[quote:be4d4db4e8]On 01 Oct 2009, Peter T. Daniels wrote
On Oct 1, 12:16 pm, R H Draney <dadoc... at (no spam) spamcop.net> wrote:
Compare "clicker" for "remote control"....
Haven't heard that in decades.
You really should get out more; it's the regular term we use in our
house, and although I might not use it in the outside world, I can't
imagine being misunderstood if I did.
[/quote:be4d4db4e8]
I don't know where either your house or your world is.
IIRC a clicker is (was?) more likely to be a garage door opener.
[quote:be4d4db4e8]The usual name is "remote."
How are you defining "usual"? Some sort of actual measurement, or
"It's what I say, therefore it's obviously the usual name"?
[/quote:be4d4db4e8]
Well, it turned up on Family Feud just yesterday, and it's what they
talk about on the sitcoms when they're squabbling over it, so it's the
preferred term in materials intended for the GenAm audience. |
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| Peter T. Daniels... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:55 am |
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On Oct 1, 1:17 pm, Jerry Friedman <jerry_fried... at (no spam) yahoo.com> wrote:
[quote:2dcf746ff4]On Oct 1, 10:16 am, R H Draney <dadoc... at (no spam) spamcop.net> wrote:> Peter T. Daniels filted:
Isn't it interesting that no shorter phrase has come into use for "air
conditioner"? "Conditioner" all by itself refers to hair conditioner,
and I don't think a phrase "hair conditioner" even exists.
...
In my experience, "AC" (sometimes written "A/C")
[/quote:2dcf746ff4]
The spelling isn't relevant to the saying! Unless you find people
inquiring whether the ayslashsee be on.
[quote:2dcf746ff4]and "air" are very
common, as others have said.
Not even something like "room cooler," which is both shorter and
nativer. A "cooler" is an insulated box for carrying picnic supplies
etc., and also a variety of refrigerator.
In these desert climes, a "cooler" is a different sort of animal from an "air
conditioner"...the former (sometimes called a "swamp cooler") uses evaporation,
raises the humidity of the area it serves, and fails to do anything at all
useful when the ambient humidity is above a certain threshold....r
Which is why a friend of mine says, "I don't know why it's called
that. It won't cool a swamp worth a damn."
I must admit that when another friend told me he'd gotten a cooler, I
didn't snap (as we say here in northern New Mexico to mean
"understand"); I though he meant one of those food carriers, until he
started talking about how much more comfortable he'd be in summer.
In _these_ desert climes, both evaporative cooling and the kind that
works in New York may be called air conditioning. When the latter
needs to be distinguished, it may be called refrigerated air.
[/quote:2dcf746ff4]
Long-ago movie theaters were "air-cooled," which I think involved
blowing air over blocks of ice. |
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| Peter T. Daniels... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:00 am |
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On Oct 1, 1:46 pm, "Ray O'Hara" <raymond-oh... at (no spam) hotmail.com> wrote:
[quote:26d20d50ca]"Peter T. Daniels" <gramma... at (no spam) verizon.net> wrote in messagenews:79182c60-2d4c-445e-abaf-c4f19ef82139 at (no spam) d4g2000vbm.googlegroups.com...
On Oct 1, 12:50 pm, Derek Turner <frde... at (no spam) cesmail.net> wrote:
On Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:26:58 -0700, Peter T. Daniels wrote:
"Is the aycee on?" "This house has central air."
The latter is Realtor-speak. The former strikes me as quite unusual.
FWIW AC (pronounced aycee) is very usual in BrE and Indian English (IME).
Golly, do you suppose that might be why I asked whether there are
Pondian differences?
==================================================================
A/C is common usage in New England.
[/quote:26d20d50ca]
Well, sure, it's New _England_! |
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| Christian Weisgerber... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:41 am |
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Derek Turner <frderek at (no spam) cesmail.net> wrote:
[quote:2c4440607c]"Is the aycee on?" "This house has central air."
The latter is Realtor-speak. The former strikes me as quite unusual.
FWIW AC (pronounced aycee) is very usual in BrE and Indian English (IME).
[/quote:2c4440607c]
"AC" is very common in AmE. PTD's claim to the contrary is absurd.
--
Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy at (no spam) mips.inka.de |
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| James Hogg... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 9:09 am |
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Quoth "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim at (no spam) verizon.net>, and I quote:
[quote:99e2c5d702]Isn't it interesting that no shorter phrase has come into use for "air
conditioner"? "Conditioner" all by itself refers to hair conditioner,
and I don't think a phrase "hair conditioner" even exists.
Compare "machine" for "answering machine" in less than a decade after
their introduction.
Compare "fridge" for "refrigerator" (perhaps via "Frigidaire").
Not even something like "room cooler," which is both shorter and
nativer. A "cooler" is an insulated box for carrying picnic supplies
etc., and also a variety of refrigerator.
Perhaps there's been a Pondian split, as "vacuum cleaner" becomes
"vacuum" in the US and usurps the brand name "hoover" over there.
[/quote:99e2c5d702]
"AC" and "air con" are both shorter than "air conditioner".
Both are used.
--
James |
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| Harlan Messinger... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 9:14 am |
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Peter T. Daniels wrote:
[quote:4035296a1f]Isn't it interesting that no shorter phrase has come into use for "air
conditioner"? "Conditioner" all by itself refers to hair conditioner,
and I don't think a phrase "hair conditioner" even exists.
[/quote:4035296a1f]
"Is the aycee on?" "This house has central air." |
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| James Hogg... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 9:43 am |
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Quoth "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim at (no spam) verizon.net>, and I quote:
[quote:d8afc33c6d]On Oct 1, 11:14 am, Harlan Messinger
hmessinger.removet... at (no spam) comcast.net> wrote:
Peter T. Daniels wrote:
Isn't it interesting that no shorter phrase has come into use for "air
conditioner"? "Conditioner" all by itself refers to hair conditioner,
and I don't think a phrase "hair conditioner" even exists.
"Is the aycee on?" "This house has central air."
The latter is Realtor-speak. The former strikes me as quite unusual.
[/quote:d8afc33c6d]
The phrase "the AC on" gets about 1,040,000 hits on Google. Even
when you discount the minority that don't refer to air
conditioning, and even though we know that a Google search can't
be used for serious statistical purposes, that's still a high
frequency.
[quote:d8afc33c6d]The Realtor industry is once again trying to protect its tradmark on
that term -- unfortunately, with the expression "Only Realtors are
members of the [whatever the name of the trade association is],"
whereas what they intend is "Only members of the [association] are
[legally entitled to call themselves] Realtors."
[/quote:d8afc33c6d]
--
James |
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| R H Draney... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:16 am |
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Guest
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Peter T. Daniels filted:
[quote:8d386b57e5]
Isn't it interesting that no shorter phrase has come into use for "air
conditioner"? "Conditioner" all by itself refers to hair conditioner,
and I don't think a phrase "hair conditioner" even exists.
Compare "machine" for "answering machine" in less than a decade after
their introduction.
Compare "fridge" for "refrigerator" (perhaps via "Frigidaire").
[/quote:8d386b57e5]
Compare "clicker" for "remote control"....
[quote:8d386b57e5]Not even something like "room cooler," which is both shorter and
nativer. A "cooler" is an insulated box for carrying picnic supplies
etc., and also a variety of refrigerator.
[/quote:8d386b57e5]
In these desert climes, a "cooler" is a different sort of animal from an "air
conditioner"...the former (sometimes called a "swamp cooler") uses evaporation,
raises the humidity of the area it serves, and fails to do anything at all
useful when the ambient humidity is above a certain threshold....r
--
A pessimist sees the glass as half empty.
An optometrist asks whether you see the glass
more full like this?...or like this? |
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| Peter T. Daniels... |
| Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:41 am |
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On Oct 1, 3:27 pm, tony cooper <tony_cooper... at (no spam) earthlink.net> wrote:
[quote:f02bed2f4e]On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 14:22:40 -0400, "James Silverton"
not.jim.silver... at (no spam) verizon.net> wrote:
I have always considered "great room" a rather obnoxious real estate
agents term for a multipurpose room. I have to admit that some friends
bought a new house a few years ago and do use the term for a room that
contains dining and sitting space as well as the kitchen.
Is it right to blame real estate agents for this? I think you can go
to many floorplans and find this label on that multi-purpose room.
Blame the architects. They started it. The real estate agents are
simply passing along the term that was assigned before the house was
built.
[/quote:f02bed2f4e]
Can you identify an architect who did such a thing?
It is surely the tool of the developers, who commission plans that are
published in those oversize, very inexpensive volumes of "250 Two-
Story Dream Homes" and the like that have instructions for ordering
the plans and specs to hand to your contractor in the back. (I've
bought several over the years, and very occasionally find "homes" that
might accommodate a library of 10,000+ volumes.) |
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