[Ads-l] Reflections/query on the term "glove compartment" (of a car)

Laurence Horn laurence.horn at YALE.EDU
Mon Feb 1 01:28:18 UTC 2016


> On Jan 31, 2016, at 5:11 PM, Benjamin Barrett <mail.barretts at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> According to Wikipedia (https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__en.wikipedia.org_wiki_Glove-5Fcompartment&d=AwIFAg&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=wFp3X4Mu39hB2bf13gtz0ZpW1TsSxPIWYiZRsMFFaLQ&m=yQjuj8bDCgaHAcqclSMgotVvmT-nx8eeYFTnyB5QUis&s=aD0r7eqVkHbJ8K7hOkOcH2rFPND6LaqJeUcByodtql0&e= ), the BBC says the term was coined by Dorothy Levitt (https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__en.wikipedia.org_wiki_Dorothy-5FLevitt&d=AwIFAg&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=wFp3X4Mu39hB2bf13gtz0ZpW1TsSxPIWYiZRsMFFaLQ&m=yQjuj8bDCgaHAcqclSMgotVvmT-nx8eeYFTnyB5QUis&s=fciQwue5eM4jN-tw2SMhLShsfC6aJqqcKtlz42lvkwo&e= ), a racing driver who lived from 1882 to 1922. That antedates it at least 17 years.
> 
> According to https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.ehow.com_about-5F5683371-5Fcalled-2Dglove-2Dbox-5F.html&d=AwIFAg&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=wFp3X4Mu39hB2bf13gtz0ZpW1TsSxPIWYiZRsMFFaLQ&m=yQjuj8bDCgaHAcqclSMgotVvmT-nx8eeYFTnyB5QUis&s=sPueVgTSFnUhmdkwcMjj9TkbxFQyqQnwqHJGAN26AkM&e=  <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.ehow.com_about-5F5683371-5Fcalled-2Dglove-2Dbox-5F.html&d=AwIFAg&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=wFp3X4Mu39hB2bf13gtz0ZpW1TsSxPIWYiZRsMFFaLQ&m=yQjuj8bDCgaHAcqclSMgotVvmT-nx8eeYFTnyB5QUis&s=sPueVgTSFnUhmdkwcMjj9TkbxFQyqQnwqHJGAN26AkM&e= >, the glove box is not well documented.
> 

Curiously, no mention is made in the eHow write-up--

Modern Uses

• It's likely if you looked in a sample of glove boxes in today's cars few pairs of gloves would be found. Vehicle registration, insurance papers, sunglasses, pens, paper and maps are more the probable items carried in modern-day glove boxes. Owners of convertibles may use the locking feature on glove boxes more than those who own hardtops, for obvious reasons.

--of the principal item contained in glove compartments according to films noirs, TV crime shows, and detective novels, viz. the revolver.
Seems like a question for Family Feud.


LH

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