"word processing" (was NYT Goofup is a syntactic blend)

[James A. Landau]

According to the Encyclopedia America International Edition (1995) volume 29
page 171 column 2, article on "Word processing", the original version of the
phrase "word processing" was "Textverarbeitung", which translates from German
to English as "text processing".  The article states this German word was
"coined in 1965 at IBM's Office Products Division in West Germany."

Possible evidence against this assertion: I once found a manual for an "IBM
Document Processor", which was an IBM 26 attached to some other equipment
that I don't recall.  I did not note the date on the manual, but from the
vintage of the equipment I would say it was pre-1960.

The first widely used word processor was the Flexowriter, which I am told was
developed during World War II.  The IBM MT/ST (Magnetic Tape Selectric
Typewriter), which I do not doubt was the machine for which
"Textverarbeitung" was coined, was little more than an electronic version of
the Flexowriter (e.g. magnetic tape rather than paper tape).

     - James A. Landau
       Systems Engineer
       FAA Technical Center (ACT-350/BCI)
       Atlantic City NJ 08405 USA