When carbon means carbonless

[Joel S. Berson]

At 3/15/2007 09:57 PM, Benjamin Barrett wrote:
>...  The other day, I ordered duplicates, and the operator confirmed, calling
>them "carbon [copy?] checks". Knowing now that I was silly to ever have
>assumed just a few years ago that a bank would send out carbon checks
>with carbon, I just affirmed, but I thought it interesting that the word
>"carbon check" can now be used to refer to a "carbonless check". I
>assume this is due to people not familiar with a withering technology
>applying a term to a new technology without understanding what the term
>actually meant.
>
>Perhaps the simplest explanation is that "carbon" has added the meaning
>of including paper underneath that makes a copy when you write.

And the electrons underneath that make a "Cc" when you send email.

Joel

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