"Silver Tsunami" (first "boomer" files for Social Security)

[James Smith]

But getting back to basics, before 'tsunami' became
popular, the correct name was 'seismic sea wave', not
'tidal wave'.  But the phrase 'tidal wave ' is stuck
in popular imagery, and in ways that have nothing to
do with earthquakes, waves, or tides.



--- Tom Zurinskas <truespel at HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:

> Looks like "tsunami" is here to stay.  I agree with
> those who pronounces the "t" and hope we can retain
> it in pronunciation so the word obeys the alphabetic
> principle.  From m-w.com, tsunami means "harbor
> wave", which to me does not have the impact of a
> "tidal wave".  Tidal wave has an earlier date
> associated - 1851, see m-w.com
>
> Main Entry: tsu·na·mi
> Pronunciation: \(t)su̇-ˈnä-mē\
> Function: noun
> Inflected Form(s): plural tsunamis also tsunami
> Etymology: Japanese, from tsu harbor + nami wave
> Date: 1897
> : a great sea wave produced especially by submarine
> earth movement or volcanic eruption : tidal wave
>
> (Note that the dot over the u did not copy in the
> phonetic copy/paste.  Not good.  Truespel never has
> that problem.  No specail symbols.)  Also note that
> the speaker did drop the "t" in pronunciation.
>
> Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL5+
> See truespel.com - and the 4 truespel books plus
> "Occasional Poems" at authorhouse.com.
>
>
>
>
> > Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 22:06:06 -0500
> > From: spiderrmonkey at HOTMAIL.COM
> > Subject: Re: "Silver Tsunami" (first "boomer"
> files for Social Security)
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> >
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail
> header -----------------------
> > Sender: American Dialect Society
> > Poster: Scot LaFaive
> > Subject: Re: "Silver Tsunami" (first "boomer"
> files for Social Security)
> >
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Something like that.
> > =20
> > Scot
> > PS: I prefer "tsunami." More flavorful.
> >> Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 19:15:54 -0700> From:
> gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM> Subjec=
> > t: Re: "Silver Tsunami" (first "boomer" files for
> Social Security)> To: ADS=
> > -L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>> ----------------------
> Information from the mail hea=
> > der -----------------------> Sender: American
> Dialect Society  RV.UGA.EDU>> Poster: Benjamin
> Barrett > Subject: Re: =
> > "Silver Tsunami" (first "boomer" files for Social
> Security)> --------------=
> >
>
----------------------------------------------------------------->>
> Looks =
> > like circular troll country once again. BB>> Tom
> Zurinskas wrote:>> Point=
> > was - why the term "tidal wave" appears to be
> dropped for "tsunami". Someo=
> > ne said "tsunami" more accurately reflects the
> cause, which is an earthquak=
> > e. My point was that we had a term we understood,
> like parkway, even though=
> > it wasn't perfectly exact, like the way "parkway"
> doesn't resemble driving=
> > through a park.>>>> So I guess the question why
> "tidal wave" is dropped =
> > and who is responsible for dropping it goes
> unanswered, unless "tsunami" ac=
> > tually does relfect causation by an earthquake.>>
> ------------------------=
> > ------------------------------------> The American
> Dialect Society - http:/=
> > /www.americandialect.org
> >
>
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> >
>
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> > 6971033=
> >
> >
>
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James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
South SLC, UT                  |it is that we will be sued
jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
                               |or slowly and cautiously.

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