Antedating of "Tsunami" (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Baker, John]

        While far from an antedating, the following passage, from
Science, vol. 75, p. 314 (Mar. 18, 1932), shows that "tsunami" was not
yet firmly established in scientific circles by that time:


The report of the Section of Oceanography . . .
also mentions the formation of an international
committee to study the so-called (and miscalled) tidal
waves (in French "raz de maree)." Presumably these
"tidal waves" are solitary waves or small groups of
waves caused by submarine earthquakes. Some less
misleading term than "tidal wave" is needed and the
noncommittal Japanese word _tsunami_ has been suggested
but has so far found no general acceptance.
(This comment on nomenclature is the reviewer's, not
the report's).



John Baker

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