sound = 'video of someone speaking'

[Jonathan Lighter]

To clarify: in none of the current CNN exx. was there any prior
technical difficulty.

JL

On Fri, Oct 28, 2011 at 7:08 PM, Garson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Garson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: sound = 'video of someone speaking'
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Jonathan Lighter wrote
>>
>> Several times recently I've noticed CNN anchors announce, "And now we
>> have some sound for you," before switching to an ordinary video clip.
>> The difference?  In "video," people or things are moving around doing
>> things.  In "sound," the President or a spokesperson for something or
>> somebody is calmly talking to journalists.  But you can still see the
>> speaker.
>>
>> If a politician gives a campaign speech with flags waving and an
>> audience backdrop, gesturing decisively, is that "sound" or is it
>> "video"?  Stay tuned.
>
> Here are two instances from CNN transcripts. Admittedly, the content
> of the videos shown is not obvious. Please follow the links to obtain
> more background information if this topic interests you.
>
> CNN TONIGHT
> Seven CIA Agents Killed in Suicide Bombing; Visa Loophole; New Year
> Countdown; Year in Scandals
> Aired December 31, 2009 - 20:00   ET
> http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0912/31/ctn.02.html
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> Now we have some sound for you. Let's move our way over to Copenhagen.
> Listen to this.
>
> (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
>
> (NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION IN COPENHAGEN)
>
> (END VIDEO CLIP)
>
> LEVS: Great stuff. You can hear the revelers there. And let's keep
> looking at it. What this is, is City Hall Square where a lot of people
> pack in every year.
> [End excerpt]
>
> CNN SATURDAY MORNING NEWS
> Tornadoes Tear Through South, Midwest; Millions Gather Worldwide To
> Ring In 2011; Unusual New Year's Traditions; Testing Hangover Remedies
> Aired January 1, 2011 - 06:00   ET
> http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1101/01/smn.01.html
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> Now, we have some sound with a woman who was actually not at home when
> the storm hit. But when she came home, this is what she found.
> (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
> UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything's gone. We don't -- there's nothing
> left. Maybe a few of my son's toys that I might be able to salvage,
> but -- the Christmas tree was still up. I mean, everything --
> everything we had and everything I owned is gone.
> (END VIDEO CLIP)
> [End excerpt]
>
> I have heard the phrase used several times over a period of years, but
> it was used during a specific scenario (at least in the past). When
> there were technical difficulties in obtaining an audio transmission
> then the announcer would engage in some other activity.
>
> When the technical obstructions were removed the announcer would
> introduce the delayed segment with: "And now we have audio" or "And
> now we have some sound for you". The video transmission would then
> switch to the remote location or the video clip.
>
> The existence of previous audio difficulties is not always obvious.
> But I do not see evidence of audio difficulties in the transcripts of
> these examples.
>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



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