Pre-Archaic Industrial Jargon

[Joel S. Berson]

Not exactly to the point, but nevertheless something that still
amuses me.  Being in London around the time of Watergate, I saw on
the street a truck labeled "Nixon Removals".  (What we would call a
"moving van", of course.)  I was unfortunately without my camera.

Joel

At 3/7/2012 01:39 PM, Martin Kaminer wrote:
>I'm wondering about the way in which words no longer in common usage
>appear as blue-collar occupational titles.  This morning I was stuck
>in traffic between trucks belonging to a 'dismantler' and a
>'purveyor', each an intriguing contrast between the sesquipedalian and
>the quotidian.  I'm thinking also of 'demurrage charges' for rented
>mechanical equipment (to say nothing of bills of lading) and other
>ways in which the pace of language change mirrors the pace of
>technological change, or lack thereof.  Curious if there are other
>examples which support or disprove.  I can only imagine what folks
>will be saying about the 'quaint' fiber optic installation vans
>decades hence.
>
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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org