New sense for "static"?

[Herb Stahlke]

*As an extension of the following?4.*
 *a.* Electrical disturbances producing interference with the reception of
telecommunications and broadcasts, typically manifesting as crackling or
hissing noises; atmospherics. Cf. noise n.
11a<http://www.oed.com.proxy.bsu.edu/view/Entry/127655#eid34518590>
.
1905   *Jrnl. Soc. Arts* 20 Jan. 211/1   How far our spark interfered with
other systems it is beyond my knowledge to speculate... We found one enemy
when the rainy season approached. That was the 'static' caused by thunder
storms.
1913   *Wireless World* Nov. 508/2   Communication will also be had with
New Orleans, which the static formerly prevented.
1928   *Sat. Evening Post* 12 May 50/3   He had just paid $300 for a new
radio and..tried to get Dubuque, but there was much static.
1950   'N. Shute' *Town like Alice* v. 156   He wanted to see a live
broadcast of 'Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh' which he listened to on short wave
from Brisbane when the static permitted.
2005   *Wall St. Jrnl.* (Central ed.) 7 Dec. b10/1   The technology
eliminates hissing and static.



On Fri, Feb 28, 2014 at 10:06 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      New sense for "static"?
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>  From the New York Dramatic Mirror, 1914 June 10, 26/4.  Microfilm,
> NY Public Library.  "static" = zig-zag lines on a film.
>
> "Before making a positive print, it is not unusual for the
> director-in-chief to have each piece of negative projected on the
> screen for his inspection. He finds some of the scenes out of focus,
> others are over or under exposed, still others are afflicted with
> static (zig-zag lines that shoot through the picture), or perhaps the
> negative is scratched."
>
> "static", noun, sense not in OED?
>
> Joel
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org