Oh, check that spell. It’s a joke. People want to describe something like a ferris wheel, but they want a word that doesn’t sound very pleasant, so they turn to a synonym and type Conveyor. And the spell check says “this is fine,” because Conveyor is a perfectly appropriate word, syntactically speaking. But it’s not the word for a ferris wheel (literally or figuratively).
Unless maybe it is.
Photo: Christopher Bernard
Hold tight. It was a bumpy ride.
Which brings us to this year’s SXSW festival in Austin. SXSW has long been a showcase for emerging technologies—an ever-changing series of advancements that promise a week-long glimpse into how we will live in the future. —Seth Porges, ForbesMarch 14, 2018
Some of you may have giggled (or groaned) a bit there. A “conveyor of progress”? ONE Conveyor (pronounced like “arousal” but with the letter “c” played) is a boisterous, drunken party or celebration; What’s a carousel of progress then? Maybe a bunch of “smart” devices with arms and legs, drinking tequila and dancing around the table? we have seen Overdrive max; We know how that ends.
The expected word in the above excerpt is Conveyor (often pronounced \kair-uh-SEL\ play ), which can refer to amusement park rides or other things that rotate around, such as a circular carousel (e.g., a yard baggage carousel bay) or revolving boxes or trays for storage or display (e.g. sliding carousels). The phrase “cycle of progress” in the above context conjures up a series of high-tech inventions (which are astounding by comparison), one after another.
Conveyor (also spelled Ferris) began to appear in England in the mid-17th century, when it referred to an exhibition in which cavalry squads performed various movements to create arrangements—modern readers might imagine synchronized but medieval swimming, in a field and performed by men dressed on horseback. (Currently Have a movie.) These carousels in the mid-17th century replaced much of the jousting that took place at the tournaments of some older days. The word came to English in French, from an Italian word, caroselloRefers to a tournament in which contestants throw clay balls at each other.
But here’s where things get weird: Conveyor appears as an alternate spelling of Conveyor a few short decades after the latter came into use. The Oxford English Dictionary shows examples of Conveyor used to refer to equestrian demonstrations during the 18th and into the 19th centuries. This usage Conveyor seems to really precede the drunken fun Conveyor (finally from German gar aus“end”), whose current evidence dates back to the mid-18th century.
It is for this reason that Merriam-Webster Unabridged Includes an item for Conveyor is defined directly and without comment as an exhibition carousel (spelled .) Ferris). That entry was included not shortened since 1961. In the 1934 edition of not shortened less charitable treatment: Conveyor has been reported as “mistaken for Ferris.”
What prompted the lexicographers responsible for the 1961 entry to decide to import Conveyor as a non-discriminatory synonym of Conveyor? As always, proof. Annoying proof. They have seen skilled writers – such as Walter Scott – use it in published, edited text:
It is well known that the Saxons do not love the Norman race, and who knows what the matter might be, if he broke into them when their hearts were stimulated by Athelstane’s death, and their heads heated up. because of the carousel in it. Will they pamper themselves? —Walter Scott, Ivanhoe1819
… I must admit that there is nothing I regret more than taking this journey to France. I was looking for a splendid reception, tournaments, carousels, contests and festivals; instead, all has been reclusive and obscure! —Walter Scott, Quentin Durward1823
Scott also uses Conveyor in its “fun” sense:
Sergeant Bothwell did not forget to believe the woman, and was willing to forget the height his family had descended from, in a jousting in which Mr. Harrison attempted to produce the finest wine in the cellar. and to excite your guests. to have fun with that charming example that, in trivial matters, goes beyond the limit. —Walter Scott, old death1816
Until the end of the 19th century, Conveyor started to refer to the ferris wheel, invented in the 1720s. (The first ferris wheel was powered by man or horse.) Conveyor spelling followed that into that territory: we had on our records a page from an old catalog—dated only as “c. 1880? M’F’G Carousal New York Companyand describes itself as a “Manufacturer of Conveyors of all shapes and sizes.”
Such evidence is convincing—experts using specific spellings for their own business names signal something about its general acceptability—but that evidence has not been combined with sufficient evidence. similar evidence to justify our entry Conveyor as a variant spelling of the wooden horse (literal or figurative) Conveyor in any of our dictionaries—yet.
Our job is to always look for new words and spellings, as well as old spellings and words that make new breakthroughs. Conveyor as an established spelling of Conveyor is the one we will monitor. Historically, it’s been too rare for anything but our unabridged dictionary, and common enough only in its “exhibition” sense to that extent. You can use Conveyor follow this alternative in the meantime if you like—but note that those who haven’t read this article may chuckle a little as you do. As with all of our articles, feel free to print it out and throw it in their face.
Categories: Usage Notes
Source: vothisaucamau.edu.vn
