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#73421 12/29/06 06:13 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 399
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In the old days of engines, that had distributor caps, the mechanics all refered to the capacitor as a condensor.
There is also a tendency umong many to call an engine a motor.
Guess that started with "What size engine do you have in that motorcycle". [Linked Image]
Alan--


Alan--
If it was easy, anyone could do it.
#73422 12/29/06 07:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 109
L
Member
That would be 1500cc,1300cc,1100cc and 80 cui engines with 12v starter motors Allen =8^) Rod

#73423 12/29/06 08:36 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
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Moderator
Quote
There is also a tendency umong many to call an engine a motor.

Why not?

Websters
Quote
Main Entry: 1mo·tor
Pronunciation: 'mO-t&r
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin, from movEre to move

1 : one that imparts motion; specifically : PRIME MOVER

2 : any of various power units that develop energy or impart motion: as a : a small compact engine b : INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE; especially : a gasoline engine c : a rotating machine that transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy

3 : MOTOR VEHICLE; especially : AUTOMOBILE
- mo·tor·dom /-d&m/ noun
- mo·tor·less /-l&s/ adjective


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
#73424 12/30/06 10:43 AM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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Quote
I used to work on a large piece of German Equipment made in the early 70s.

The control panel switch for the lighting was labeled "Luminaires"
It seems that the British IEE's adoption of luminaire was to bring us into line with some supposed European standard. The 15th Edition of our Wiring Regs. in 1981 was the first which was modeled on a common European format.

I'm still waiting for somebody to come up with any sort of logical explanation for adopting luminaire to "conform" with European nomenclature when we all speak different languages anyway..... [Linked Image]

Quote
In the old days of engines, that had distributor caps, the mechanics all refered to the capacitor as a condensor.
Or a condenser. [Linked Image]

That's the old name which was in use before capacitor. If you look back at any early radio manual you'll find that it refers to condensers rather than capacitors.

Quote
There is also a tendency umong many to call an engine a motor.
That's not so common in British usage. Over here though, motor is sometimes used as a colloquialism for a complete car (i.e. "motor car"), e.g.

"He just bought himself a nice motor."

The usage is somewhat regional and often regarded as rather "downmarket" though.

#73425 12/31/06 07:47 AM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
The condensor/condenser thing is very similar to the German word Kondensator (piece of Trivia: German is the only language I know that regards nouns as names and spells them upper case first letter).

#73426 12/31/06 11:41 AM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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Quote
German is the only language I know that regards nouns as names and spells them upper case first letter
I did German for a while in school (sorry to say I've forgotten most of it now [Linked Image] ), and it always looked as though it had a lot of surplus capital letters!

But as mentioned already, those terms made by just joining three, four, or ten other words together really look intimidating.

I seem to recall learning a massive German word which translated as "speed limit."

#73427 12/31/06 02:52 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 806
Member
I work with a pair of Kinoton 35mm projectors at UC Irvine in So. California. They are made in Germany and the manuals and data plates are in German. I've had to learn a few new words: [Linked Image]

Tonformatumschaltung = Sound Format
Projektoren = Projector
Bildformate = lens format (?)
Objektivrevolver = lens turret
Bildmaskenwechslern = aperture changer
Xenonkurzbogenlampe = Xenon lamp (I may have that spelled wrong..)

(All above come from the translations in the service manuals.)

There's more, but you get the idea. It has been quite educational.


Stupid should be painful.
#73428 12/31/06 03:35 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
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Moderator
Quote
I may have spelled that wrong

How can you tell? [Linked Image]

[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 12-31-2006).]


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
#73429 12/31/06 10:12 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 31
M
Member
How come youse guys axe such tuff tings?

#73430 01/02/07 02:00 AM
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 176
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Member
Disclaimer: I am not talking to anyone in particular, just sharing a few thoughts.

I belong to a flight discussion board where people start flame wars because of improper grammar or spelling. I agree that you should use good grammar and spelling, but forums aren't an English lesson. As long as I can understand what someone is saying, it's okay with me. If I can't understand, I'll ask them to try to explain it again. It gets annoying when I open a thread and it's followed by 10 posts that people are critiquing grammar, rather than answering a question.

This site is one of the best when it comes to not pointing out small stuff.

Of course, I have my English follies, such as using "i" instead of "I," or missing a key when I type, or switching letters (spennilg instead of spelling).

As far as spelling receptacles, it might seem weird that someone doesn't know how to spell something they use every day, but sometimes people are oblivious to the fact that they are spelling something wrong, because it looks right to them.

After all, when I was in first grade and I didn't know how to spell something out, I was told to "sound it out" it works okay for words like cat and dog, but try to spell out "asthma" and you might get "azma" or school would become skool.

I got a spell checker on my Firefox, and it's amazing how many words I miss, mostly because of a typo or missing a key.

Just some food for thought.

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