January 8, 2010
Somethingnyms (Cindy?)
Before the electric guitar, there was only the guitar, and it was acoustic. The “acoustic guitar” name is a retronym. What, if anything, is the term “electric guitar” known as in this situation?
If the acoustic guitar were to disappear forever, would we still call the electric guitar electric? Would those who have never known an acoustic guitar refer to the electric simply as a guitar? If my naming follows the pattern, the answer to both of the latter questions is “yes.” My father’s mother still calls me “David Adam” always, and Mom’s family refers to me as “Davito” even in the absence of the larger, non-Adam David.
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I like this kind of thinking. which is different from: I like this “kind of” thinking. or: kind-of thinking.
This is exactly how my mind works. Great post, and an interesting point too!
No adjectives necessary. A guitar is still a guitar. (Said like Ralph Fiennes in The English Patient, re: a car.)
I’m going to be meditating on this tonight. Around 4:00 am, after I’ve fallen asleep and woken up a couple of times.
We simply must elucidate. My son, for instance, calls and says, “Hi mom, this is Daniel.” He is an only child. My brother, an only son, does the same thing, “Hi mother, this is Marshall.” We would have recognized them at the “Hi.” But especially at the “… mom” there would be no more doubt.
“Hello, it’s me.”
“I’ve thought about us for a long, long time.”