🚀 go-pugleaf

             Silicone Valley and Other Malapropisms 
 
 
I shudder - like a bowl of silicone -  whenever I see a reference to  
 
"Silicone Valley" in the press. Malapropisms like this are symp- 
 
tomatic of the almost universal technological ignorance among  
 
members of the print and electronic media. One often has to be  
 
prescient in order to figure out the real story behind a techno- 
 
logical story which appears in the press. Errors of this kind  
 
also pop up in the technical press. I go bonkers when I see them.  
 
Let me share a few recent examples with you: An advertisement by  
 
International Microtronics Corp. for a PC Board Kit which pro- 
 
vides for the use of discreete components. Not only is this a  
 
malapropism, but it is also misspelled! How about an employment  
 
ad by Aeroquip Corporation for a Senior Electronic Engineer with  
 
a minimum of 5 years experience in censor design and testing  
 
which appeared in Electronic Engineering Times. Or take the  
 
definition for a BNC connector which appeared in a glossary in  
 
the current issue of a quasi-technical magazine. According to the  
 
techno-idiot who prepared the glossary, BNC stands for British  
 
Nut Connector. What do they think TNC stands for? If you spot  
 
similar manifestations of technological ignorance, please pass  
 
them on to me so that I can share them with you all, and expose  
 
the culpable parties. 
 
 
Jacob Z. Schanker, Rochester Section Newsletter Chairman 
65 Crandon Way, Rochester, NY 14618  (716) 442-3909


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 Jacob Schanker - via UFGATE
 Internet: Jacob.Schanker@f206.n260.z1.fidonet.org
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