I Remember Rotary Dial Telephones
Have you noticed how people still sometimes say they will just dial the number. When the hell did we last DIAL anything?
This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »
ArishMell · 70-79, M
Up-date: :-)
You asked that five and half years ago, and we still hear, or indeed use, the clause.
Though I think "ring the number", or more often "ring [name]", is more common.
Therein though lies an oddity.
Among the worse of the 'orrible ring-tones on portable 'phones was a copy of that old-fashioned, jangly noise familiar from old American-made films, of telephones with badly-made or maladjusted bells, and single-burst ringing.
This in Britain too, where the electro-mechanical bells were usually smoother in tone and the ringing was always and still is, in double bursts (ring-ring... ring-ring... ring-ring...)
It seems to have faded, as if there are fashions among ring-tones. Mine just makes a loud chiming, a short burst of melody, using that word very loosely.
.......
It's not the only anachronism about.
The standard European (inc. British) road-sign for warning motorists of a level-crossing ahead is still a rather symbolic silhouette of a steam locomotive, and many of those awful "road-trains" in tourist-resorts are drawn by small tractors dressed to resemble the very worst Disney-esque parodies of mid-19C US ones!
While we still refer to ships "sailing"; but apart from a few museum-pieces, replicas and sail-training vessels, since when have ships been sail-powered?
I wondered too about calling the main part of a road, the "carriage-way" then realised it is still correct. A "carriage" is simply any vehicle for "carrying" goods or passengers, irrespective of type and motive-power.
You asked that five and half years ago, and we still hear, or indeed use, the clause.
Though I think "ring the number", or more often "ring [name]", is more common.
Therein though lies an oddity.
Among the worse of the 'orrible ring-tones on portable 'phones was a copy of that old-fashioned, jangly noise familiar from old American-made films, of telephones with badly-made or maladjusted bells, and single-burst ringing.
This in Britain too, where the electro-mechanical bells were usually smoother in tone and the ringing was always and still is, in double bursts (ring-ring... ring-ring... ring-ring...)
It seems to have faded, as if there are fashions among ring-tones. Mine just makes a loud chiming, a short burst of melody, using that word very loosely.
.......
It's not the only anachronism about.
The standard European (inc. British) road-sign for warning motorists of a level-crossing ahead is still a rather symbolic silhouette of a steam locomotive, and many of those awful "road-trains" in tourist-resorts are drawn by small tractors dressed to resemble the very worst Disney-esque parodies of mid-19C US ones!
While we still refer to ships "sailing"; but apart from a few museum-pieces, replicas and sail-training vessels, since when have ships been sail-powered?
I wondered too about calling the main part of a road, the "carriage-way" then realised it is still correct. A "carriage" is simply any vehicle for "carrying" goods or passengers, irrespective of type and motive-power.