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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Origin of Yankee
Date: 3 Jul 2018 02:53:41
Message: <5b3b1d75$1@news.povray.org>
Following the hint by BaldEagle, I looked up the etymology of 
'Yankee'. I am in doubt about the Dutch origin supposed by some sites, 
and prefer the explanation given by Merriam-Webster:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Yankee

-- 
Thomas


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From: JimT
Subject: Re: Origin of Yankee
Date: 3 Jul 2018 07:50:00
Message: <web.5b3b628ec2b82bdfbe7517870@news.povray.org>
Thomas de Groot <tho### [at] degrootorg> wrote:
> Following the hint by BaldEagle, I looked up the etymology of
> 'Yankee'. I am in doubt about the Dutch origin supposed by some sites,
> and prefer the explanation given by Merriam-Webster:
>
> https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Yankee
>
> --
> Thomas

I hesitate to cite a Hollywood movie, but in Last of the Mohicans, northern
Mohawks who spoke French referred to the English speaking colonists as Yingees.
At the time, I wondered if Yankee derived from that usage,

JimT


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From: Bald Eagle
Subject: Re: Origin of Yankee
Date: 3 Jul 2018 09:15:01
Message: <web.5b3b7603c2b82bdf458c7afe0@news.povray.org>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee

See "Rejected etymologies"

----------------------------------------------------------

I'm still fascinated that no one has any idea about the origin of the term for a
metal disk with a hole being called a "washer".


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From: Stephen
Subject: Re: Origin of Yankee
Date: 3 Jul 2018 09:34:00
Message: <5b3b7b48$1@news.povray.org>
On 03/07/2018 14:11, Bald Eagle wrote:
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee
> 
> See "Rejected etymologies"
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> 
> I'm still fascinated that no one has any idea about the origin of the term for a
> metal disk with a hole being called a "washer".
> 


I never thought to think.

 From
https://www.quora.com/Why-is-a-washer-hardware-named-so


> There is a repeated mention of the year 1346, in which it is believed to have first
appeared. The actual word that appeared in 1346 was spelled as "Whasher".   Source
(http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1713/whats-the-purpose-of-washers-the-round-metal-things/)
> 
> Now some deductions: This might have come from the German word "Wache" which means
"to guard/ to secure". 



-- 

Regards
     Stephen


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From: clipka
Subject: Re: Origin of Yankee
Date: 3 Jul 2018 12:09:10
Message: <5b3b9fa6@news.povray.org>
Am 03.07.2018 um 15:33 schrieb Stephen:

>> I'm still fascinated that no one has any idea about the origin of the
>> term for a
>> metal disk with a hole being called a "washer".
...

> From
> https://www.quora.com/Why-is-a-washer-hardware-named-so
> 
> 
>> There is a repeated mention of the year 1346, in which it is believed
>> to have first appeared. The actual word that appeared in 1346 was

>>
(http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1713/whats-the-purpose-of-washers-the-round-metal-things/)
>>
>>
>> Now some deductions: This might have come from the German word "Wache"
>> which means "to guard/ to secure". 

That seems bogus to me on many levels.

First of all, "Wache" is a noun, not a verb.

Second, the corresponding verb, "wachen", literally means "to be awake";
while it /can/ be used in the sense of "to guard", in this use it does
/not/ carry a connotation of actively /defending/ against something

passively /watching/ to alert others if something happens. I don't think
that would be fitting to describe the function of the device.

Third, to my knowledge there is no evidence that any word derived from
"wachen" has ever been used for this or a similar device in the German
language. (There /does/ exist a word derived from "sichern" for a
similar device, namely "Sicherungsscheibe", which denotes a locking washer.)

Fourth, although there is an undeniable /visual/ similarity between the
words, they /sound/ significantly different. Most notably, while I can
easily imagine the soft German "ch" found in words like "Licht"
transforming to the English "sh" sound found in "washer", the "ch" in
"Wache"/"wachen" is a hard one, and I have a hard time imagining it
transforming into anything other than "k".


Given that "w(h)asher" seems to have originally been used "in the sense
of 'a perforated annular disc or flattened ring of metal, leather, or
other material placed between two surfaces subject to rotative friction,
to relieve friction and prevent lateral motion and unsteadiness,'"
[quoted also from straightdope], I would suggest that the word might
instead have originated from the German word "wischen" ("to wipe").

A "thing that wipes" could conceivably be called "Wischer" in German (as
a matter of fact that's an actual word used in precisely that sense for
various devices), which is just two minor turns away from "washer" (the
German word essentially being pronounced "visher").


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From: Stephen
Subject: Re: Origin of Yankee
Date: 3 Jul 2018 12:47:30
Message: <5b3ba8a2$1@news.povray.org>
On 03/07/2018 17:09, clipka wrote:
> Am 03.07.2018 um 15:33 schrieb Stephen:
> 
>>> I'm still fascinated that no one has any idea about the origin of the
>>> term for a
>>> metal disk with a hole being called a "washer".
> ...
> 
>> From
>> https://www.quora.com/Why-is-a-washer-hardware-named-so
>>
>>
>>> There is a repeated mention of the year 1346, in which it is believed
>>> to have first appeared. The actual word that appeared in 1346 was

>>>
(http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1713/whats-the-purpose-of-washers-the-round-metal-things/)
>>>
>>>
>>> Now some deductions: This might have come from the German word "Wache"
>>> which means "to guard/ to secure".
> 
> That seems bogus to me on many levels.
> 
> First of all, "Wache" is a noun, not a verb.
> 

[Snip]

> A "thing that wipes" could conceivably be called "Wischer" in German (as
> a matter of fact that's an actual word used in precisely that sense for
> various devices), which is just two minor turns away from "washer" (the
> German word essentially being pronounced "visher").
> 

You forgot to add:
Thus I Refute Thee. :-)

An interesting read. "Wischer" sounds a good candidate for the origins.



-- 

Regards
     Stephen


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From: Bald Eagle
Subject: Re: Origin of Yankee
Date: 3 Jul 2018 13:10:00
Message: <web.5b3bad42c2b82bdf458c7afe0@news.povray.org>
clipka <ano### [at] anonymousorg> wrote:
> Am 03.07.2018 um 15:33 schrieb Stephen:
>
> >> I'm still fascinated that no one has any idea about the origin of the
> >> term for a
> >> metal disk with a hole being called a "washer".
> ...
>
> > From
> > https://www.quora.com/Why-is-a-washer-hardware-named-so
> >
> >
> >> There is a repeated mention of the year 1346, in which it is believed
> >> to have first appeared. The actual word that appeared in 1346 was

> >>
(http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1713/whats-the-purpose-of-washers-the-round-metal-things/)
> >>
> >>
> >> Now some deductions: This might have come from the German word "Wache"
> >> which means "to guard/ to secure".
>
> That seems bogus to me on many levels.
>
> First of all, "Wache" is a noun, not a verb.
>
> Second, the corresponding verb, "wachen", literally means "to be awake";
> while it /can/ be used in the sense of "to guard", in this use it does
> /not/ carry a connotation of actively /defending/ against something

> passively /watching/ to alert others if something happens. I don't think
> that would be fitting to describe the function of the device.
>
> Third, to my knowledge there is no evidence that any word derived from
> "wachen" has ever been used for this or a similar device in the German
> language. (There /does/ exist a word derived from "sichern" for a
> similar device, namely "Sicherungsscheibe", which denotes a locking washer.)
>
> Fourth, although there is an undeniable /visual/ similarity between the
> words, they /sound/ significantly different. Most notably, while I can
> easily imagine the soft German "ch" found in words like "Licht"
> transforming to the English "sh" sound found in "washer", the "ch" in
> "Wache"/"wachen" is a hard one, and I have a hard time imagining it
> transforming into anything other than "k".
>
>
> Given that "w(h)asher" seems to have originally been used "in the sense
> of 'a perforated annular disc or flattened ring of metal, leather, or
> other material placed between two surfaces subject to rotative friction,
> to relieve friction and prevent lateral motion and unsteadiness,'"
> [quoted also from straightdope], I would suggest that the word might
> instead have originated from the German word "wischen" ("to wipe").
>
> A "thing that wipes" could conceivably be called "Wischer" in German (as
> a matter of fact that's an actual word used in precisely that sense for
> various devices), which is just two minor turns away from "washer" (the
> German word essentially being pronounced "visher").

THAT actually sounds very plausible, given that:


quote that describes their use is from 1611:

.. . . an iron hoope, amongst gunners called a washer, which serues to keepe the
iron pin at the end of the axeltree from wearing the naue."

Perhaps the rotating pin "wiping" and wearing --- whatever the heck a "naue" is.
  Wipe, wash, scrub...

Interestingly, the washer-shaped discs in a sound suppressor are called "wipes".
  Maybe the ch in THAT German word is ... silent   ;)   :D


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From: clipka
Subject: Re: Origin of Yankee
Date: 3 Jul 2018 14:25:13
Message: <5b3bbf89$1@news.povray.org>
Am 03.07.2018 um 19:07 schrieb Bald Eagle:

> THAT actually sounds very plausible, given that:
> 

> quote that describes their use is from 1611:
> 
> .. . . an iron hoope, amongst gunners called a washer, which serues to keepe the
> iron pin at the end of the axeltree from wearing the naue."
> 
> Perhaps the rotating pin "wiping" and wearing --- whatever the heck a "naue" is.
>   Wipe, wash, scrub...

Given that the text appears to be using the same letter for U and V (see
"serues"), that's probably to be read as "nave" - which is phonetically
close to the German noun "Nabe", which means "hub".

The reference to gunners is interesting: Maybe early tools to wipe
("wash"?) the bore of a cannon featured such an "iron hoope"? For
small-bore cannons (or hand-held firearms), I would imagine that a
modern "washer" mounted onto a long pole and wrapped in a piece of cloth
would do nicely for such a tool.

Or maybe for the etymology of "washer" one should examine the language
of the country that was most influential in the development of cannons
and/or firearms in Europe (whatever country that might have been).


> Interestingly, the washer-shaped discs in a sound suppressor are called "wipes".
>   Maybe the ch in THAT German word is ... silent   ;)   :D

I suspect that those devices are called "wipes" because they actually
come into contact with the bullet.

The German term for those things is... dunno, but entirely different.

to identify which German term corresponds to which English one.)


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From: Bald Eagle
Subject: Re: Origin of Yankee
Date: 3 Jul 2018 15:10:02
Message: <web.5b3bc9c7c2b82bdf458c7afe0@news.povray.org>
clipka <ano### [at] anonymousorg> wrote:

> The reference to gunners is interesting: Maybe early tools to wipe
> ("wash"?) the bore of a cannon featured such an "iron hoope"? For
> small-bore cannons (or hand-held firearms), I would imagine that a
> modern "washer" mounted onto a long pole and wrapped in a piece of cloth
> would do nicely for such a tool.

Hmmm.  Perhaps.   AFAIK, the usual tools are brushes and "swabs".
Typical small arms cleaning tools are brushes, "jags", mops, and the crappy
slotted patch holders.
Also, reading the original text, I'm envisioning an iron hoop that an oar is
held captive by, but then the washer is something that is attached to the PIN
that rotates or swivels, presumably in a wooden hole.

> I suspect that those devices are called "wipes" because they actually
> come into contact with the bullet.

That' I'm fairly certain is what must be avoided.
(here they call them baffles)

Finland apparently has an impressively knowledgeable staff of writers:
http://guns.connect.fi/gow/highpow.html

"The blast baffle must have a perfectly symmetrical, coaxially aligned surface
and bore. It must be made of fairly tough steel, stainless steel or inconel. If
it is made of a soft material like copper, brass, titanium or aluminum, the
high-velocity impact from unburned grains of powder will peen the surfaces -
eventually reducing the size of the bore orifice to the point where
destabilizing bullet contact results.

.....  Larger internal clearances reduce the likelihood of baffle contact in the
event that the suppressor or barrel get slightly damaged or bent.
"


The bullet is supposed to slip past/through the wipes, but never touch them.
They are simply there to absorb the impact of, slow down, and cool the exiting
and expanding supersonic hot muzzle gasses.


If a washer's origin came from its purpose for deflecting force from a pin and
perhaps spreading out that force - allowing it "wash over" a larger area...   Or
it could have something more to do with the oar itself and naval terminology.
It's a shame there's probably no extant diagram of exactly what the original
item and assembly was.


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From: clipka
Subject: Re: Origin of Yankee
Date: 3 Jul 2018 20:30:27
Message: <5b3c1523$1@news.povray.org>
Am 03.07.2018 um 21:08 schrieb Bald Eagle:

>> I suspect that those devices are called "wipes" because they actually
>> come into contact with the bullet.
> 
> That' I'm fairly certain is what must be avoided.
> (here they call them baffles)

There's a difference between baffles (which are /not/ touched by the
bullet) and wipes (which /are/ touched, and in some cases don't even
have a hole in them until you've fired the first shot).

Apparently wipes are rarely used nowadays, as they wear out after just a
few shots.


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