Date:  Wed, 13 Apr 1994 14:03:43 EDT

From:  Bruce Southard <ENSOUTHA[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ECUVM1.BITNET>

Subject: Re: ink pen



As one who also doesn't make the pen/pin distinction, I would like to

second Donald Lance's suggestion about looking to commercial language

use for the "ink pen" distinction. I believe that "fountain pen" was in

use prior to the coming of the "ballpoint pen," but even so, "ink pen"

may have arisen to distinguish between the two types of pens. I also

vaguely remember being exposed to the term "ball pen" in the Philippines

during the late '60's--that term struck me as a useful alternative to

what I had come to know as the "ballpoint." Do others use "ball pen" and

"ink pen" to distinguish between the "ballpoint pen" and the "fountain

pen"? And what do you call all of these new gadgets which have ink but

do not have the traditional "ballpoint"?



BRUCE SOUTHARD

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

ENSOUTHA[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ECUVM1

ENSOUTHA[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ECUVM.CIS.ECU.EDU

919-757-6041

919-757-4889 (FAX)