Date: Sat, 5 Nov 1994 05:54:30 -0800

From: James Beniger beniger[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]RCF.USC.EDU

Subject: Re: Relics



"Hangup" has survived even to computers. It is, for example, the actual

command equivalent of exit, quit, logoff, etc., in Comserv.



-- Jim Beniger

*******



On Wed, 2 Nov 1994, Warren A. Brewer wrote:



My favorite "relic" is telephone terminology. We still say, "Your

phone's off the hook," "Hang up and redial." I've never even seen

an old-fashioned telephone where the receiver had to be hung up on a

hook, except on tv or in movies. Haven't used a dial since I can't

remember when. Suppose this is semantic shift with loss of original

referent.



Cf. to ship goods by plane/truck/train, as well as by boat still.

To (set) sail -- ? affix sails on a boat?



---Wab.