Should we bring back the percontation point?

[scotpens]

. . . Hash mark is defined as military slang for service stripe in 1953 edition, and the 1972 edition, and the 1976 unabridged edition.

“Hatch” as in hatch-marks and crosshatching is definitely the origin of Hash but I don't know when it came into use.

That’s interesting. That makes the current use of “hash” something of an eggcorn — like “butt naked” for “buck naked.”

 

[CorporalCaptain]

. . . Hash mark is defined as military slang for service stripe in 1953 edition, and the 1972 edition, and the 1976 unabridged edition.

“Hatch” as in hatch-marks and crosshatching is definitely the origin of Hash but I don't know when it came into use.

That’s interesting. That makes the current use of “hash” something of an eggcorn — like “butt naked” for “buck naked.”

If it can be substantiated, it is indeed very interesting. I'm in computer science, and I hear hash for #, all.the.freakin.time. I've never heard or read a satisfactory explanation yet for it.

 

[UssGlenn]

the derivation from Hatch is my own theory. all wikipedia says is

A common name for the mark used in the Commonwealth or English-speaking world outside North America. In Ireland, the UK, Australia, India, South Africa, Singapore and New Zealand, "hash key" refers to the # button on touch-tone telephones: "Please press the hash key." Common inside North America when reading computer text out loud when it is used to denote a comment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_sign

 

[RoJoHen]

But, I mean, even the operators and the voice recordings tell me to press the "pound" key. I have never once been told to press the "hash" key.

 

[trekkiedane]

As I have come to understand it a "hash" is a short line (possibly drawn quickly). The #-symbol -it would follow- is then called a hash-mark because it's made of four such lines...

Hmmm, made sense when I image googled "hash-mark".

The more you know:
In Danish, 'mark' means field and 'hash' means hashish -But Hasmark is a small coastal village not far from where I live.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

So, does that mean Denmark is the place where Danes sprout out of the ground?

 

[CorporalCaptain]

the derivation from Hatch is my own theory.

I suspected this, but thanks for coming clean. It's actually the best damn idea I've heard of on the subject. It'd be neat if it were true.

 

[trekkiedane]

So, does that mean Denmark is the place where Danes sprout out of the ground?

Weeellll, it's from the family where you also find the Latin margo -meaning something like 'border'.

So, my guess would be that Denmark means something like: the borders within which the Danes live...

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Darn...I knew there had to be a much more "mundane" etymology than that. Still, the image of Danes sprouting up from the ground like a beanstalk was fun.

 

[trekkiedane]

Darn...I knew there had to be a much more "mundane" etymology than that. Still, the image of Danes sprouting up from the ground like a beanstalk was fun.

The only 'people' that come out of the ground here are the elves -at night they come out to dance! (according to our national-play: "Elverhøj".

Here (starts about 40 seconds into the clip) is the overture as used in a criminal-comedy from 1976:

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUNEX8Ncnc4[/yt]​

I've always found it difficult to understand how Finnmark could be in Norway though...

 

[Holdfast]

Some point, I'm going to attempt going an entire week on the internet without using a single smilie. I expect some kind of spatial rift will open up and swallow up a good chunk of the planet.

Well, inspired by this thread and the above reply, I've now gone an entire week on our little TrekBBS corner of the internet without using smilies. No spatial rift, not even a localised temporal disturbance.

There was only one exception. I had to post something with my moderator hat on and wanted the extra reassurance of the smilie to ensure my intent was accurately conveyed. Even then, it was probably superfluous to requirements.

Otherwise, I've found that I had to rephrase or expand on things occasionally, to ensure my intent was clear. But in general, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, and I haven't changed the intent of any post as a result. I think I'll see if I can keep it going. I kind of like not seeing graphical garbage in my posts; it gives the textual garbage pride of place instead.

And besides, this way you can't tell if I'm joking, or actually taking the piss out of you.

 

[ITL]

 

[Holdfast]

Scary, isn't it. Enjoy the new reality... it's better than the old one, and is half the price.

 

[lurok]

^I'm trying to restrict usage of mine also (was never a fan anyway).

 

[trekkiedane]

I wonder if I could go a whole week without using any words.... hmmm I probably could... after all I would be banned for a week after the first couple of posts.

 

[Sector 7]

I voted: No. If you're too stupid to recognize irony, you shouldn't be online.

Nor doing anything else which involves reading or writing.

 

[Holdfast]

I wonder if I could go a whole week without using any words.... hmmm I probably could... after all I would be banned for a week after the first couple of posts.

When they said a picture told a thousand words, I don't think they meant lolcats.