American words/expressions you don't like
#467
Re: American words/expressions you don't like
I think that he was not aware of the fact that "Spackle" is a trademark that has become genericized. Somewhat like the use of "hoover" to describe a vacuum cleaner.
#468
Re: American words/expressions you don't like
More that it sounds like one is asking for a spacker, which is just terribly unPC...less so in the US I know, but I still cringe a little when I hear it
#471
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,545
#473
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,545
#475
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,545
#477
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: American words/expressions you don't like
Bunch of weirdos
#479
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,545
Re: American words/expressions you don't like
Some observers think that the product name was itself derived from the German word spachtel, meaning "putty knife" or "filler". Other possible derivations include shpaklevat (Russian; to fill holes with putty or caulk), szpachla (Polish; spatula or putty knife) and spaklieven (Yiddish; to fill in small holes in plaster.), all of which are likely derived from German.
I just looked up spackle in the Oxford English Dictionary, and they say that the German word spachtel is in turn derived from the Italian spatola, a spatula. So, you spread SPACKLE with a SPATULA which makes a lot of sense. Now, I've actually forgotten what the British call spackle..??
#480
Re: American words/expressions you don't like
Here's a quote from the Wikipedia article;
Some observers think that the product name was itself derived from the German word spachtel, meaning "putty knife" or "filler". Other possible derivations include shpaklevat (Russian; to fill holes with putty or caulk), szpachla (Polish; spatula or putty knife) and spaklieven (Yiddish; to fill in small holes in plaster.), all of which are likely derived from German.
I just looked up spackle in the Oxford English Dictionary, and they say that the German word spachtel is in turn derived from the Italian spatola, a spatula. So, you spread SPACKLE with a SPATULA which makes a lot of sense. Now, I've actually forgotten what the British call spackle..??
Some observers think that the product name was itself derived from the German word spachtel, meaning "putty knife" or "filler". Other possible derivations include shpaklevat (Russian; to fill holes with putty or caulk), szpachla (Polish; spatula or putty knife) and spaklieven (Yiddish; to fill in small holes in plaster.), all of which are likely derived from German.
I just looked up spackle in the Oxford English Dictionary, and they say that the German word spachtel is in turn derived from the Italian spatola, a spatula. So, you spread SPACKLE with a SPATULA which makes a lot of sense. Now, I've actually forgotten what the British call spackle..??