Why DO we call it that?

[MedWheeler]

BK writes:

I suppose I have to assume that you are younger than someone I'm accustomed to communicating with.

I have to assume he meant to write:

I suppose I have to assume that you are younger than someone with whom I'm accustomed to communicating.

 

[CoRoMo]

Proud - (outside of the firearms world)

Reminded me of this: notice the word usage/explanation at the 00:46 seconds mark.

 

[Mike J]

Everyone says things a little differently. We are losing our culture now due to being constantly inundated with mass media, the influence of the internet ,etc. but growing up in the South language has always been fun. It has been a never ending sport of sorts to find new & creative ways of expressing oneself. Most of the terminology you find yourself wanting to change I haven't had any problem with. As long as I can figure out what someone means I'm fine.

 

[ranger56528]

KIS...Fits like a Glove...

 

[DHJenkins]

Not to be rude, but what does this have to do with firearms? None of those usages are unique to that field.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I suppose I'm younger than most as well.
I have literally never heard the terms "proud" in reference to primer depth, nor have I ever heard the term "purchase" used when speaking to how a rifle/shotgun shoulders.

Learn something new every day.

 

[chicharrones]

If I have something "on my person" it means I have it immediately accessible: if I have camera or monocular or pen or multitool "on my person", I have it in a pocket or holster or hanging by a strap readily available for use, or "close at hand". (Thinking of "on my person" as "on a person whom I own" was a mindwarp for me: "my person" has always meant "my self".)

My person still warps my mind, too. Just in the opposing way of looking at it. I have a gun on me, but I don't have a gun on my dog, my cat, or my person.

 

[Coyote3855]

Some that annoy me but maybe I'm too sensitive:

"What gun should I get for THE wife?" How about owning your wife?

"I'll prolly buy her a snub nose .357." What, you can't spell probably?

"I need to get me some boolits." I understand this may be a term of art for cast bullets, but I think it's an affectation.

 

[we are not amused]

I have noticed that one can usually tell people who are widely read, from those who are not, by their ability to comprehend unusual word choices or phrases, including "Britishisms".

 

[Dave A]

Why to "cock" a gun?

The part of a flintlock lock, the firing mechanism of that type of gun, is called a cock. This is because it resembles a roosters neck and head. The flint is the beak, the screw that tightens down the clamp that holds the flint is the comb on top of the roosters head and the remainder looks like the neck. You have to cock the cock to fire a flintlock gun, therefore all guns must be cocked to be fired.

 

[C5rider]

I have noticed that one can usually tell people who are widely read, from those who are not, by their ability to comprehend unusual word choices or phrases, including "Britishisms".

Prolly right, W A N A. Oh, sorry Coyote!

 

[Cee Zee]

If you've read any books from past times you've probably seen the word "purchase" used for various things that aren't about buying something. I've seen it used to describe getting a sight picture on a target too. I've seen it dealing with rock climbing, sailing, and other things. I vaguely remember that the term "Louisiana Purchase" had more meaning than just the buying of land. Something to do with making the land part of the US. Just buying the land ordinarily wouldn't cause it to change from being part of the territory of one nation to being part of another nation. This was something I heard about 100 years ago in a history class. I might dig out my college notes from my US history to 1865 class. Sounds like a lot of work though.

Words come to us from many places and they are changed with every generation and every time cultures split apart. I can't understand a word said by Brits who speak with a Cockney accent. A Brit friend of mine brought his parents over for a visit for a while. It was like trying to talk to someone with brain damage or something. And I seemed to understand them better than almost anyone. I couldn't believe that but they tried hard to get me to stick around and translate for them. I did recognize some of their words which was apparently more than many people did. Still I could follow a conversation with them past a word or two.

Languages change constantly. Heck I've been in cultures not more than 100 miles from where I grew up where we couldn't understand a word each other said. I was pure hillbilly and I moved into a neighborhood with a lot of black people. I got along fine with them. But I couldn't understand half of what they said.

TV has made things a little more static. Most Americans now understand mid-western American English. But put me together with someone from the Bronx and it's like we don't even speak the same language unless we both slow down and speak the most proper version of the king's English we can muster.

 

[buck460XVR]

Words come to us from many places and they are changed with every generation and every time cultures split apart.

Yep, and many are distinct to the area or culture they are used in. Many times those terms are used because of that, because they are distinctively different and the folks using them identify with them. Same reasons many of us use terms that our parents or other role models used, even if the new age internet Grammar Nazis don't approve.

 

[Sav .250]

What! Never heard those terms used. Sound to me like terms used by folks that don`t know squat. Especially when it concerns weapons. J s/n.

 

[Sam1911]

Sound to me like terms used by folks that don`t know squat. Especially when it concerns weapons.

WINNER of the irony award!