I think we need a Glossary

[femuse]

Being one for which English is a second language, I may be the most qualified to discuss the need fo a GLOSSARY.

By reading posts by newbies, I see that, even though I should be at a disadvantage here, I actually grasp the meaning of more RVing terms that they do. This is not of course a criticism on my part.
This is a new subject for most of them and they have to start from scratch and I think a glossary should be the right start for them.

a glossary of Rving terms has already been mentioned. with little success. Let's try again.

I think that this is one more of those things that could be done by members volunteers. Moderators could from time to time, re-group the separate postings. Just do a re-organisation of the work that we could do ourselves. Members could contribute only what their free time time and expertise allow. You could build a lot from a good point here, a good one there.

Life would be so much more easy if we knew the right terms when trying to discuss something. We see a lot of newbies starting with: "I don't know what this thing is called....."
But, everybody else will benefit: I just posted a question about "Fuel Gauge" (?) on propane bottles. No idea of what those gizmos were called. I have seen reference on another forum of "the thingie on the bottles". Could somebody explain to me if the gizmo and thingie are similar or not?

_ Recently, there was a question about various meanings of "gaucho".
_ How often do we see people confusing "inverter" and "converter" ?
_ What about all those "dual cam", "sway bars",..... as illustrated by the following post:

"I have noticed the term equalizer hitch being misused a lot. Equl-i-zer is the name of a particular brand of weight distributing hitch which includes sway control built into the design. When you say wou have an equalizer hitch and need sway control, I think you mean you have a weight distributing hitch and need sway control. If you do indeed have an Equal-i-zer hitch you already have sway control."
This is a post that could just be lifted the way it is and put in this glossary.

If a member disagree with a definition, he should give a solid proof, and it could be corrected by a moderator. Words where too many people disagree (if any ?), should stay as "pending".

I found a start at this site: RV corner glossary

Anybody has anything to say about that?

[Sue&Von]

Would be a grand thing indeed. I remember that a monitor here came up with the edea a long while back but never followed through on it. Since most of my computering is done in libraries I have looked up RV terms in many RV books. Still confused a bit sometimes and still without our first Airstream.

I can't remember which monitor was going to do the glossary, but maybe you can get farther along this time and it will be a help.

Sue V.Earle

[Rog0525]

I think this thingy should be moved to the original
gizmo so we don't get too many whatchamacallits on the
same thingamabob.

http://www.airforums.com/forum...light=glossary


Rog

[trumpwer]

RVers have their own language. My 9 year old came to me concerned because mom said if I did not pay more attention to getting level, I was going to "kill the frig" He did not know what she meant, but it did not sound good.

[femuse]

trumpwer

RVers have their own language

it's time to teach it to your son, before he spreads weird rumors about you in school.

Rog0525

I think this thingy should be moved to the original gizmo so we don't get too many whatchamacallits on the same thingamabob.

I couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks for the link.

Sue

Would be a grand thing indeed.... Still confused a bit sometimes...

Thanks for your support. It's people like you, who haven't bought an AS in all this time, who need our help in making that first step.
We are all doing our best to make this forum a place more fun to get information than in a library book. Hope you'll stick around in the forum instead.

[trumpwer]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by femuse
[B]trumpwer
it's time to teach it to your son, before he spreads weird rumors about you in school.

Rog0525

He already knows! Now I have to tell another story. We were discussing a camping trip with his cub scout den mother. I said, "I suppose it will have to be tents" She said "What else?" My son piped up, "what about Airstreams?" She said "Whats an Airstream?" He looked at her like she was from mars. I enjoyed the story so much, I told it to my wifes grandmother. They started RVing because of my wifes grandfathers work in WW2. Her grandmother said my son was right to look at his den mother that way, they had known about Airsteams forever.

[femuse]

WARNING:
the back button allows you to skip this "here she goes again, bitching & moaning". I hope you are all for free speech, as long as I am "polite and on topic". This is meant as a "constructive critism", so read the following only if you wish to.


Glossary or Lexicon?

It's nearly the same topic: a title attracted my attention (on another RV forum) "laminate in the shower". I was interested, as our contact paper is peeling off and we are looking to fix it.

The message had me scratching my head: "looking for a source of laminate (contact paper) with wood grain". Several persons directed him to Camping World as a source of "laminate/contact paper".

This, in my view, goes deeper than the need for a simple RV glossary.

I understand now why RV makers can get away with using cheap, inadequate materials. That these 3 or 4 persons didn't know the difference between "laminate" and "contact paper" was a rude awakening for me.

Of course, I don't imply that these people are a majority. But, that % is still way too big. If words are so often misused in our "regular" life, how can we expect competency when it comes to RVing terms?

RV buyers will "buy" the salesman's speech: I can picture an RV brochure :"shower walls covered in laminate" [read: contact paper] with "rosewood cabinets" [means gum, with bad imitation rosewood stain] and "brass vanity lights" [aka "brass-plated, that will rust in no time"],.....

I am pretty naive: Mike had to explain to me that this was done to please the "little lady" ...... And the buyer happily smiles , enjoys the rosewood and brass decor.

What does this have to do with a glossary?

Very little ? if you bought an RV from a dealer, you are better off forgetting most of the "grandiose" words they used to describe the interior.

Mike and I live so outside the usual "consumer world" that I tend to be unaware of the hype in advertising, the constant distortion in the meaning of words, the intentional sloppiness in description.

And, back to my old gripe: the constant misspellings which make the forum "SEARCH" a lot less effective: brakes->breaks, fluorescent->florescent, flour->flower, of course-> of coarse.

Once, it is called a "typo". Twice or more: I don't want to get into that.

I have read posts that remained unanswered and I thought "what is that guy trying to say?"

My point is: what about if we all make a little effort in writing our posts ? Using the correct wording to make clear what we are trying to discuss. Using a spell checker and thinking twice before pushing the "send button",.......... (of course, I have an excuse )

That was my "bitching & moaning" for the day . Keep up the good work: let's all go back to our rosy life, and discuss our brass gizmos and rosewood thingies

[Rog0525]

This is meant as a "constructive critism",

critism??

[femuse]

This is meant as a "constructive critism"

My point exactly.

You may have missed the "quote". (don't ask, I am too much of a Lady to name my source).

This was not me speaking here.

[Pick]

You mean "Genuine Authentic Imitation Simulated" rosewood, with "Solid" brass plated thingees.

[femuse]

Mike remembers some kind of a joke about advertisement for: "genuine pseudo artificial bogus fake faux" pearls. (or something like that)

[85MH325]

It occurs to me that if we returned to using naturally raised naugahyde that so many of these cheap, shoddy, imitation 'faux' materials wouldn't even get a second look. Although I suppose that the animal rights groups would just have a fit about raising naugas for their hides again. Oh well...

[53flyingcloud]

femuse

If words are so often misused in our "regular" life, how can we expect competency when it comes to RVing terms?

I would like to suggest the use of "active verb" rather than, "passive verb" usage in your statement quoted.

BTW:

ciao

[femuse]

I would like to suggest the use of "active verb" rather than, "passive verb" usage in your statement quoted.

I am glad to hear any constructive criticism.

As you pointed out, nobody's english is perfect: especially mine,
as english is my second language. Because of that, I tried to understand what you mean, and failed.

One thing I am always eager to do, is learn things. So, I'll appreciate if you could rephrase my erroneous sentence.

Thank you

[john hd]

active, passive,real,faux.....

my head hurts!

john

[53flyingcloud]

femuse,

Given that it's your second language..

When words are so frequently misused in our "regular" life, we can not expect competency when it comes to RV'ing terms.


John

Without a doubt, you're a riot~! lol

ciao
btw, school is out..

[femuse]

Thanks, 53FlyingCloud

I take your word that's is more correct. It sure sounds better.

I will have to work on that a while, as a part of my brain does not seem to be able to grasp the difference. I guess it was conditioned one way for much too long.

And this tiny print on the screen does not help !!! not good for female old geezers' failing eyesight.

[53flyingcloud]

femuse

And this tiny print on the screen does not help !!! not good for female old geezers' failing eyesight.

WHOA...
Have you tried the "Magnifier" feature on your computer?
It can be found under the heading of accessibility in the accessories.
Good Luck~
ciao

[trumpwer]

Originally posted by femuse
Thanks, 53FlyingCloud

And this tiny print on the screen does not help !!! not good for female old geezers' failing eyesight.

If you are having a problem (I never know how to take things on this forum) You can click on the View button at the top and change the text size. Hope this helps.

[femuse]

Have you tried the "Magnifier" feature on your computer?

Let see: I can set the text size with no problem. But, when I write a reply, that's when the text is tiny.

I am pretty illiterate when it comes to these modern computers (I am still stuck in the 80's).

So I asked Mike about "Magnifier". He is supposed to be fairly competent..... and his answer was real helpful: "Yeah, there is a story like that." Coming from somebody always in search of his 5 or 6 pairs of reading glasses.

An other case for butchered spelling: he can spell pretty well, but he cannot always see right - so, I have to proofread everything important that he had been writing.


John,

(first time today that I was able to download pictures from the forum (?))

Now, I see your pix: this is shameless, faulse modesty, and you know it.

Are you fishing for compliments here ? OK, here it goes:

"You should have been crashing from much higher. (OK, maybe not when waking up...)"
Satisfied ?