[Shotimes] Its called an Engine (or Motor)

[Jon Heese]

Actually, there are quite a few good clear reasons why we must be allowed to
call internal combustion engines "motors":

Outboard motors on "motorboats" use internal combustion.
Motorcycles (not Enginecycles) use internal combustion.
Along the same lines, the term motor-car comes to mind.
Then there's motorcade, Motor City, and motorist.

Additionally, it's pretty incorrect to say the word motor (when referring to
the engine in a car) comes from slang.  The word first appeared in the
English language in 1447, from the Latin word of the same spelling, derived
from movere "to move."  It was first used to refer to a "machine that
supplies motive power" in 1856, with explosive use as "a car's motor" in the
20th century, first documented in 1895.  Incidentally, the term "automobile"
meaning "self-propelled motor vehicle" is from the same year (so crank-start
versus motorized-start had nothing to do with the term).

While I'm at it, the word engine appeared in English around 1300 from Old
French engin meaning "skill, cleverness," and also "war machine," as well as
from Latin ingenium meaning "inborn qualities, talent."   It was initially
used to refer to a trick or device, or any machine (especially military),
and then to one that converts energy to mechanical power in the 18th
century.  Steam engines were the most abundant form then (think "engineer"
on a train), and later, internal combustion devices fit the meaning well.

On a personal note, I think it adds a little color to refer to a car's
internal combustion device as a motor, and good to change it up every now
and then.

 - Jon Heese

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marlene Doyle" <snowwind1990@yahoo.com>
To: <shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, August 14, 2004 9:44 PM
Subject: [Shotimes] Its called an Engine


> Guess I am getting in late on this flame war but then I dropped out of
college...
> Was studying to be a double E....
> that would be in the field of OMG GUESS WHAT::::;E N G I N E E R I N G
>
> and what was the uh thingy that makes an car go in the old days before
electric starter MOTORS that made the car become an automobile....
> Besides in any foreign language that I looked up there is no equivalent
for the word "motor", but there is for "engine".....I am going to assume the
word "motor" has its roots in -----slang-----,,,to differentiate between the
hand crank engine and the electric start motor added to the engine...
> If you get my meaning.....-----slang is acceptable in the crowd of
slangers------, but usually one would SHOw a greater respect for a thing
honored by calling it by its proper name.....
> Now I know, cause I've been told, that many people here don't understand
what I am posting anyway.....so you may ignore the above and I won't feel
slighted at all.....
> Unlike Kenneth....he is in awe of the SHO and honors the Yamaha 3.0L , 24
V DOHC EFI  Engine.
> Marlene P.
>
>
> http://www.cardomain.com/id/snowwind
> 1990 White S H O:    Snowwind:  @319K..very stock, very OEM
> 1991 Black S H O:    Bart:  @212K ..not stock, not very OEM
>
>
>
>
>
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