OT tragicomedy

Flyin'8 wrote:

Actually, I believe tsunami is one of those weird hemisphere-dependent
words that depends on where the event occurs. Just like "typhoon" in
east Asia and "hurricane" in North America. So I don't think it's a
renaming. If one of those things hits California it'll probably still
be called a "tidal wave".


Likely, but not correct. Tidal Waves are large waves caused by normal
tides. Tsunamis are waves caused by geographic changes on the ocean
floor.

That's the distinction made recently, but it wasn't so clear formerly.
My 1963 Funk & Wagnalls gives the definition of tidal wave as:
"1. Any great incoming rise of waters along a shore, caused by
windstorms at sea or by excessively high tides. 2. A tsunami.
3. A great movement in popular feeling, opinion, action, etc."

And under tsunami it mentions that it's sometimes also called
a "tidal wave."

Webster's in 1913 gave the following for tidal wave:
"n : a huge destructive wave (especially one caused by an
earthquake) [syn: tsunami]"

But I agree that an earthquake induced ocean wave hitting
California would now be categorized as a tsunami.

Tidal waves have nothing to do with
tides.

Actually, true tidal waves have everything to do with tides, and can
be huge (and come in twice a day). When the incoming water from the
tide is focused in an inlet of the proper shape and orientation, the
resulting pile of water can get very high. It happens twice a day and
is called a tidal wave.

Jose
--
Money: What you need when you run out of brains.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

On 7 Jan 2005 05:14:32 -0800, "Ramapriya" wrote:

Excerpt from Colombo Times...

On 26th Dec '04 early morning several hrs before the catastrophe
happened, Honolulu Tsunami Monitoring center have been trying to call
our Meteorological Dept. monitoring center in Palekelle and Colombo but
failed. They also got in touch with presidents' office however it was
informed that she's out of the island on a private vacation.

Finally they called Prime minister's secretariat, but Prime minister
was out on his morning walk. Thinking at least it's best to keep him
vigilant on this, the Honolulu officials left the message with the
person who picked up the phone to inform Prime minister that there's a
Tsunami coming from Indonesia.

On prime minister's return, the operator told prime minister about the
call, said T. Sunami from Indonesia is arriving in 2 hrs. Prime
minister promptly took action to send a delegation to Katunayake
Airport with name boards ' Welcome Mr. T. Sunami - Indonesia'.

Tsunami is the common term over there. It's been used almost
universally for some years. Tidal wave would also be some what of a
misnomer, but the English speaking part of the world still uses that
term in some areas.

Also according to the program on Discovery channel tonight they didn't
even know if there would be a Tsunami but only thought there might be.
They did say their efforts to locate any one was unsuccessful. Only
when reports started coming in did they know for sure there was a
Tsunami associated with the quake.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
Ramapriya

On 8 Jan 2005 14:04:47 -0800, "jim rosinski"
wrote:

Cub Driver wrote:

If true, it reinforces my belief that renaming tidal waves as
tsunamis
was a really really stupid thing to do. We all knew what a tidal wave
was! And I bet the secretary of the prime minister of Sri Lanka knew
also.

Actually, I believe tsunami is one of those weird hemisphere-dependent

Although Japanese in origin it is an old and almost universally used
term.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
words that depends on where the event occurs. Just like "typhoon" in
east Asia and "hurricane" in North America. So I don't think it's a
renaming. If one of those things hits California it'll probably still
be called a "tidal wave".

Jim Rosinski

"Jose" wrote in message
. com...
Tidal waves have nothing to do with
tides.

Actually, true tidal waves have everything to do with tides, and can
be huge (and come in twice a day). When the incoming water from the
tide is focused in an inlet of the proper shape and orientation, the
resulting pile of water can get very high. It happens twice a day and
is called a tidal wave.

I believe you are thinking of a tidal bore. It is not called a tidal wave.

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
1...

I did not know what a Tsunami was until this incident, and I am sure I am
not the only one. It is possible that the story may be partially true, but
I don't believe it entirely.


If you didn't know what a tsunami was and you took the message described in
this story would you write the name as "T. Sunami", or would you write it as
"Sue Nommy"?

Roger wrote:

Actually, I believe tsunami is one of those weird
hemisphere-dependent

Although Japanese in origin it is an old and almost universally used
term.

That isn't what I meant. Yes the term tsunami is "universally used". My
point was that whether an event is called a "tsunami" or a "tidal wave"
may depend on where the event occured.

Jim Rosinski

"jim rosinski" wrote in message
oups.com...
Roger wrote:

Actually, I believe tsunami is one of those weird
hemisphere-dependent

Although Japanese in origin it is an old and almost universally used
term.

That isn't what I meant. Yes the term tsunami is "universally used". My
point was that whether an event is called a "tsunami" or a "tidal wave"
may depend on where the event occured.

No. It depends on when you were born. If you were born before 1960, you
probably call it a tidal wave.

C J Campbell wrote:

That isn't what I meant. Yes the term tsunami is "universally
used". My
point was that whether an event is called a "tsunami" or a "tidal
wave"
may depend on where the event occured.

No. It depends on when you were born. If you were born before 1960,
you
probably call it a tidal wave.

Interesting. Searches of online dictionaries don't yield evidence to
support my geographical origin-based theory. So I'm inclined to be
persuaded by your explanation. Thnx, CJ.

Jim Rosinski

"jim rosinski" wrote in message
oups.com...
C J Campbell wrote:

That isn't what I meant. Yes the term tsunami is "universally
used". My
point was that whether an event is called a "tsunami" or a "tidal
wave"
may depend on where the event occured.

No. It depends on when you were born. If you were born before 1960,
you
probably call it a tidal wave.

Interesting. Searches of online dictionaries don't yield evidence to
support my geographical origin-based theory. So I'm inclined to be
persuaded by your explanation. Thnx, CJ.

Kids used to 'learn' a lot from comic books. Dick Tracy fought a tidal wave;
Buz Sawyer (IIRC) a tsunami. No doubt Superman has seen both.