OT tragicomedy

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

T. Sunami from Indonesia is arriving in 2 hrs.

Thank you for that! Is it really true, or is this an internet hoax?

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.

Anyhow, the secretary would never have erred in thinking that Mr. T.
Wave was arriving in two hours ...


-- all the best, Dan Ford

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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.


Cub Driver wrote in
:

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

T. Sunami from Indonesia is arriving in 2 hrs.

Thank you for that! Is it really true, or is this an internet hoax?

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.

Anyhow, the secretary would never have erred in thinking that Mr. T.
Wave was arriving in two hours ...


-- all the best, Dan Ford

email (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
the blog: www.danford.net

"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"?

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
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

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.
Mike Alexander
PP-ASEL
Temecula, CA

Flyin'8 wrote:

Actually, I believe tsunami is one of those weird
hemisphere-dependent
words that depends on where the event occurs.

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

I wasn't certain of my original words, but this I'm sure is wrong.
Webster's Ninth Collegiate Dictionary gives as a synonym for tsunami:
TIDAL WAVE. And defines "tidal wave" as: "an unusually high sea wave
that sometimes follows an earthquake". And "an unusual rise of water
alongshore due to strong winds". Tidal waves have nothing to do with
tides.

Jim Rosinski

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.

"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.

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.

Likely, but not correct. Tidal Waves are large waves caused by normal
tides.

Tidal wave: "an exceptionally large ocean wave, esp one caused by an
underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption ... cf tsunami:" -- Shorter
Oxford English Dictionary.

Tsunami is of fairly recent vintage in the English language (late 19th
century). It means "harbor wave" in Japanese, so in truth is no more
accurate than the English term. I suspect it got into common use as a
result of scientists' fondness for foreign words and phrases.

A large wave caused by a normal tide is a "bore" in this part of the
world. Dunno about elsewhere.


-- all the best, Dan Ford

email (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
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