jont 0 #1 September 6, 2005 On Saturday I am recording an interview for Word of Mouth on Radio 4 (that's the BBC, for those of you who aren't Brits.) It's a magazine programme that looks at language and all the ways it is used. I am going to talk to them about some of the words and phrases skydivers use. You know, Whuffo, Mal, Dope Rope, Videot, that kind of thing. There's a few I just don't know the derivation of - can anybody help me? For example, formation flyers often refer to being "hosed". Anyone know where that comes from? I assume the freefly formation Spock is named for Mr Spock's method of reading minds, but what about a Wagga? What the hell is that? And how about the Daffy position in head down - is that named after a duck or what? I have a list of interesting and unusual phrases I have collected - but if you have any particular favourites, post them here and I'll try and get them included. blues skies Jon T Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr17Hz 1 #2 September 6, 2005 I got these clipits off of www.dictionary.com. Quote A somewhat humorous variant of "down", used primarily by Unix hackers. "Hosed" implies a condition thought to be relatively easy to reverse. It is also widely used of people in the mainstream sense of "in an extremely unfortunate situation". The term was popularised by fighter pilots refering to being hosed by machine gun fire (date?). Usage in hackerdom dates back to CMU in the 1970s or earlier. Quote adj. Same as down. Used primarily by Unix hackers. Humorous: also implies a condition thought to be relatively easy to reverse. Probably derived from the Canadian slang `hoser' popularized by the Bob and Doug Mackenzie skits on SCTV, but this usage predated SCTV by years in hackerdom (it was certainly already live at CMU in the 1970s). See hose. It is also widely used of people in the mainstream sense of `in an extremely unfortunate situation'. Quote Once upon a time, a Cray that had been experiencing periodic difficulties crashed, and it was announced to have been hosed. It was discovered that the crash was due to the disconnection of some coolant hoses. The problem was corrected, and users were then assured that everything was OK because the system had been rehosed. See also dehose. Matt Christenson [email protected] http://www.RealDropzone.com - A new breed of dropzone manifest software. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #3 September 7, 2005 QuoteAnd how about the Daffy position in head down - is that named after a duck or what? I believe it's named after a freestyle skydiving body position. Dunno what sport freestyle skydiving got it from though; maybe gymnastics? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #4 September 7, 2005 QuoteAnd how about the Daffy position in head down Try skiing. A daffy is a ski move and (shock) it resembles what FF's do sometimes on their heads"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bowen 0 #5 September 7, 2005 QuoteOn Saturday I am recording an interview for Word of Mouth on Radio 4 (that's the BBC, for those of you who aren't Brits.) It's a magazine programme that looks at language and all the ways it is used. I am going to talk to them about some of the words and phrases skydivers use. You know, Whuffo, Mal, Dope Rope, Videot, that kind of thing. There's a few I just don't know the derivation of - can anybody help me? For example, formation flyers often refer to being "hosed". Anyone know where that comes from? I assume the freefly formation Spock is named for Mr Spock's method of reading minds, but what about a Wagga? What the hell is that? And how about the Daffy position in head down - is that named after a duck or what? I have a list of interesting and unusual phrases I have collected - but if you have any particular favourites, post them here and I'll try and get them included. blues skies Jon T daffy is the position your legs are in when you are head down. -BowenRetired Tunnel Instructor, Sky/Tunnel Coach Former dealer for 2k Composites, Skysystems, Alti-2, Wings Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,400 #6 September 7, 2005 >but what about a Wagga? Betcha it comes from the name of the 8-way point. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skysurfcam 0 #7 September 7, 2005 Wagga is aboriginal for crow. I'm resonably sure that point is named after a town in Oz names Wagga Wagga, or place of many crows. T'werent me that did it, but I recall an Aussie being on the committee at the time. C. Brother Wayward's rule of the day... "Never ever ever go skydiving without going parachuting immediately afterwards." 100% PURE ADRENALENS Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #8 September 7, 2005 Cool. Do you know when it's being aired? Note to all: if you want to listen to it, Radio4 have a very good listen again section on their website where you can stream programs from the last week over the net. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eule 0 #9 September 7, 2005 QuoteFor example, formation flyers often refer to being "hosed". The dictionary.com snips posted already are from old versions of the Jargon File. news:alt.usage.english can also be a useful place to look for etymologies: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.usage.english/browse_thread/thread/4a6207c5238ee2e3/ This thread cites a reference to the mid-1970s in Canada: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.usage.english/browse_thread/thread/67ac0d6c01c30207/ The web site for alt.usage.english might also give you some pointers. Before I ever went to a DZ, I was aware of "swoop" meaning approximately "to fly a canopy horizontally fairly close to the ground". But at the DZ, it was also used to mean "stolen." For instance, after the beer light, Andy leaves the BS session to go to the restroom. Chris comes out of the other room and sits in the chair Andy was sitting in. Andy comes back and says "Hey, you swooped my chair!" Maybe everybody else knows this, but it was the first time I'd heard it. EulePLF does not stand for Please Land on Face. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #10 September 7, 2005 Wagga is also a paragliding term, used for stunts perfomed close to the ground ... such as dragging a hand over the ground or High-5ing your mates etc... (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 0 #11 September 7, 2005 From Fiona McEachern, the Australian IPC delegate: QuoteThe IPC FS committee designed this block during the meeting held in Canberra 2000. Traditionally new blocks are named after something in the country where the meeting is held. Hence Taj Mahal and Norwegian box etc. We chose Wagga Wagga as the start of the block is the same as the end so we wanted a double barrelled name. Wagga Wagga is a town in New South Wales, Australia. The origin of the name, from the Tourism Wagga Wagga website: QuoteWagga is the local Wiradjuri aboriginal word for crow and to create the plural, the Wiradjuri repeat the word. Thus Wagga Wagga translates as 'the place of many crows'. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites