Caught an episode of "America's Secrete Slang" on the history channel recently and thought some might be interested in the origin of a few early car related words. (this stuff fascinates me).
Dashboard: On the early horse drawn wagons there was a sloping board on the front near the driver's feet. This was to prevent mud from being slung in the Drivers face when the horses were running or dashing.
Chauffeur: Many early cars were steam and had to be preheated before a trip. If you were well to do you had a man do it for you. The french word for "heat up" was chauffeur, so your driver/heater upper was a Chauffeur.
Limousine: A chauffeur often sat up front and was not protected fro the weather. In France they would wear a very heavy sheppard's cloak from an area of France called Limosin. Limosine then became associated with a chauffeur driven car.
Anyone know the origin of other early automobile related terms?
People are always amazed when they see the trunk on the back of my Model A sedan. That's when they realize where the term came from.
Bud
I always thought that the "dash board" on a carriage was there so the horse would not " dash" on your feet!
A couple of terms:
The earliest nickname of "Lizzie" doesn't go to a Model T. According to this account, a Columbia was nicknamed "High Gear Lizzie" during the 1906 Glidden Tour:
"Mother-In-Law seat. I don't think this term was used widely, and not by automakers until much later, but the earliest mention I've found is a 1907 San Francisco newspaper article:
And again in 1910. This sounds almost like the small seat sometimes placed on the running board (jump seat) of large cars, where the chauffeur would sometimes sit when the owner wished to drive with another front seat passenger:
The starter was called the commencer.
The windshield was called the wind screen because at first they had roll-up see through screens and not glass.
Early automobiles used magnetos and began using distributors in 1912 rather than magnetos. Our 1913 Cadillac had two distributors One on the main battery and the other one on dry cells. The ignition switch was labeled BAT and MAG because people were used to a magneto running the ignition. So the dry cells were labeled BAT and the wet cell battery ignition was labeled MAG. There was terrific voltage drop on the start up so you cranked the engine with the switch positioned a BAT so that the dry cells would be used for ignition when starting and as soon as the engine started you switched to MAG or in other words the main wet cell battery. Thanks to Charles F. Kettering.
Well I rewired the panel so I could use both distributors at the same time and it improved performance.
Tyre (with early style fasteners):
Just last night I was looking thru a hard back book from 1939 reading about carbs.It is a book on automotive troubleshootng. As I looked thru it there was a chapter on how to troubleshoot the Electric Hand. Yep, I didnt have a clue either. I read thru it and DUH it became obvious. But I had no idea it was thought of that far back. Also has a section on Super Chargers.I will let you all think a bit before I tell ye what the electric hand is.
Steve may know allready as 1 of his cars may have or had 1.
Windshield wiper?
From Frank Harris: "The starter was called the commencer. "
The older men in my family always referred to it as a "self commencer". Probably a regional difference.
Dick
How about referring to a tire as a "casing" ? Actually, the pronunciation that I remember was casin'.
Dick
I'm stumped on that one Mack, but in the meantime, it's interesting that the term "depot hack" became "station wagon" after the Model "T" era, and many people have been using the term "station wagon" all their lives and don't realize what they're saying, and that the "station" part of that two-word term relates to a railroad depot, or, train station!
Well, one thing is certain. The expression, "Pedal to the metal" did not originate in a Ford Model T.
I'm stumped on that one Mack, but in the meantime, it's interesting that the term "depot hack" became "station wagon" after the Model "T" era, and many people have been using the term "station wagon" all their lives and don't realize what they're saying, and that the "station" part of that two-word term relates to a railroad depot, or, train station!
Oops! Did it again! Got distracted during my writing, proofreading, posting "procedure" and double posted,.....sorry.
The electric hand was used by Hudson in the early 30's. It was a shifter of the trans run on vacuum. My 34 Hudson has most of the parts but was done away with by most people because it was difficult to keep adjusted.
Harold,
The earliest "station wagon" I found was a "Model 30" by Pope Waverly with an electric in 1906. The ad says the front window and back of the front seat are removable for "general utility purposes." (A real "station wagon" the way I think of one)
Horsepower - I'm pretty sure that this term originated in the early or mid-1800's to compare the pulling power of steam railroad locomotives to horses.
Any guesses on when the earliest (that I have found) hybrid car was invented?
I believe credit for the term Horsepower goes to James Watt in the late 1700s.
As I work for an international company, I still wrestle with bonnets, boots, and gudgeons as well as tyres. These terms are still alive and well outside the US.
And as far as boots, they're wellies, unless you are talking about Boots where you go to buy a plaster or something from the chemist. And I also found out boot sales usually are in fields or carparks.
And finally, HP is PS in many places now that they use the metric pferdestarke.
He took his Auntie riding tho Icy was the breeze, he put her in the rumble seat to see his antie freeze.
No slang, really but thought weather was right for this.
Rob - We were typing at the same time. Well that's certainly an interesting advertisement! And 1906! They refer to the vehicle as a "station wagon", and a couple times, further down they call it a "carriage". The terms mentioned in the small print at the bottom were also interesting,.....a couple there that I've never heard! Station and Delivery Wagons,......okay, but just before that, it says,...."Physicians Road",....??? And another one,....what's a "Stanhope"?
Great post Rob, and a couple terms and names to check out via Google, right? Thanks,.........harold
Rob, according to the Standard Catalog, a fellow named Clark was building gas-electric hybrids in 1903. Ferdinand Porsche's first car, in 1900 or so, was a hybrid, too. Anything earlier?
In Australia we use somewhat different terminology. I assume that our nomenclature is similar to the Brits.
AMERICAN. . . . . . . AUSTRALIAN
Windshield. . . . . . . . Windscreen
Trunk. . . . . . . . . . . . .Boot
Hood. . . . . . . . . . . . . Bonnet
Fender. . . . . . . . . . . .Mudguard
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tyres
Wrench . . . . . . . . . . .Spanner
Gasoline/Gas . . . . . . Petrol
Gas Pump . . . . . . . . .Bowser
Thanks to this forum, I now know that a Bowser is named after its inventor.
Chauffeur and Limousine have already been mentioned as being of French origin but there's also Garage.
Harold,
Stanhope was another early body style:
Gil,
I saw that Porsche was credited with the first "hybrid" on google. I had this car in my files. It had many features I think of with a hybrid such as automatic (electric) starting, batteries and electric and gas motors:
Bud - In your original post, you mentioned,.....("this stuff facinates me").
I agree,....I like this kinda' stuff too!
I don't mean to deviate too far from the subject here Bud, but here's a couple terms that raise some question in my feeble mind:
"Parking Brake" and "Emergency Brake".
So which came first, and did one eventually become the other, or are they just two different terms for the same thing,...???
Frankly, Henry Ford called it an "emergency brake" in the Model "T", but personally, I think it should have been referred to as a "parking brake", because until the large drum (rear wheel drums) came out in '26, parking was about all the braking power it had. In fact, that "emergency brake" lever was probably much more useful for holding the transmission in "neutral" than for parking, and Lord knows, pretty useless in an "emergency", at least prior to the '26-'27 large drum, which on two of my "T's, will actually lock the rear wheels!
Anyway, I admit, some pretty severe "thread drift" here Bud, sorry,......but as you say,.......fascinating stuff,.............harold
Bud - Both typing at the same time again, but I Googled "Stanhope" too, but you came up with much more than I did! Interesting for sure,......thanx,........harold
Been around here for many years but my Friend Leroy coined the term to me and i used it on the forum. I had never heared [self commencer] anywhere before!! Bud.
Just read in detail all of the info on the Krieger! WOW! Nothing new about "hybrids", huh? (1906...???) Interesting too, is the fact that not too many years after that, the beginning of the end for steam locomotives on the railroad came. And the "Diesel/Electric" was slowly developed and perfected until it became the standard accepted railroad motive power from before WWII to the present!
But man,...would I like to have one of those Kriegers! No differential, no gears,.....smooth and quiet I'll bet! And apparently didn't need a half a' ton of batteries either! Wonder if more than just those four Kriegers the article talks about were built, and if any exist today,......??? Thanks again,.....
Drifting away...... (Sorry Bud)
http://www.theswedishtiger.com/296-scotts.html
The link above goes to a site that discusses the Krieger. Below are excerpts from the site:
Senator George Wetmore (RI) riding in a Kreiger, in front of the Unitied States Capitol, 1903:
The Krieger, like the Prius of the early 21stC, was a front wheel drive electric-gasoline hybrid car and had power steering. A gasoline engine supplemented the battery pack. Between 1890 and 1910, there were many hybrid electric cars and four wheel drive electric cars. Electric cars were more expensive than gasoline cars and electrics were considered more reliable and safer. There are three surviving Kriegers today, two in the US and one in Ontario, Canada (a US example is shown below).
How about;
Cotter key
Cotter pin
Split pin
Hair pin
All used in Model T repair books
The most obvious one of all ... the word "car". Derived from "carriage".
I have heard "pedal to the metal" a lot, but I've also heard "foot to the wood", which could be Model T, but probably refers to a car with wooden floorboards and a gas pedal.
We call it petrol here, but gasoline came to you from England via Ireland. In 1862 John Cassell started importing petroleum spirit from Pennsylvania and selling as lamp oil, called Cazeline Oil. Then a guy called Boyd in Dublin started selling a fake version. When Cassell found out and started court action, Boyd hastily changed the C on his cans to G.
Cassell won his court case but gazeline or gasoline had already got into common usage and was used in an 1864 Act of Congress.
So you shouldn't be putting gas in your car, it should be caz.
Also, in Australia, we have a hand brake rather than a parking brake.
My Dad always corrected me when I said "gas" as he said "gas" is a vapor, and the correct term is gasoline. And I still don't know how to spell it; I always write "gasoline", but I'm not too sure that "gasolene" is also considered correct spelling,...???
Thanks Mark,.....I think you're right!
Bob I believe that in the day a "Gas Pedal" was referred to as a "Foot Feed" And in modern (50's) terms was called an "Accelerator Pedal"
Step on the Gas!
Makes more sense than Step on the Foot!
The original version son the rockabilly song "hot rod Lincoln" uses ther term foot feed. " had the foot feed clear to the floor"
I agree that "pedal to the metal" must refer to some other type car. The term that I've heard for full speed in a T was "both ears down".
Dick
In Sweden, full speed with a Model T was referred to as "moustaches pointing down"
The self starting feature of the Krieger hybrid car is interesting, an electric starter-generator several years before Kettering and Cadillac.
Ralph,
I found "step on the gas" lines back to 1914, but this one is most interesting (to me) because they reference "Lizzie," even though we know unless it was added "Lizzie" didn't have a foot feed:
It has to be step on the gas because if Paul Revere had not steped on the gas the door would not opened and Paul would not have fell out on his A !! Bud.
Here are the terms Uncle Dave Macon (1870-1952) used in his song "On The Dixie Bee Line" 1926:
"4. Went to the mountain for to get some booze,
A Henry Ford car was the one I choose,
The officers got right on me, I say,
I pulled her wide open and made my getaway.
(chorus)
5. Everybody knows the Henry Ford car,
Everybody knows they's the best they are,
You wanta take a ride, just get in a Ford,
And set the lever down, say "Oh, my Lord."
Can't find it online sung by Uncle Dave, but here's an early cover by Vernon Dalhart: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6-CjhKknYs
Tom is right! I just had never heard of it.I didnt know it was hudson only.
I know I will stir the hornets nest here but "starting on the spark" is the old time term for turning on the ignition and igniting a cylinder charge to turn over the engine and make it start. No "free start" or " starting on compression" ( that is when you tow or push the car or kick it off down the hill and then put it in gear to turn the engine).
The "rim" started out as the outer rim of the wheel on which the tire is installed. Later when de-mountable rims came out, the "rim" was the part removed when changing the tire, and a spare rim and tire was mounted somewhere on the car.
Modern cars have removable wheels but they are still referred to as rims even though everything but the hub is removable.
Radiator caps were originally the cap on the radiator through which the coolant was added. Later ornaments such as the "dog bone" or the "wings" were added as well as the motometer. During the 30's most cars had the radiator cap under the hood, but the ornament was on the front of the hood. In the 30's and 40's, many people called the hood ornament a "radiator cap". I was taught to drive by using the "radiator cap" as a sight to line up with the lane marker or curb. It was hard to "aim" the cars which didn't have one. Later I went to a driving school through the company where I worked and was taught to look forward about a block and look back and forth for obstacles or pedestrians or cars pulling out. That was another hard lesson to learn, but it is much safer.
Norm
I thought of another. Hub caps were originally dust covers for the hubs. They only covered the hubs. Later cars had full wheel covers, but they were still called hub caps. Now many cars have gone back to hub caps on the hub only.
Norm
Norman
Early car hubcaps were sometimes more than dust caps.
Cadillac for instance: one front wheel cap drove a small shaft back thru the spindle where gears sent the motion to a cable and the speedometer. The rear caps held driving spiders in place that connected the drive axles inside the axle tube to the rear hubs. Remove the rear hubcaps and the spider falls out and the car doesn't go anywhere.
Hubcaps for some but grease cups for others.Bud.
I just checked on the DVLA (you'd say DMV) database. That Krieger above, plate LC19, is on the British database and its licence expired in 2004. No one's told them it's been exported. Wonder if it was originally sold here, or has been back and forth across the pond.
The word Chevrolet was not only the family name but an internet search showed it is of Latin origins. Recolo Panton Calamus, translated to English it reads- recall everything ever made.
Jem,
The web link says there are three remaining Krieger's, two in the U.S. and one in Ontario. I don't know how old the page is.
Many names for particular motor car bodies are derived from the names of similarly styled horse-drawn vehicles. The 'Stanhope' is of course one, Brougham, Landau, Landaulet, Phaeton are others, so too, charabanc and omnibus (shortened to bus) for passenger carrying vehicles. I believe that Sedan originated from the enclosed chair usually carried by four or more men.
On nomenclature, In America you refer to a ring gear as part of the rear axle assembly, whereas in U.K. and Australia that is known as a crown wheel. Here the Ring Gear is the toothed gear on the flywheel onto which the starter engages. We use 'King Pins' to allow the front stub axles to swivel. Incidentally the differential gear system pre-dates the motor car by several years. One version was designed by James Starley of Coventry, in about 1875, as a way of equalising the effort of two persons pedalling a tricycle.
re Krieger, LC series was issued in London May 05 to Nov 06, so the car was originally supplied in London &exported to US after 2004. There's no system to ensure people notify export to the DVLA, for example my V8 was in Chicago from 1979 to 2012 but still on the DVLA, I just had to apply for its annual licence when it came home.