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What is you favoured shorthand for binoculars (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Mono
- Start date
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"Binoculars is needed for Birding."
Quote from Learn Pigeon English and Become a Birder.
No, no, binoculars are needed for birding. Pidgin doesn't come into it. It's important in this connection not to confuse the "rules" of grammar (which have exceptions) with standard English usage which, as we both agree, prevails. And here it is, standard English usage, as per the dictionary.
"1. Binocular. Usually binoculars (my italics). . .".
--Random House Webster's Unabridged.
The definitions in the equivalent Merriam & American Heritage volumes are much the same: some people say "binocular", but most say "binoculars".
Leigh Caudwell
Well-known member
From my days in the army it has to be bino's
normjackson
Well-known member
Attachments
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Bins, glasses, binos, binocs.
James Bean
Well-known member
fugl, when you say "So, 'binoculars' it is", don't you mean "So, 'binoculars' they are"?
I prefer to say "So, 'binocular' it is". However, no abbreviation does that word justice.
The short 'bin' is far too brief, not to say misleading. The less brief 'bino' may eradicate the uncertainty of 'bin', but alters the pronunciation (who says "binno"?) so fails on that ground. And although 'binoc' has the advantage of clarity, it's hardly elegant English. 'Ular' maybe? It could be confused with the death throes of the Martians in Jeff Wayne's "The War of the Worlds" which, despite having musicality, seems wholly inappropriate.
So, 'binocular' it is. QED.
I have to stop now 'cause I'm getting a bit fed up, and my brain hurts...
I prefer to say "So, 'binocular' it is". However, no abbreviation does that word justice.
The short 'bin' is far too brief, not to say misleading. The less brief 'bino' may eradicate the uncertainty of 'bin', but alters the pronunciation (who says "binno"?) so fails on that ground. And although 'binoc' has the advantage of clarity, it's hardly elegant English. 'Ular' maybe? It could be confused with the death throes of the Martians in Jeff Wayne's "The War of the Worlds" which, despite having musicality, seems wholly inappropriate.
So, 'binocular' it is. QED.
I have to stop now 'cause I'm getting a bit fed up, and my brain hurts...
No, because (as indicated by the quotation marks) I'm talking about the word "binoculars" which is singular, not the optical instrument which takes the plural verb even when referring to a single (pair of) binoculars. Welcome to the vagaries of English usage.
My brain's starting to hurt too. . ..
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Steve C
Well-known member
Binoculars is a plural. It's use indicates the presence of more than one binocular. If you leave on an outing with just a single 8x42 then you have taken a binocular with you. If you leave with an 8x32 and a 10x50, you left with a pair of binoculars.
Bins are places to store things. Birders seem to gravitate to this. Binos or binocs seem to be usages favored by hunters. Why this is or what it means I have no idea.
Bins are places to store things. Birders seem to gravitate to this. Binos or binocs seem to be usages favored by hunters. Why this is or what it means I have no idea.
NDhunter
Experienced observer
Steve:
I do see your point, but binoculars is often described this way in the plural sense.
An example, would be if you asked someone, " would you like to have a look through
my binoculars"? That would just mean one pair, or one.
As in the commonly used "a pair of binoculars", which means 2 telescopic tubes joined and used together.
This subject can have many turns, and it usually gets sorted out.
Jerry
I do see your point, but binoculars is often described this way in the plural sense.
An example, would be if you asked someone, " would you like to have a look through
my binoculars"? That would just mean one pair, or one.
As in the commonly used "a pair of binoculars", which means 2 telescopic tubes joined and used together.
This subject can have many turns, and it usually gets sorted out.
Jerry
Deja vue all over again. See post #23, this thread.
Steve C
Well-known member
No fooling! I actually caught that. Seemed to bear repeating again
.Jerry,
I see your point. I realize that a single binocular has been called a pair of binoculars for so long that a single binocular will probably always be referred to as a pair. Some things are just the way they are. I make it a point to refer to a single binocular as a binocular. It is pointless, and excessively anal, to try to correct anybody who wants to call their binocular a pair. Or if they want to call their binocular a bin, bino, or binoc. Or even if they want to say something like "try my Swaro". I figure I can tell what they mean, and in reality they can call theirs whatever they like.
Howard220
Well-known member
"Bins" sounds ridiculous, and it really grates on me. They're storage containers! I'd never heard that term used until I came to this forum, and lately its usage is spreading here like a nasty weed. Bino's, binocs, binoculars -- now we're talking.
Try saying "Nice bins!" to a female birder sporting her Leicas around her neck, and watch out.
Try saying "Nice bins!" to a female birder sporting her Leicas around her neck, and watch out.
James Bean
Well-known member
Mono, In the title to this thread, is the word 'you' meant to be a favoured shorthand for the word 'your'? Pedantic? You ain't seen nothin' yet...
P.S. Is 'mono' singular, but 'stereo' plural?
P.P.S. If you're thinking "What a cheek!", let me hasten to add my tongue remains therein.
P.S. Is 'mono' singular, but 'stereo' plural?
P.P.S. If you're thinking "What a cheek!", let me hasten to add my tongue remains therein.
dantheman
Bah humbug
Funny how the brain reads what it thinks it's going to read, not what is actually there ... missed that one myself
Also this thread is about favoured, not least favoured terms
On the binocular pedantry/word side of things ...
french for twin is jumelle
french for binoculars is jumelles
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dantheman
Bah humbug
This debate defiantly has a trans-Atlantic split. I have never heard anyone in the UK refer to them as binocs. Incidentally is it BInocs or BINocs, not having heard it. Also in the UK one of the few words we don't have for a ladies chesticles is bins!
Of the 17 responses to the Survey Monkey poll above the results are attached.
As for "Mono", I am definitely singular although not single. As a nickname it goes back to university days. As a geology student some wit likened my wispy goatee beard to a Monograptus, it was shortened to Mono and the name stuck. 27 years later the beard is a bit more decorous but the name remains.
Of the 17 responses to the Survey Monkey poll above the results are attached.
As for "Mono", I am definitely singular although not single. As a nickname it goes back to university days. As a geology student some wit likened my wispy goatee beard to a Monograptus, it was shortened to Mono and the name stuck. 27 years later the beard is a bit more decorous but the name remains.
