rbr scientific terms

Dumbasses -

If the Norcals can get "hella" into the scientific lexicon, what can we do
with "dumbass"? IMO, dumbass is much more descriptive.

http://cbs13.com/local/hella.big.uc.2.1529825.html

Hella Big': Soon To Be A Scientific Measurement?

An oft-hated slang word coined in Northern California has been proposed as a
worthy entry into the field of scientific measurement when calculating
enormous numbers.

Austin Sendek, a physics student at UC Davis, wants the number of 10 to the
27th power -- a trillion trillions -- to officially become "hella" big.

Along the lines of using the "kilo" prefix for kilometers or "giga" for
gigabyte, Sendek is petitioning the International System of Units (SI) to
use the term "hella" to describe really, really big measurements; such as
the size of the universe.

snipend

thoughts?

thanks,

Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.

On Mar 2, 3:51*pm, "Kurgan Gringioni" wrote:
Dumbasses -

If the Norcals can get "hella" into the scientific lexicon, what can we do
with "dumbass"? IMO, dumbass is much more descriptive.

http://cbs13.com/local/hella.big.uc.2.1529825.html

Hella Big': Soon To Be A Scientific Measurement?

An oft-hated slang word coined in Northern California has been proposed as a
worthy entry into the field of scientific measurement when calculating
enormous numbers.

Austin Sendek, a physics student at UC Davis, wants the number of 10 to the
27th power -- a trillion trillions -- to officially become "hella" big.

Along the lines of using the "kilo" prefix for kilometers or "giga" for
gigabyte, Sendek is petitioning the International System of Units (SI) to
use the term "hella" to describe really, really big measurements; such as
the size of the universe.

snipend

thoughts?

thanks,

Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.

Are you talking big D or small d dumbass?

In article ,
"Kurgan Gringioni" wrote:

Dumbasses -

If the Norcals can get "hella" into the scientific lexicon, what can we do
with "dumbass"? IMO, dumbass is much more descriptive.

http://cbs13.com/local/hella.big.uc.2.1529825.html

thoughts?

Get this article to redirect to "dumbass":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_retardation

Best discovery from reading that: "cretin" was the original kind-hearted
euphemism.

Sorry,

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

Ryan Cousineau wrote:

Best discovery from reading that: "cretin" was the original kind-hearted
euphemism.

That IS a nice catch!

My wife used to tell me I was "special", but at some point in the 90's I
caught on to what she was implying.

On Mar 3, 3:07*am, "K. Fred Gauss"
wrote:
Ryan Cousineau wrote:
Best discovery from reading that: "cretin" was the original kind-hearted
euphemism.

That IS a nice catch!

My wife used to tell me I was "special", but at some point in the 90's I
caught on to what she was implying.

Is she southern? If so, I bet she says "bless his heart" when she
talks about you, too.

Ryan Cousineau wrote:

Best discovery from reading that: "cretin" was the original
kind-hearted euphemism.

This is better: "The etymology of cretin is uncertain. Several hypotheses
exist. The most common derivation provided in English dictionaries is from
the Alpine French dialect pronunciation of the word Chrétien ("(a)
Christian")"

BTW, "étouffe-chrétien" is a phrase used to describe a food that is so
difficult to chew and swallow that it could choke a Christian.

In article ,
"Robert Chung" wrote:

Ryan Cousineau wrote:

Best discovery from reading that: "cretin" was the original
kind-hearted euphemism.

This is better: "The etymology of cretin is uncertain. Several hypotheses
exist. The most common derivation provided in English dictionaries is from
the Alpine French dialect pronunciation of the word Chrétien ("(a)
Christian")"

BTW, "étouffe-chrétien" is a phrase used to describe a food that is so
difficult to chew and swallow that it could choke a Christian.

To the OED!

First appearance in English is recorded as 1779. I would not have
guessed it was so late: "W. COXE in Ann. Reg. II. 92 note, The species
of idiots I have mentioned..who are described by many authors as
peculiar to the Vallais, are called Cretins."

Here's the OED etymology:

[a. F. crétin (in Encycl. 1754), ad. Swiss patois crestin, creitin:L.
Christinum CHRISTIAN, which in the mod. Romanic langs. (as sometimes
dial. in Eng.) means Œhuman creature¹ as distinguished from the brutes;
the sense being here that these beings are really human, though so
deformed physically and mentally. (Cf. natural.) So, according to
Hatzfeld and Darmesteter, the Cagots are called in Béarn crestiaas.]*

If there is any other proposed etymology, it is not recorded.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

On Mar 4, 12:59*am, Ryan Cousineau wrote:
In article ,
*"Robert Chung" wrote:

Ryan Cousineau wrote:

Best discovery from reading that: "cretin" was the original
kind-hearted euphemism.

This is better: "The etymology of cretin is uncertain. Several hypotheses
exist. The most common derivation provided in English dictionaries is from
the Alpine French dialect pronunciation of the word Chrétien ("(a)
Christian")"

BTW, "étouffe-chrétien" is a phrase used to describe a food that is so
difficult to chew and swallow that it could choke a Christian.

To the OED!

First appearance in English is recorded as 1779. I would not have
guessed it was so late: "W. COXE in Ann. Reg. II. 92 note, The species
of idiots I have mentioned..who are described by many authors as
peculiar to the Vallais, are called Cretins."

Here's the OED etymology:

[a. F. crétin (in Encycl. 1754), ad. Swiss patois crestin, creitin:L.
Christinum CHRISTIAN, which in the mod. Romanic langs. (as sometimes
dial. in Eng.) means Œhuman creature¹ as distinguished from the brutes;
the sense being here that these beings are really human, though so
deformed physically and mentally. (Cf. natural.) So, according to
Hatzfeld and Darmesteter, the Cagots are called in Béarn crestiaas.]*

If there is any other proposed etymology, it is not recorded.

--
Ryan Cousineau /
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

I have the complete OED at home and will check also.

In article
,
Anton Berlin wrote:

On Mar 4, 12:59*am, Ryan Cousineau wrote:
In article ,
*"Robert Chung" wrote:

Ryan Cousineau wrote:

Best discovery from reading that: "cretin" was the original
kind-hearted euphemism.

This is better: "The etymology of cretin is uncertain. Several hypotheses
exist. The most common derivation provided in English dictionaries is from
the Alpine French dialect pronunciation of the word Chrétien ("(a)
Christian")"

BTW, "étouffe-chrétien" is a phrase used to describe a food that is so
difficult to chew and swallow that it could choke a Christian.

To the OED!

First appearance in English is recorded as 1779. I would not have
guessed it was so late: "W. COXE in Ann. Reg. II. 92 note, The species
of idiots I have mentioned..who are described by many authors as
peculiar to the Vallais, are called Cretins."

Here's the OED etymology:

[a. F. crétin (in Encycl. 1754), ad. Swiss patois crestin, creitin:L.
Christinum CHRISTIAN, which in the mod. Romanic langs. (as sometimes
dial. in Eng.) means ‘human creature1 as distinguished from the brutes;
the sense being here that these beings are really human, though so
deformed physically and mentally. (Cf. natural.) So, according to
Hatzfeld and Darmesteter, the Cagots are called in Béarn crestiaas.]*

If there is any other proposed etymology, it is not recorded.

--
Ryan Cousineau /
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

I have the complete OED at home and will check also.

You'll be checking my copy-paste skillz. Taxpayers not only pay my
salary, they also give me online access to the OED.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

In article ,
"Kurgan Gringioni" wrote:

Dumbasses -

If the Norcals can get "hella" into the scientific lexicon, what can we do
with "dumbass"? IMO, dumbass is much more descriptive.

http://cbs13.com/local/hella.big.uc.2.1529825.html

Hella Big': Soon To Be A Scientific Measurement?

An oft-hated slang word coined in Northern California has been proposed as a
worthy entry into the field of scientific measurement when calculating
enormous numbers.

Austin Sendek, a physics student at UC Davis, wants the number of 10 to the
27th power -- a trillion trillions -- to officially become "hella" big.

Cretins. Anybody who gives a moment's thought knows that
10^27 is not "a trillion trillions" because 27 is not
an even number.