Wednesday 18 July 2007

Everything Has a Name...

A proper and correct name that is. Anyone who has reached the age where they can read (that's you, reader) will know there are two distinct ways to stub one's toe. The first hurts like hell for ten seconds or so, then the pain quickly goes. The other begins with a sort of nauseous yet painless numbness which soon gives way to screeching agony which lasts for minutes or more.

These conditions have proper jargon to describe them. The first is 'neuroreactive digital stubbage', the second is 'suspended digitalgia or digital staving' which can be more serious as the lack of initial pain can sometimes indicate a broken toe.

Meanwhile, I was having a discussion (as you do) about those red ribbons which are a feature of fancy books, and which help you keep your page. What are they properly called? Well, it seems us Brits are rather unadventurous on this front, the common term being 'page ribbon'. In the US publishing industry, however, they are known as 'pause strands' which is somewhat more poetic, but still not on a par with France, where the term is 'fil de sang' or blood-thread.
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