How did the automobile become car?
2007-02-16 09:18:42 · 16 answers · asked by Gary D 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
Hi Gary. Sounds like you're in the U S of A. Over here they were originally called Motor Carriages, then motor car, then 'car.
2007-02-16 11:12:33 · answer #1 · answered by Davy Crockett 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Car is a misuse of the word when talking about an automobile. Cars are the things pulled around on railroad tracks by locomotives. We call them "railroad cars." But that is a redundant term.
We call toilets "loos" "johns" "crappers". They all are just colloquialisms or idioms.
Did you know that John Crapper of England invented and patented the flush toilet. I don't know why the English call it a "loo." Maybe his middle name was Louis.
2007-02-16 17:26:58 · answer #2 · answered by regerugged 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Car is short for Carriage.
2007-02-16 17:56:06 · answer #3 · answered by Jack H 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At one time long long ago there were coach and horses then came the auto mobile horseless carriages which in turn was shortened to car.
2007-02-16 17:24:39 · answer #4 · answered by taxed till i die,and then some. 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
car
Year 1301, "wheeled vehicle," from Norm.-Fr. carre, from L. carrum, carrus (pl. carra), orig. "two-wheeled Celtic war chariot," from Gaul. karros, from PIE *krsos, from base *kers- "to run." Extension to "automobile" is 1896. Car-sick first recorded 1908, on model of sea sick. U.S. carport is from 1939. Car bomb first 1972, in reference to Northern Ireland. Car pool is 1942 (n.), 1962 (v.). ]
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=car&searchmode=none
2007-02-16 17:22:44 · answer #5 · answered by a bush family member 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Car from carriage.
Your carriage awaits.
Automobile is derived from the German description I believe.
2007-02-16 17:22:52 · answer #6 · answered by Jewel 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Carriage is the truth.
Having driven home on the M25 tonight... Carnage might be more fitting.
2007-02-16 17:26:29 · answer #7 · answered by jlb.1970@btinternet.com 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i think it came from carriage, and automobile speaks for itself
2007-02-16 17:27:57 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It comes from autocar which is a magazine
http://www.autocar.co.uk/footer/About.aspx
that was founded in 1895
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autocar
my guess being the mag name was a contraction of automobile (self propelled) carrier.
2007-02-16 17:28:04 · answer #9 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Its origins can be traced from the latin word "carrus" for cart, or "char" for wagon.
2007-02-16 17:31:14 · answer #10 · answered by Maverick 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋