AmericanEnglish again
 

Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?
Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized
flatblade screwdriver.

Otherwise, I had to admit it isn't going to get any warmer for a while, so
removed the cylinders from 2 automatic greenhouse vents and tied the opener
mechanism closed for the duration.

Almost time to pore through the garden catalogs and dream...


--
Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

AmericanEnglish again
 

"Gary Woods" wrote in message
...
Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?
Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized
flatblade screwdriver.

See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger

Phil

AmericanEnglish again
 

In article ,
says...

Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?

I've had one of those useful little whatsits for years but never knew
its name :-)

Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized
flatblade screwdriver.

Otherwise, I had to admit it isn't going to get any warmer for a while, so
removed the cylinders from 2 automatic greenhouse vents and tied the opener
mechanism closed for the duration.

It's mild but horribly wild wet and windy here and has been for days.
Gardening impossible but I've been sorting out saved seeds for next year
and making birdfood with saved fat.


Janet, Isle of Arran

AmericanEnglish again
 

On 29/11/15 18:27, Gary Woods wrote:
Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?
Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized
flatblade screwdriver.

These were used for years before the OED definition (see Phil's post),
but not for anything to do with gardening. They were used in chemistry
labs to get powders or other solid material from narrow-necked bottles.
If you want another one on your side of he pond, see he
http://www.amazon.com/SEOH-Spatula-T...868340&sr=1-23

Otherwise, I had to admit it isn't going to get any warmer for a while, so
removed the cylinders from 2 automatic greenhouse vents and tied the opener
mechanism closed for the duration.

Leave the windows open and grow alpines!

--

Jeff

AmericanEnglish again
 

On Sun, 29 Nov 2015 22:21:40 philgurr wrote:

"Gary Woods" wrote in message
.. .

Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?
Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized
flatblade screwdriver.

See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger

That reference suggests that it is a nonsense word "used in a series of
memory tests". There is no etymology connected with it other than that
so it would appear that it is a word that someone made up when he/she
didn't know what to call it, and it stuck.

The word doesn't appear in my 1950s OED.

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

AmericanEnglish again
 

In article ,
lid says...

On Sun, 29 Nov 2015 22:21:40 philgurr wrote:

"Gary Woods" wrote in message
.. .

Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?
Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized
flatblade screwdriver.

See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger

That reference suggests that it is a nonsense word "used in a series of
memory tests". There is no etymology connected with it other than that
so it would appear that it is a word that someone made up when he/she
didn't know what to call it, and it stuck.

The word doesn't appear in my 1950s OED.


Oxford Dictionary

Widget

A small gadget or mechanical device.

Cambridge English Dictionary;

WIDGET

any small device whose name you have forgotten or do not know


Janet

AmericanEnglish again
 

"philgurr" wrote in message
...

"Gary Woods" wrote in message
...
Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?
Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized
flatblade screwdriver.

See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger

Phil

I have quite a few American friends and we disagree all the time about their
idea of English and mine. American English is very different from "English"
English.

AmericanEnglish again
 

On Sunday, 29 November 2015 18:27:47 UTC, Gary Woods wrote:
Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger." ......

Well I've been using my widger for years when pricking out seedlings. Makes the job a lot easier than using a screwdriver. I've also occasionally waggled my widger at the compost heap in the early morning (shielding shrubs mean the neighbours can't see). Waving a screwdriver over the compost heap doesn't have the same effect.

The OH says there's a real difference between a widger and a screwdriver.

AmericanEnglish again
 

On Mon, 30 Nov 2015 16:46:52 Janet wrote:

In article ,
says...

On Sun, 29 Nov 2015 22:21:40 philgurr wrote:

"Gary Woods" wrote in message
.. .

Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?
Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized
flatblade screwdriver.

See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger

That reference suggests that it is a nonsense word "used in a series of
memory tests". There is no etymology connected with it other than that
so it would appear that it is a word that someone made up when he/she
didn't know what to call it, and it stuck.

The word doesn't appear in my 1950s OED.


Oxford Dictionary

Widget

A small gadget or mechanical device.

Cambridge English Dictionary;

WIDGET

any small device whose name you have forgotten or do not know


Janet

The word in question is "WIDGER", not "WIDGET".

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

AmericanEnglish again
 

In article ,
lid says...

On Mon, 30 Nov 2015 16:46:52 Janet wrote:

In article ,
says...

On Sun, 29 Nov 2015 22:21:40 philgurr wrote:

"Gary Woods" wrote in message
.. .

Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?
Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized
flatblade screwdriver.

See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger

That reference suggests that it is a nonsense word "used in a series of
memory tests". There is no etymology connected with it other than that
so it would appear that it is a word that someone made up when he/she
didn't know what to call it, and it stuck.

The word doesn't appear in my 1950s OED.


Oxford Dictionary

Widget

A small gadget or mechanical device.

Cambridge English Dictionary;

WIDGET

any small device whose name you have forgotten or do not know


Janet

The word in question is "WIDGER", not "WIDGET".

David

Yes; but the three definitions given are so similar, it appears that
widget and widger are closely connected.


Janet

AmericanEnglish again
 

On 1/12/2015 2:54 AM, David Rance wrote:
On Sun, 29 Nov 2015 22:21:40 philgurr wrote:

"Gary Woods" wrote in message
...

Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?
Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized
flatblade screwdriver.

See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger

That reference suggests that it is a nonsense word "used in a series of
memory tests". There is no etymology connected with it other than that
so it would appear that it is a word that someone made up when he/she
didn't know what to call it, and it stuck.

The word doesn't appear in my 1950s OED.

It appears in my OED:
widger: Also erron. 'wigger'. See quote 1956. A gardening tool
consiting of a small strip of metal, with a shallow furrow down the
centre, used as a miniature trowel to remove seedlings, cultivate pot
plants etc.

The instances of its occurrence follow with it's first appearance listed
as being in 1956.

AmericanEnglish again
 

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 30 Nov 2015 20:07:25 -0000, "Christina Websell"
wrote:


"philgurr" wrote in message
...

"Gary Woods" wrote in message
...
Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?
Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized
flatblade screwdriver.

See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger

Phil

I have quite a few American friends and we disagree all the time about
their
idea of English and mine. American English is very different from
"English"
English.

"Two nations divided by a common language"
(attribution uncertain, but probably not Churchill)


Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't.

AmericanEnglish again
 

On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote:
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 30 Nov 2015 20:07:25 -0000, "Christina Websell"
wrote:


"philgurr" wrote in message
...

"Gary Woods" wrote in message
...
Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a "Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?
Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket sized
flatblade screwdriver.

See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger

Phil

I have quite a few American friends and we disagree all the time about
their
idea of English and mine. American English is very different from
"English"
English.

"Two nations divided by a common language"
(attribution uncertain, but probably not Churchill)


Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't.



Glad that has been sorted out once and for all.

AmericanEnglish again
 

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote:
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 30 Nov 2015 20:07:25 -0000, "Christina Websell"
wrote:


"philgurr" wrote in message
...

"Gary Woods" wrote in message
...
Quite a while ago, I bought a neat little tool described as a
"Widger."
Just a slightly curved piece of stainless steel sort of the size of a
largish pen; different widths on the 2 ends; used for pricking out
seedlings and transplanting small stuff.
The name sounds very British - is it?
Previously (and still for very small seedlings), I used a pocket
sized
flatblade screwdriver.

See :- http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/de...english/widger

Phil

I have quite a few American friends and we disagree all the time about
their
idea of English and mine. American English is very different from
"English"
English.

"Two nations divided by a common language"
(attribution uncertain, but probably not Churchill)


Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't.



Glad that has been sorted out once and for all.

grin Americans used to speak English once: now it's American.

AmericanEnglish again
 

On 6/12/2015 8:43 AM, Christina Websell wrote:
"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 05/12/2015 20:44, Christina Websell wrote:


Americans think they speak English, I can assure them that they don't.



Glad that has been sorted out once and for all.

grin Americans used to speak English once: now it's American.

I saw a very interesting TV show quite a few years ago on just this
topic. It suggested that the English now spoken by Americans is more
like the English spoken in the UK a few centuries ago than the sort of
English now spoken in the UK.

The show cited both words still used by Americans that have changed use
over time in the UK and the accent. One example I recall is the way
Americans still use the word "kettle" (ie, a cooking pot, not a spouted
water boiling thingamabob) which is the way it used to be used in the UK
centuries ago. Also the accent in the long "a" when American say "bath"
is the way it used to be said in the UK centuries ago.

Basically, the show said that it was the UK which had changed in the way
it used English whereas Americans had stayed more in line with the
speech and usage of the UK centuries ago.