Push bike

Don Phillipson wrote:
wrote in message
...
Push bike is a terribly British affectation.

Nick Spalding wrote:

Nothing affected about it, it is just what it is called (or named).

In that case, what does the Englisman visualize when the term
"bicycle" is used?

Nothing special, viz. the universal name for any two-wheeler from an
Olympic racing bike to a plastic toy for infants. I think that JB's
material points we
1. Push bike is standard 20th century British speech (used by
all social classes.)
2. Those non-Brits who use traditional British vernacular are
often censured by others as pretentions.

Really? It seemed to me that he was marking *Brits* who use traditional
British vernacular as pretentious.

--
David

wrote:
Nick Spalding wrote:

A push bike typically refers to bicycle (human powered). I was
talking to a sport shop owner the other day and said that I was in
the shop to look at the push bikes not the motorbikes.

It's not an expression that I see or hear used frequently and I was
wondering if anyone has an idea of the origins of the phrase?

John Kane Kingson ON Canada

Push bike is a terribly British affectation.

Nothing affected about it, it is just what it is called (or named).

In that case, what does the Englisman visualize when the term
"bicycle" is used?


This one visualizes a bicycle (the push bike kind)
--
John Dean
Oxford

wrote:
Nick Spalding wrote:

A push bike typically refers to bicycle (human powered). I was
talking to a sport shop owner the other day and said that I was in
the shop to look at the push bikes not the motorbikes.

It's not an expression that I see or hear used frequently and I was
wondering if anyone has an idea of the origins of the phrase?

John Kane Kingson ON Canada

Push bike is a terribly British affectation.

Nothing affected about it, it is just what it is called (or named).

In that case, what does the Englisman visualize when the term
"bicycle" is used?

A push bike.

--
David

On 09 May 2009, wrote

Nick Spalding wrote:

A push bike typically refers to bicycle (human powered). I
was talking to a sport shop owner the other day and said that
I was in the shop to look at the push bikes not the
motorbikes.

It's not an expression that I see or hear used frequently and
I was wondering if anyone has an idea of the origins of the
phrase?

John Kane Kingson ON Canada

Push bike is a terribly British affectation.

Nothing affected about it, it is just what it is called (or
named).

In that case, what does the Englisman visualize when the term
"bicycle" is used?

He visualises a "push bike".

Are you classifying the use of "push bike" as pretentious in North
America, or non-geographically pretentious? If the latter, you're
being silly.

The classic examples of this, for me, are the terms for moving
pictures. In England, calling films "movies" is pretentious; in
NA, calling movies "films" is pretentious.

--
Cheers, Harvey
CanEng and BrEng, indiscriminately mixed

On 09 May 2009 19:59:42 GMT, wrote:

John Kane wrote:

A push bike typically refers to bicycle (human powered). I was
talking to a sport shop owner the other day and said that I was in
the shop to look at the push bikes not the motorbikes.

It's not an expression that I see or hear used frequently and I was
wondering if anyone has an idea of the origins of the phrase?

John Kane Kingson ON Canada

Push bike is a terribly British affectation. In the USA, "bicycle"
has always meant a pedal driven two wheeled vehicle, just as in
German, it has always been a "Fahrrad", whereas in Italy it is a
"bicicletta" unambiguously. In Switzerland the term "Velo" is widely
used although, depending on which of their four languages is local, it
could be German, Italian, French, or Romansch usage.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/push-bike

Jobst Brandt

--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

wrote:
In rec.bicycles.misc John Kane wrote:
A push bike typically refers to bicyle (human powered). I was talking
to a sport shop owner the other day and said that I was in the shop to
look at the push bikes not the motorbikes.

It's not an expression that I see or hear used frequently and I was
wondering if anyone has an idea of the origins of the phrase?

I was recently in a situation where I found myself referred to as a
"pedal cyclist," and my bike as a "pedal cycle."
I can understand how some people might be confused by the word
"bike," since motorcyclists have stolen it from us. But to me "bicycle"
is a plain, unambiguous term.


Except when it has a small motor attached. My newspaper tells me that
electric bicycles are all the rage now.


--

Rob Bannister

["Followup-To:" header set to rec.bicycles.misc.]
On 2009-05-09, Andrew Price wrote:
On Sat, 09 May 2009 21:28:09 +0100, Nick Spalding
wrote:

Push bike is a terribly British affectation.

Nothing affected about it, it is just what it is called (or named).

That's what it was called in Australia, too, where I lived as a child.

Still is.

--
John

In article ,
John Kane writes:
A push bike typically refers to bicyle (human powered). I was talking
to a sport shop owner the other day and said that I was in the shop to
look at the push bikes not the motorbikes.

It's not an expression that I see or hear used frequently and I was
wondering if anyone has an idea of the origins of the phrase?

I dunno the answer to your question, but to me the term almost
sounds derogatorily diminuitive to me, as if to connote some
supposed ineffectualness or inconsequentialness of bicycles,
since the word: "push" suggests labour and effort.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not criticising you for
your use of the term; there is, as always, the matter
of context. One might endearedly say: "push bike" with
eyes wistfully aglow, or one with nothing but contempt
for bicycles might sneeringly spit out: "~push~ bikes ...
phhfffft!"

In the legalese of the British Columbia Motor Vehicle Act,
bicycles are referred-to simply as "cycles." Actually
the term legally applies to all kinds of human-powered
conveyances, excluding roller skates, inline skates and
skateboards. I assume kick-scooters are in, while stilts
and pogo-sticks might be a grey area.


Lisa Simpson: "A rose by any other name would still smell
as sweet."

Bart Simpson: "Not if they were called: stink blossoms."

Marge Simpson: "I wouldn't want a dozen stink blossoms
for Valentines Day. Some candy would do
just fine."

Homer Simpson: "Not if they were called scum drops."


I guess ultimately it's all just semantics antics.

And besides, who cares how ya say it, as long as folks
know whatcha mean, eh?


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

On May 9, 1:37*pm, John Kane wrote:
A push bike typically refers to bicyle (human powered). *I was talking
to a sport shop owner the other day and said that I was in the shop to
look at the push bikes not the motorbikes.

It's not an expression that I see or hear used frequently and I was
wondering if anyone has an idea of the origins of the phrase?

John Kane Kingson ON Canada

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CJa6cPYOrw
1970 Australian hit, The Pushbike Song by The Mixtures

wrote:

From:
Subject: Push bike
Date: 09 May 2009 19:59:42 GMT
Message-ID:
Lines: 21

John Kane wrote:

A push bike typically refers to bicycle (human powered). I was
talking to a sport shop owner the other day and said that I was in
the shop to look at the push bikes not the motorbikes.

It's not an expression that I see or hear used frequently and I was
wondering if anyone has an idea of the origins of the phrase?

John Kane Kingson ON Canada

Push bike is a terribly British affectation.

Not if you're British it isn't, pal.

Welcome to the group.

DC
--