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Re: Kvikkalkul: secret programming language of the Swedish Navy

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On Sat, 28 Feb 2015 11:08:12 +0200, Marko Rauhamaa wrote:

> Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx>:
> 
>> On Fri, 27 Feb 2015 15:47:21 -0800, Oregonian Haruspex wrote:
>>> I don't speak Swedish but I can tell you without looking at anything
>>> but the word that it means "quick calculator."
>>
>> A Swedish student of mine says he's never come across the word. More
>> likely to be 'cod Swedish' (as from the 'Swedish chef').
> 
> <URL: http://en.bab.la/dictionary/swedish-english/kvick>
> 
>    kvick (adjective)
>    flash · quick · bright · witty · salty · expeditious · nimble ·
>    snappy · double-quick
> 
> <URL: http://en.bab.la/dictionary/swedish-english/kalkyl>
> 
>    kalkyl (noun)
>    estimate · calculation · calculus
> 
> So why "kvik" instead of "kvick?" Possible explanations:
> 
>  * The engineer who coined the name wasn't very good at spelling.
> 
>  * It was a secret language after all.
> 
>  * Swedish has a spelling rule that triple consonants (occurring in
>    compound words) are shortened to double consontants:
> 
>      till + låta => tillåta
> 
>    Also, a double "k" is rendered "ck" (as in English). So we have:
> 
>      kvick + kalkul => kvikkalkul
> 
> So why "kalkul" instead of "kalkyl?" Possible explanations:
> 
>  * The engineer who coined the name wasn't very good at spelling.
> 
>  * It was a secret language after all.
> 
>  * In some areas of Sweden the sounds for "u" /ʉː/ and "y" /yː/ have all
>    but merged, leading to spelling confusion especially under pressure
>    from English.

Obviously your Swedish is better than his! I'll tell him...


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Kvikkalkul: secret programming language of the Swedish Navy RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2015-02-26 11:45 +0000
  Re: Kvikkalkul: secret programming language of the Swedish Navy Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2015-02-26 23:24 -0800
    Re: Kvikkalkul: secret programming language of the Swedish Navy RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2015-02-27 13:19 +0000
      Re: Kvikkalkul: secret programming language of the Swedish Navy "Dirk T. Verbeek" <dverbeek@xs4all.nl> - 2015-02-27 21:13 +0100
      Re: Kvikkalkul: secret programming language of the Swedish Navy Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2015-02-27 15:47 -0800
        Re: Kvikkalkul: secret programming language of the Swedish Navy Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-02-27 23:48 +0000
          Re: Kvikkalkul: secret programming language of the Swedish Navy Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2015-02-28 11:08 +0200
            Re: Kvikkalkul: secret programming language of the Swedish Navy Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-02-28 12:22 +0000

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