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Re: Kvikkalkul: secret programming language of the Swedish Navy

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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.


Marko

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Thread

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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