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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2009Kick-start/jump-start
These days we often see writers advocating that we "kick-start the economy." A quick Google search turns up 61,800 hits for this phrase versus 132,000 for the more traditional "jump-start the economy." The American Heritage Dictionary lists "kick-start" in this sense as "informal." >Informal To start or reinvigorate (an activity, system, or process): kick-start the economy with >a large construction project. WWWebster cross-references "kick-start" to the second definition of "jump-start," thereby recognizing the priority of the latter, but without a usage label: >to start or restart rapidly or forcefully <advertising can jump–start a political campaign> >b: to impart fresh or renewed energy to : energize <a plan to jump–start the stagnant economy> The OED dates the literal meaning of "kick start" to 1918. Its earliest citation for "jump-start" is a surprisingly late 1978. Neither entry recognizes the common metaphorical uses of these expressions. I think many speakers imagine both versions as referring to abrupt, effective actions: jumping and kicking being roughly equivalent ways of getting things going. But to me the point of jump-starting something is that you are resorting to an emergency measure (connecting starter cables) when the conventional method of starting a vehicle has ceased to work (turning a starter key, pressing a starter button). Kick-starting is merely the conventional way of starting many motorcycles which lack an electronic ignition, and doesn't have the same connotation of being an emergency measure. It's certainly not necessarily faster than turning a key, as anyone knows who has witnessed someone repeatedly trying to kick-start a balky motorcycle. What we're trying to do is not suddenly cause the economy to spring into a full-throated roar (though that would be nice) but find alternative ways of getting it moving when the usual processes have failed. But I have the feeling that "kick-starting" is gaining fast because of the influence of football and soccer, where a swift kick gets the action off to a rapid and satisfying start. Paul Brians These days we often see writers advocating that we "kick-start the economy." A quick Google search turns up 61,800 hits for this phrase versus 132,000 for the more traditional "jump-start the economy." The American Heritage Dictionary lists "kick-start" in this sense as "informal." >Informal To start or reinvigorate (an activity, system, or process): >kick-start the economy with >a large construction project. WWWebster cross-references "kick-start" to the second definition of "jump-start," thereby recognizing the priority of the latter, but without a usage label: >to start or restart rapidly or forcefully <advertising can jump–start a >political campaign> >b: to impart fresh or renewed energy to : energize <a plan to jump–start >the stagnant economy> The OED dates the literal meaning of "kick start" to 1918. Its earliest citation for "jump-start" is a surprisingly late 1978. Neither entry recognizes the common metaphorical uses of these expressions. I think many speakers imagine both versions as referring to abrupt, effective actions: jumping and kicking being roughly equivalent ways of getting things going. But to me the point of jump-starting something is that you are resorting to an emergency measure (connecting starter cables) when the conventional method of starting a vehicle has ceased to work (turning a starter key, pressing a starter button). Kick-starting is merely the conventional way of starting many motorcycles which lack an electronic ignition, and doesn't have the same connotation of being an emergency measure. It's certainly not necessarily faster than turning a key, as anyone knows who has witnessed someone repeatedly trying to kick-start a balky motorcycle. What we're trying to do is not suddenly cause the economy to spring into a full-throated roar (though that would be nice) but find alternative ways of getting it moving when the usual processes have failed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kick start is a motorcycle term. It is how one starts the motor. But I have the feeling that "kick-starting" is gaining fast because of the influence of football and soccer, where a swift kick gets the action off to a rapid and satisfying start. Paul Brians >These days we often see writers advocating that we "kick-start the >economy." [quoted text clipped - 51 lines] > >Paul Brians Don't forget "bump-start" (not so easy with automatic gearboxes, I understand).  SignatureIan >>These days we often see writers advocating that we "kick-start the >>economy." [quoted text clipped - 54 lines] > Don't forget "bump-start" (not so easy with automatic gearboxes, I > understand). It's imossible with automatics and we call that a ush start in my neck of the woods. A jump start is usually using another car to power yours when the vattery is dead. >>>These days we often see writers advocating that we "kick-start the >>>economy." [quoted text clipped - 61 lines] >A jump start is usually using another car to power yours when the vattery is >dead. Yes, bump start / push start - both OK with me. I think that the 'bump' version refers to the jolt which occurs when you let the clutch out (especially if it's in one of the lower gears). By the way, I thought that you could normally bump/push start automatics provided that you got them up to about 25mph before selecting one of the gears (2?, 3?). SignatureIan >>>>These days we often see writers advocating that we "kick-start the >>>>economy." [quoted text clipped - 71 lines] > provided that you got them up to about 25mph before selecting one of the > gears (2?, 3?). That seems to be a common myth, sometimes the speed is given as 55. Don't try it. at best you'll just cause extensive body damage when the wheels lock up at worst you'll tear the transmission to shreds. [..] >> Yes, bump start / push start - both OK with me. I think that the 'bump' >> version refers to the jolt which occurs when you let the clutch out [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >Don't try it. at best you'll just cause extensive body damage when the >wheels lock up at worst you'll tear the transmission to shreds. Absolutely. In fact, the fancier automatic cars with electronic traction control and the like cannot be towed in neutral without destroying the transmission. They have to be carried on a low-loader after breakdown. SignatureRobin (BrE) Herts, England > Yes, bump start / push start - both OK with me. I think that the 'bump' > version refers to the jolt which occurs when you let the clutch out > (especially if it's in one of the lower gears). I've always thought of "bump start" as mainly applying to a motorcycle that needs to be started like this; the idea being to stand astride the bike, on the footrests, while you roll downhill, then engage gear and *bump* down onto the saddle while you simultaneously let out the clutch, the bumping down giving that extra bit of purchase on the back wheel to make it turn the engine. Needs a certain amount of skill. SignatureAndy Clews University of Sussex *** Remove DENTURES if replying by email *** >But to me the point of jump-starting something is that you are >resorting to an emergency measure (connecting starter cables) In BrE these are called "jump leads" ("jumper cables/leads", "booster cables/leads",...). I don't know the etymology, but the cables/leads do figuratively "jump" from one vehicle to the other. There are smaller "jumpers" used on electronic devices: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumper_(computing)> Some decades ago I heard patch cables used on patch panels sometimes called "jumpers" or "jumper cables". > when the >conventional method of starting a vehicle has ceased to work (turning [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >anyone knows who has witnessed someone repeatedly trying to kick-start >a balky motorcycle. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >In BrE these are called "jump leads" ("jumper cables/leads", "booster >cables/leads",...). [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >Some decades ago I heard patch cables used on patch panels sometimes called >"jumpers" or "jumper cables". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patch_panel SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >>In BrE these are called "jump leads" ("jumper cables/leads", "booster >>cables/leads",...). [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patch_panel "Jumper cables" is by far the commonest AmE name for the automotive variety. I think most of us would recognize "booster cables" but be mislead by "leads". SignatureRoland Hutchinson Will play viola da gamba for food. NB mail to my.spamtrap [at] verizon.net is heavily filtered to remove spam. If your message looks like spam I may not see it. > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Your post was difficult to read, as there was inadequate distinction between quoted and new material. You did use the dashed line to separate some of the original from your remarks, but then followed with more quotes that weren't set off in any way. You might want to look into the OE Quotefix program. It will take care of that problem OE has with losing quote markers when replying to Google Groups messages. Brian SignatureIf televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who won't shut up. -- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com) >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > of that problem OE has with losing quote markers when replying to > Google Groups messages. Okay, It is an annoying thing about google, as there are many good free news readers I wonder why people bother with the clunky google. > > You might want to look into the OE Quotefix program. It will take > > care of that problem OE has with losing quote markers when replying > > to Google Groups messages. > > Okay, It is an annoying thing about google, as there are many good > free news readers I wonder why people bother with the clunky google. Well, it's a reaction to something that Google Groups does (quoted-printable), but in my experience OE is the only newsreader that has a problem with it. I think the fault lies with it, rather than GG. Brian SignatureIf televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who won't shut up. -- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com) >> > You might want to look into the OE Quotefix program. It will take >> > care of that problem OE has with losing quote markers when replying [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > (quoted-printable), but in my experience OE is the only newsreader that > has a problem with it. I think the fault lies with it, rather than GG. But it's only with google it happens. So it can just as easily be google that has the issues. [...] > Kick start is a motorcycle term. It is how one starts the motor. It used to be (in the UK), before the Japanese destroyed the British motorcycle industry by flooding the market with bikes which not only didn't leak oil, but also had poncy electric starters. This so-called technological advance deprived forgetful machos of the thrill of being thrown over the handlebars by the recoiling starter pedal each time they omitted to operate the decompression lever on their Made-in-England 600 cc single cylinder leviathons and therefore failed to reach top dead centre. In those days, jump starting a motorcycle was equivalent to push starting a car with manual transmission. You pushed the bike down the road in a highish gear and engaged the clutch once you'd got up to speed. Because bikes don't weigh as much as cars, this frequently caused the back wheel to lock instead of turning the engine. The solution was to jump on the saddle at the moment you dropped in the clutch. The extra weight on the bike was enough to stop the rear wheel from spinning and to turn the engine instead. It still seems to mean that: <http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NQV3UGAbfIc> (jump start demo is right at the end of the clip), and here you can see how not to do it: <http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tgJg6jk_3yk> However, it can also mean using jumper cables: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=B2JMDrroD0A> [...] SignatureLes (BrE > [...] > [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > > http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=B2JMDrroD0A> Yeah, my brother has a Triumph that kick back like a mule, it was a great bike. <snip> >Yeah, my brother has a Triumph that kick back like a mule, it was a great >bike. The Triumph Bonneville, especially, was a man's bike. Unlike the overweight Hondas and their ilk, it handled like a dream and it didn't need no stinkin' starter motor, either. SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs Near Dublin, Ireland > But to me the point of jump-starting something is that you are > resorting to an emergency measure (connecting starter cables) I still feel that this is the modern meaning since the invention of automatic gear boxes and "jumper" leads. To me "jump-start" still means getting the vehicle in motion in gear by way of a hill or push and then letting the clutch in to start to the engine. SignatureRob Bannister > But to me the point of jump-starting something is that you are > resorting to an emergency measure (connecting starter cables) when the Let me clarify: what I called "starter cables" here are more commonly referred to as "jumper cables." They connect an external battery to your car's battery terminals to start your car. >But to me the point of jump-starting something is that you are >resorting to an emergency measure (connecting starter cables) when the [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >alternative ways of getting it moving when the usual processes have >failed. I limagine those paddles used in medical drama films to restart a stopped heart, similar to the jumper cables in a car; an emergency procedure when something has failed. And to me the "kick" in "kick start" is redundant, like "track" in "track record in sales" instead of "sales record". >But I have the feeling that "kick-starting" is gaining fast because of >the influence of football and soccer, where a swift kick gets the >action off to a rapid and satisfying start. > >Paul Brians SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk >But to me the point of jump-starting something is that you are >resorting to an emergency measure (connecting starter cables) when the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >ignition, and doesn't have the same connotation of being an emergency >measure. It's not because of the lack of ignition, electronic or otherwise; it's used on motorcycles that don't have an electric starter motor. It's like having to prop an old airplane. Signature************* DAVE HATUNEN (hatunen@cox.net) ************* * Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow * * My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps * > These days we often see writers advocating that we "kick-start the > economy." [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Neither entry recognizes the common metaphorical uses of these > expressions. ... What the heck. [attn Jesse Sheidlower: sense missing from OED] They've probably got it, though. > But to me the point of jump-starting something is that you are > resorting to an emergency measure (connecting starter cables) when the [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > anyone knows who has witnessed someone repeatedly trying to kick-start > a balky motorcycle. That's exactly why I like "kick start" for the current attempts. It will take effort until the "economic engine" catches for reasons of its own. And kick-starting is or was normal, but it's also what you had to do when the motorcycle stalled. > What we're trying to do is not suddenly cause the economy to spring > into a full-throated roar (though that would be nice) but find > alternative ways of getting it moving when the usual processes have > failed. ... "Jump starts" are fairly predictable and rely on something else that works, both inappropriate for the situation. -- Jerry Friedman |
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