Guest

Since this was brought up before, heres the definition:


motor
Main Entry: ımo·tor
Pronunciation: 'mO-t&r
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin, from movEre to move
Date: 1586
1 : one that imparts motion; specifically : PRIME MOVER
2 : any of various power units that develop energy or impart motion: as a : a small compact engine b : INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE; especially : a gasoline engine c : a rotating machine that transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy
3 : MOTOR VEHICLE; especially : AUTOMOBILE

No, I have decided the board name is not going to be changed to make the EE's happy, Webster still says its a motor so then so do I.

[This message has been edited by madmax (edited July 08, 2001).]

Tas

lol is this the thing about motors not making their own power so a car engine isn't a motor its an engine?

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-Tas
'89 Formula WS-6

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MRZ28HO

(regarding topic of motor vs. engine).

I agree with you Chris.

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George P. Lara
1984 Z28
2001 SS
SCCA, SCFB, SC3GFB

[This message has been edited by MRZ28HO (edited July 08, 2001).]

RB83L69

How cool!

Being a Latin student myself, I also well recall the word movere; the passive perfect is motus sum; like most active verbs in Latin, the word for "one who..." is the root of that tense with an ending of "-or", and the word for "that which is done" is that same tense ending in "-io" (declined with an "n" following the "-io"), which of course we use in English too, resulting in the English word "motion" in this case.

"Engine" is a specific instance of "motor", usually referring to things that are "prime movers" (see movere) which of course the thing in a car is, as well as things that are not "prime" such as electric motors. So, although I don't speak all languages, the only ones I'm at all fluent in are English, Latin, French, German, and classical Greek, IMHO "Motor Swap" is accurate even if not completely perfect.

edit: My worst is English, especially written! OBTW, since I now live in old Mexico, I'm learning Spanish real fast too.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

[This message has been edited by RB83L69 (edited July 09, 2001).]

ploegi

Should this be on the "nit-pick" board? Or perhaps the "language" board? LOL, you folks are hilarious. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to get a "history of the english language" lesson on a car board. Gottaloveit!!!!!

Thanks folks, this was a hoot.