LeatherMoose said:
The wiki article is good, but it doesn't go deep enough. I guess my question is more linguistic than historical. It's nice to know they were calling it 'point blank primitive' but this just raises more questions. 'Primitive'? What dey mean, 'primitive'?
If the term comes from the French, then 'blank' may mean 'white'. If from English, it may mean 'zero'(although I would expect it to be 'point naught', if that were the case. :hmm: )
Thanks for the lead, folks. I'll report back on this if'n I find any more info.
Moose
Hope this help.
Top Web Results for "primitive"
10 results for: primitive
View results from: Dictionary | Thesaurus | Encyclopedia | All Reference | the Web
[url]
Dictionary.com[/url] Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source
prim·i·tive /ˈprɪmɪtɪv/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[prim-i-tiv] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
”“adjective 1. being the first or earliest of the kind or in existence, esp. in an early age of the world: primitive forms of life.
2. early in the history of the world or of humankind.
3. characteristic of early ages or of an early state of human development: primitive toolmaking.
4. Anthropology. of or pertaining to a preliterate or tribal people having cultural or physical similarities with their early ancestors: no longer in technical use.
5. unaffected or little affected by civilizing influences; uncivilized; savage: primitive passions.
6. being in its earliest period; early: the primitive phase of the history of a town.
7. old-fashioned: primitive ideas and habits.
8. simple; unsophisticated: a primitive farm implement.
9. crude; unrefined: primitive living conditions.
10. Linguistics. a. of or pertaining to a form from which a word or other linguistic form is derived; not derivative; original or radical.
b. of or pertaining to a protolanguage.
c. of or pertaining to a linguistic prime.
GOOD LUCK