It is called a Traffic Light!

foozball3000

foozball3000

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I am so tired of people referring to a Traffic Light as a Robot (In english and Afrikaans)
It's not a robot, as it doesn't move! (Unless some drunk student makes it move with his car)
 
Local English dude. It always has been. Rather lets' complain about the Americanisms like "line" instead of "queue" etc..
 
 
redarrow said:
But your car doesn't automatically switch it's lights based on certain conditions?



It fits both points one and two.. :)

They are robots!! :mad: :p
Click to expand...

Um, no... but most new cars do. :p

2ndly... They already have a name. It's called a traffic light.
Do you call everything that fits that criteria a robot?
(PC.. DVD machine.. Wife.. Satellite.. UPS.. )
 
Robot is the South African English word for traffic light. You'll find it in the South African Concise Oxford.

It was first used on 24 January 1930 in The Star, according to the Oxford Dictionary of South African English on Historical Principles. That makes it about as old as the term traffic light, and effectively of equal standing.

Now go home pommie, or yank, or whatever you are.
 
ads said:
Robot is the South African English word for traffic light. You'll find it in the South African Concise Oxford.

It was first used on 24 January 1930 in The Star, according to the Oxford Dictionary of South African English on Historical Principles. That makes it about as old as the term traffic light, and effectively of equal standing.

Now go home pommie, or yank, or whatever you are.
Click to expand...

Our department of education says that it's fine to pronounce laboratory as Lab-re-tory. Does that make it right?

Ek is 100% Suid Afrikaans. ;)
 
foozball3000 said:
I am so tired of people referring to a Traffic Light as a Robot (In english and Afrikaans)
It's not a robot, as it doesn't move! (Unless some drunk student makes it move with his car)
Click to expand...

Seriously, why not and supply a better reason then the ones you have :p

redarrow said:
But your car doesn't automatically switch it's lights based on certain conditions?



It fits both points one and two.. :)

They are robots!! :mad: :p
Click to expand...

ads said:
Robot is the South African English word for traffic light. You'll find it in the South African Concise Oxford.

It was first used on 24 January 1930 in The Star, according to the Oxford Dictionary of South African English on Historical Principles. That makes it about as old as the term traffic light, and effectively of equal standing.

Now go home pommie, or yank, or whatever you are.
Click to expand...

+2 (one to each)

It can be called a robot. Nothing wrong with it.

Bil(l)tong het niks uit te waai met 'n rekening of 'n knyptang nie :p :D
 
Since when are news papers right about anything? Especially language and grammar!?
 
I'm with the OP on this one - calling Traffic Lights, Robots, drives me nuts!!

"...and at the 2nd Robot, turn left"

"What!? You mean Traffic Light, right?"

"er...yes, sorry"

Yes even in Afrikaans: Robot ≠ Verkeerslig

Why would we have words like "Traffic Light" and Verkeerslig?
 
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