cablese

cablese
cablese (n.) 1895, from CABLE (Cf. cable) in the telegraphic sense + -ESE (Cf. -ese) as a language name suffix. "Since cablegrams had to be paid for by the word and even press rates were expensive the practice was to affix Latin prefixes and suffixes to make one word do the work of several" [Daniel Schorr], such as exLondon and Londonward to mean "from London," "to London," though non-Latin affixes also were used. Hence the tale, famous in the lore of the United Press International, of the distinguished but harried foreign correspondent who reached his breaking point and wired headquarters UPSTICK JOB ASSWARD.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • cablese — |kābə|lēz, ēs noun ( s) Etymology: cable (I) + ese : the language of a cablegram or language resembling that of a cablegram characterized by the omission of connectives and by the use of special combinations, abbreviations, and code symbols in …   Useful english dictionary

  • cablese — ca·blese || keɪ bliːz n. abbreviations and other shortened language used in cables or telegrams …   English contemporary dictionary

  • cablese — ca·blese …   English syllables

  • cablese — /keɪbəˈliz/ (say kaybuh leez) noun the language used in cables, characterised by shortened forms, abbreviated syntax, blends, etc. {cabl(e) + ese} …  

  • Telegraphese — is a linguistic term for an elliptical style of writing, such as that used to write newspaper headlines or article titles. Related but distinct, is the historical practice of using abbreviations and code words to compress the meaning of phrases… …   Wikipedia

  • English language — Language belonging to the Germanic languages branch of the Indo European language family, widely spoken on six continents. The primary language of the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and various Caribbean and Pacific… …   Universalium

  • tel|e|graph|ese — «TEHL uh gra FEEZ, FEES», noun. the concise and elliptical style in which telegrams are worded; cablese: »Another colleague rewrote the paper in telegraphese, leaving out most adjectives, inserting the word “stop” for periods (Time) …   Useful english dictionary

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