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- Item 7472294 9-May-90 18:45DST
-
- From: UK0392 EHN & DIJ Oakley,IDV
-
- To: D5295 Reseach SW Design, D Goldman,PRT
-
- cc: MACAPP.TECH$ MacApp Technical
-
- Sub: Re Colour & Naff
-
- Dave,
-
- Sorry:
-
- NAFF, adj. [to rhyme with TAFF, slang for "Welsh", and Liverpudlian LAUGH] -
- general pejorative popular in computing circles in late 20th C. UK,
- particularly when referring to aspects of computer systems or application
- software in a derisory manner. (Examples: "46-button mice are really naff."
- "MS-DOS' user interface is really naff.")(Etymology: probably contraction of
- NAFFY, derived from NAAFI, acronym for the UK equivalent of the PX, and thus
- wholly descriptive)
-
- In truth, Eric Partridge's Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, a
- seminal work, gives it as "vulgar, common, despicable; hence, generally
- contemptible. However, there is an alternative meaning which had arisen by the
- early 80s, in the 'gay' jet set (Eric Partridge informs us, I would hasten to
- add), as the acronym for "not available for fun" (or whatever).
-
- I am sorry - I had only intended to thrust the anglicism of "colour" upon you,
- not "naff" too!
-
- Regards, Howard.
-
- [PS I agree with Kurt that specific MacApp support for colour stuff is way down
- the list of priorities - it is actually so easy to do conventionally with the
- right resources. MacApp's (specific) support for colour menus etc. is quite
- enough at present]
-
-