Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Linguistics or geekiness?

My husband is into the whole Microsoft Flight Simulator world, which is apparently a rather large world with organizations and ranks and events and training and barbecue suppers and satanic rituals and what have you. Now, this obsession (oh, I meant hobby) of his doesn't bother me except for a) the sickening geek factor of the whole thing and b) the fact that when he is talking on his little microphone to his little flying buddies they say "tree" instead of "three". Now, supposedly this is some linguistics issue - it is easier to understand "tree", but I really think it is just to amplify the geek factor.

And the correct answer to the question "will he ever take real flying lessons?" is "over my dead body".

I'm sure that can be arranged.

7 comments:

St. Caffeine said...

Sorry, Mel, jargon is almost always a sign of geekiness -- this from a guy who lectures about NAIRU!

Kassandra said...

Oh god I can relate... mine's got a whole slew of games... including the dreaded flight simulator one. I don't mind the geek factor - I always had a soft spot for geeks - but I do mind the empty bed factor, i.e. I wake up in the small hours of the morning to find my boyfriend hunched over the computer intent on shooting down or outracing some speedy moving vehicle. Why? "Sorry honey, my insomnia... I couldn't sleep." Ever heard of warm milk or counting sheep!??!!! I keep hoping he'll outgrow it... maybe by the time he's 55...

Anonymous said...

I gave up video games when I discovered women.

Paul V said...

I gave up women when I discovered video games.

And then gave up video games when my daughter was born...

Kat Coble said...

I discovered that I am a woman...

who loves video games.

Mel, you only really need to worry if they start saying "leftenant" instead of "lootenant" when talking about Lieutenants.

In my mind "leftenant" is the make-or-break overthetop military jargon. All the "tree-niner-niner-delta-bravo-golf" in the world can be excused, but once they break out that imaginary "f", it's time to lay down the law.

melusina said...

I actually don't mind the video games or the geekiness. I love video games myself, and I tried Flight Sim but I just didn't see the point of it. It just seems SO nerdy hearing my husband when he is doing ATC or flying.

And I don't *think* we are in danger of my husband saying "leftenant". They have a whole other word for that in Greek, anyway. =p

Anonymous said...

Hey -- at least he's not playing one of these shoot-everything-that-moves games. There are far worse hobbies to have!