Apt, App, App, App, and Ray Porter

 We have an extended conversation on the etymology of the word "apt" as well as three different versions of shortened words that result in "app" (application, appetizer, and appearance).

We continue the episode with discussion about the likes and dislikes of when authors self-narrate their own books, and conclude with talking about our favorite narrator of all time: Ray Porter.

You can find the link to the audiobook mentioned in the episode here.

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Any views expressed on this podcast are those solely of the hosts and is for entertainment purposes only. None of the content is medical advice or financial advice.

Special thanks to Tim Wright aka CoLD SToRAGE for his permission to use the song Operatique.

Transcript

I Hate Talking: 0:29

Welcome to episode 54 of I Hate Talking. Hi everyone. So, today's word or phrase is a very short word. It may be the shortest word that we've ever done, and hopefully, we've never done this word before because I still do have a slight fear of doing a repeat word. And at some point, probably we'll go listen to all of our 53 previous episodes. And record what word it was and have that as a database so that we can internally make sure that we don't have a repeat. It's gonna get harder the longer we wait. You need to just do it. Yes, that is true. It would be better to start that sooner. So, -- today's word or phrase is -- apt. Like I'm apt to do this. Yes. Not. Like on our phones. No, which that is not even a word, that is just a shortened word that probably would become maybe now used as a word where it's like an application. But oh wait, yeah, that's what app means application. You have a phone application on your device. No, really? You didn't know that. No. What what would it be if it wasn't an application? It's an app. Well, you might question the phone makers. You might be at TGI Fridays and ordering an app. appetizer, that's a, that's why it's a different word, appetizer. Well, I guess you, our listeners may be getting two bonus words because maybe we'll have to look up app as in phone or computer application versus an appetizer at a restaurant, but the word we're talking about, yes, OK, let's focus, -- refocus on this -- is apt APT. What? How would you spell the word apt? What did you just spell APT. Oh, OK. Apt. I thought you said APP and then I was like, that is definitely a phone app. Well, maybe you should have paused and listened to what I said because I said APT. But to answer your question, I definitely would spell apt. Like, are you apt? An aptitude test. Are you apt to do this? A, D, D. -- I think you're getting your T's and -- D's and the poor listeners with all these D's and T's and P's, those aren't pleasant to hear. So sorry y'all. That is true. Maybe we have to mind our P's and Q's. Do you know where that phrase come from? Yes, from the typewriter thing or from like the uh early day printing, cause Ps and Q's look the same. That is not. -- And then -- they're like upside down so then you don't know if you have a or a. That is not the etymology of -- pes -- OK, we're, we're giving too much away. We have lots more episodes to do. All right, well, let's see where we go with this one. So the word apt, and I guess it is in the word aptitude. But that is not necessarily the exact etymology of the word apt. So I think aptitude may be more of a modern use of the same root word, but apt does mean it is suitable or appropriate or able to do something, right? It has the particular attributes or skills or whatever the case may be to fulfill a certain role or activity. So a person can be apt or a word could be apt to be suitable or appropriate in doing something. OK. So this particular word comes from purely Latin from the word appear, which means to fasten, and then that came to be used in the word aptus, which means fitted. So if you're fastening something, it is going to be fitted so that it is tightly fastened, and that came to be used in the late Middle English as apt. As in suited or appropriate because it is fitting that that word would become used in such a manner. Interesting, but it isn't the same word. I feel like I often associate it as a shortened version of aptitude. Like you take an aptitude test to see if you are suitable for this career. So interestingly enough, the word aptitude is a different definition and it has a different origin. So aptitude is the natural ability to do something. So if you are particularly apt at a particular activity, then perhaps you have the aptitude to do that, but it basically means a natural tendency or suitability or fitness enable to do something. Now it does have some of the same Latin roots. Aptus, which we just talked about is fitted, but it also came to be used in a different Latin word aptitudo, which means that sort of natural tendency part of the word. So it does come somewhat in the Latin. But then actually came to be used as a separate word in the Latin from that same root word, and then came to be used as aptitude in the Middle English. So, whereas apt came straight from the word aptus in Latin. So, There was actually that split happened in Latin, -- not in -- English. Oh, there you go. So, am I getting it correct? The aptitude would be more of a God-given natural ability. Where apt could be that or it could be like a training for it, whether you have to train and learn a skill or you just know how to do it. Precisely, and I think also the word apt is more used in a general sense that it's not necessarily a person, but it could even be a word, phrase or thing that is apt to be used in a certain fashion, whereas I think aptitude is going to be more related to a person or Something that has a particular skill or natural tendency. OK. So are we gonna check on app and app as well? If we want to have a purple header for this episode. Well, I don't think we want to keep our listeners in suspense, -- so -- I don't want to be in suspense. Well, -- at -- least check on the app and app. So app as in terms. An application on your phone. I, I can't even think of a different. It's not just a word app. -- It -- is. Have you ever said download this application? Yes, I have. Well, I have not. So, A is a common abbreviation for application when referring to software programs, especially those designed for mobile devices. -- But -- what's application mean? Because I feel like application means like you take something. And you apply it to what you're doing. So I think the way that application became to be used in software is more around logic. So in the very early days of computing, according to some of the brief research that I've done offline here is that there would be punch cards or particular logic blocks that would be applied to particular computer problems or mathematical problems. And that these particular logic things then became known as applications because you, as a computer programmer or a computer user are applying the particular logic that the programmer has designed to solve a particular problem using computing resources or in order to do something with the technology. So that appears to be The sort of etymology in terms of application as it relates to computer software. OK, can we say that probably In the future, app will be its own word then. Cause that's so far removed, and that was probably what in the 80s or whatnot so long ago. That app is its own externally actual thing now. So, our favorite Oxford English dictionary, which we actually used the Merriam-Webster last time in our previous episode, but it does seem that the word app in the Oxford English Dictionary. is Not looked upon favorably by the English because they specifically refer to this word as used in North American English. And it has this word as a computing term with regards to the application thing that we've been talking about. So, are you saying that in the UK they do not call the things that you download on your phone to open your email or whatnot, apps, what do they call them? If that's a North American term. They're not widgets, which is a completely different thing. So what is it called? They might just call it application. I will have to ask somebody in Europe next time I talk to them. Yeah, when you do ask. Did you download that, cause if someone told me, did you download the application? I would think like to apply for a job? What are you talking about? But if someone says download this app, like oh, OK, sure. So, we will have to keep our listeners in suspense because I will have to wait until I talk to somebody in Europe about that. All right. And then The app as in terms of appetizer. does not really seem to have any particular etymology. It looks like. Just a pure shortening of the word. OK, but if you're reading it, if I feel like, I think this is why I assumed app was a word, because I feel like if you're talking about a phone app, it's usually capital A, capital P, capital P. But if you're reading the word appetizer, like, let's order the app. For happy hour. It's like APP, right? Lowercase letters. No, I think both would be lowercase. Really? Yes. Oh. And it does seem that the more prevalent use of the word app is in reference to application and Not appetizer, and then Wikipedia gives a third one, where it is a shortening of the word appearance. So, for example, if Mike Trout made an app at a baseball game, that would be an appearance. I don't think I've ever heard. That used anywhere, but Wikipedia says that that is a third shortening of a word that ends, therefore, in the word app. OK. So, I think that the most apt thing to do is if you want to be explicitly clear, is to use the full word, application, appetizer or appearance. I don't think so. I'd almost argue just for appetizer, but if you're out of, I think context counts too, right? If you're with your friends and you say, hey, you want to order an app, I wouldn't think they're asking me to pull up my phone. To download something. I think they wanna share some appetizers. But if somebody said download this app, I think, oh, instantly. They want me to click on this QR code and get this program on my phone. They don't want me to order nachos. Yeah, I suppose you could use all three in a sentence, so if you're single out there and your date makes an app, it's time to download an app so that you can order some apps. OK. So that is our word or phrase of the episode, apt and That just came to mind because that was one of the words that I used in the previous episode to describe how pauses might be sometimes used and when maybe be an appropriate time to use them because if they are apt to be used, that means that they are fitting or appropriate. OK, yeah, that was a long go around, but that was super interesting. I felt like I learned a lot. So are we gonna keep the suspense then for the etymology of P's and Q's? If you want this to be an etymology podcast, we can cause we can go on that. It's totally whatever you want. Well, we've have spent a lot of time on etymology. So I think it is time to move on and if our listeners would like to hear about Ps and Q's, you can tune in next time. OK, but to build uh suspense, you don't think I'm right on what I said. No it's not, it's not a matter of thinking. I know. That there is a very specific etymology of Ps and Q's and it has nothing to do with the typewriter or the formation of the typewriter, but like that, the original typing. Are they on opposite ends of the keyboard or like as far apart as you can get? Yeah, but like, no, the original print, OK, I must have misspoke, the original time like they created printed work. And they'd have to, I guess we have to talk about this. You, OK, we'll talk about it later. We'll talk about it later. So. So, I think I might have misspoke and you're taking it super literal, which Jefferson Fisher in his book talks about the importance of words and how important a word can be to change the entire outcome of a conversation. That is very true. That is one of the reasons that we do talk about words and etymology on this particular podcast because they are of great importance. So Ps and Q's, tune in next time. We've spent enough time on ap apps, app and app. Oh man. So, one of the things that came up in our last episode that maybe we will touch on for the remainder of this episode is just narration and whether authors read their works differently or if maybe particularly we have any favorite narrators that Narrate audiobooks or podcasts or anything of that nature. Mhm. So I think it was clear from the tail end of our episode last time that I do not particularly enjoy self-narrated works where the author is reading their own book. You do not. I feel like we've talked about that maybe on the podcast a little bit before too. But yes, you have A disdain or disinterest in authors, and maybe uh you can remind us all of why, cause you do have valid reasons why you dislike it. Yes, so probably two main reasons come to mind. One is the speed at which they read. I've always found that. Authors that read their own works will read it faster. Now, this is probably because they are not trained narrators, so they do not necessarily have the exact particular temperament to read at an even meter or at a meter that is most appropriate for audiobooks. So it's a little bit of an inaccuracy in my mind because if a book is presented as being 8 hours long. I can speed that up and listen to it at a more fast pace, but if it is a self-narrated work, I will not be able to speed it up at the same rate. So a quote unquote regular book that is narrated by a trained narrator might turn in from an eight hour book to a 4 hour book, but a self-narrated book might change from an 8 hour book to only a 6 hour book, so. It will make a difference in terms of the time that I spend listening to a book as an audiobook. Interesting. And on that, I just don't know, maybe you do. I've always assumed the audiobook is word for word, the same. Occasionally you'll hear them throw something in that's different, and they'll often acknowledge that. From the written work versus the audio, cause audio obviously comes after the written. But is it word for word? Cause I know there's an event that, I mean, you and I both do, that I do. That I have to write out something for and turn it in to get approval. And then I go speak it in front of a crowd. There's often A few sentences that I changed the words when I'm doing it, not intentionally, and I do not think it's changing the meaning at all. It's just a more natural way I talk than what is explicitly read. That is possible. I don't know if I've ever observed that with a particular audiobook that is read by the author. The other thing that I do notice with an author that reads her own work is that sometimes their inflection will actually not be all that good. So again, as a person that is not trained in narration, they might not have a lot of inflection or a lot of variability within their tone and speed and things of that nature. But there are the opposite in the spectrum where perhaps the author because they understand what they are reading and what they actually want to impart to the listener, they will have better inflection than a narrator. So that can go sort of both ways. Now, the interesting thing that you noted in terms of how perhaps maybe the written word is different from the spoken word is when I'm preparing something that is spoken, I will actually speak the written thing that I wrote. And adjust it accordingly. Adjusted how? If I run into a phrase or a word that makes perfect sense in the written word, but maybe seems a little bit off in terms of how it would be delivered in spoken form, I will make that adjustment. Right, I think that's what I'm asking is Often when we're reading something to have correct grammar. Or punctuation and needs to be written in a certain way. But when you're speaking it, if you spoke like that, it would sound odd. And I don't know if they have the ability and flexibility to change that when they're reading it out loud. I would doubt it. I think that if. A narrator was hired to narrate a specific book, they would not have that liberty to change what the author who isn't hired and they're doing it. Do they have the ability and flexibility? I would assume that maybe they would have that flexibility and ability, but I don't know if they would really necessarily pursue that because I think they would want to act in a way that had fidelity to the original work that they published in the written form. OK. So, that is some of the reasons that maybe particularly I do not like authors that read their own works. But I definitely have some favorite narrators. Sometimes I will buy a book just for the narrator. Yeah, you want me to name him? Well, I'm interested to know if it's the same narrator. This will be interesting. I don't know if we've ever talked about this. We do because you've gotten me books because of him. You've tried to convince me like you have to read it. Or like listen to this guy, it's so and so I reads it. You don't know who I'm talking about? Well, I know who my favorite narrator is. I don't know if we're talking about the same person. All right, I'll look it up. Well, I know it. You don't know it. I know him as like my personal friend Ray Porter, the best narrator in the world. I'm not on personal terms with him. No, me and Ray don't go way back. Well, neither do we, but Yes, I definitely know the name Ray Porter because he is definitely the best narrator that I have ever encountered by far. Gray Porter. So you can check out some of his works. There's a number of them that he narrates that are quite good. So. Are you name any of them? Well, the one that we were just talking about as we were trying to arrive at the book that you enjoyed that was narrated by him was. Project Hail Mary by Andy Ware, which was narrated by Ray Porter. So we can throw that one in the show notes as well. That was one that we both enjoyed. Not only because of the content of the story, but because of the excellent narration. Right? I mean, I don't know if I would have enjoyed the story as much without him. Uh, narrated it you told me about. The book and I wasn't interested until you said he was narrating it and so I listened and I did enjoy it. So I think narrators can make a big difference because of how they present the information. It can make it interesting or not. Precisely. So that is one of our favorite narrators. There's some that Will Wheaton has done that are quite good. So, The Martian, which was by the same author, Andy Ware, I think Will Wheaton also did the narration of Ready Player One and Ready Player 2. And the kids really enjoy Jack Black as a narrator on some of them on the Minecraft book. Jack Black has the Minecraft movie now too, that we're gonna have to go see. We will probably see it at some point. There's a lot of mixed feelings on the movie itself in our household, so I don't know if we're going to spend the money to go see it in theaters. We probably will wait until it is available to buy or rent. What was that other movie that it was so good that we did not go see it in theaters because it was a huge flop, the Dogman movie. Oh my goodness, that was. Not a good movie experience. I'm not sure why that was, but it was certainly good that we did not spend all the money to go see that in theaters because I don't even think some of the kids made it through like the 1st 5 minutes and they said this is dumb. No, we bought it. We probably could have waited till it came out, but we did buy it. To own And yeah, they didn't like it. Um, one of the Minecraft themes in all, you know, Jack Black's defense, some of our kids don't wanna watch it because it's called a Minecraft movie, not the Minecraft movie. So they think it's a knockoff because it's not the, it's just a. And that's an importance of the word choice. It is an importance of the word choice. So, well, I think this is an apt time to end this particular episode, but before we do, if you are listeners think that we, the podcasters have aptitude at podcasting, we would like you to share this episode and this podcast with others that you also may think. would enjoy it and continue to listen and perhaps next time we will mind our P's and Q's. So, from your friends at IHTalking until next time, remember, it is only through talking that we begin the journey to understanding.