Word Play: Gadget

One of the things that fascinates me about the English language is the etymology of everyday words and phrases that we'll throw out into our conversations. These are words that we won't usually think twice about- words that we take for granted- but they each have their own interesting histories, and have often come a long way from their original meanings. So why not explore these origins from time to time? In some cases, it can add emphasis or meanings to a word that you had otherwise been unaware of. I'll start us off.

Gadget

Nowadays it is the norm for people to be carrying around an assortment of 'gadgets'. A gadget in modern terms is an electronic device, often novel in its function, that can be used to make our lives easier or more entertaining. Today, a checklist for leaving the house might include:

• Remote unlocking car keys
• Smartphone
• Mp3 player/ Headphones/Earphones
• Fitness tracker/pedometer
• Smart watch
• Camcorder/ Camera
•  Battery charger/ charging cable
• Spare batteries
• Spare spare batteries

Of course, many of these gadgets have been amalgamated into one 'super gadget', allowing you to make calls, listen to music, take selfies and browse Facebook on the go. But it was not always so. Going back just 15 years and people would be carrying around satchels full of gadgets, in order to make their life less 'cumbersome', even though you could barely fit a Walkman in your pocket without your clothes ripping. Funny how that works. 

Whereas in modern popular culture it is desirable to have the smallest, thinnest, most lightweight, shiny devices possible, back in the day, it was hip to have the biggest gadgets possible. Massive boombox speakers were all the rage once (some of you may remember) and the introduction of the mobile telephone was 'groundbreaking', despite it weighing more than a small child and being sturdy enough to use as a murder weapon. This was more akin to gadgets' original meaning.

The word 'Gadget' first came into use in the latter half of the 19th century, originally spelled gadjet. It was used to describe any mechanical part or object for which a sailor, likely rum-soaked, forgot the name of. Going back even further, to the 15th Century, the slang word gadjet has been suggested to be a derivative of the French 'gâchette' meaning the catch piece of a mechanism, such as the trigger of a pistol.

One of the oldest 'gadgets' in existence is the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient analogue computer, used by the ancient Greeks for astrological study as well as for the timing of Olympic Games. It is comprised of 30 clockwork gears, and is read by the inscriptions found on the casing, though these are largely illegible now. It was discovered in 1900, off the coast of Antikythera, Greece but is said to date back to anywhere between 250-100BCE. 

So, it is understandable that today we might refer to an electronic device as a gadget, purely to avoid stating or repeating brand names or types; it is far simpler to ask someone to 'check something on their gadget' than to ask them 'would you mind looking something up on your Samsung Galaxy S6+ gold edition?'. Furthermore, like those sailors of two centuries past, we might also not understand the function of said item of technology, and therefore call it a gadget to avoid embarrassment- parents are particularly prone to this act of avoidance.

Gadgets can be a blessing and a curse in the modern era, making our lives easier with their time saving functionality, but also detracting from it with their addictive nature. We should use these devices in moderation. As for the word 'gadget', go wild.