Article on origins of computer terminology?

Subject: Article on origins of computer terminology?
From: Steven Owens <uso01 -at- MAILHOST -dot- UNIDATA -dot- COM>
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1993 16:34:42 -0500

Can anybody give me a lead to articles on how computer terminology, usage,
grammar, etc, have evolved, and why? I have a particular article in mind,
but I'm interested in any leads or ideas.

Two years ago, I stumbled across a rather interesting article about
how computer terms and usage evolve based on anthropomorphic and
spatial metaphors used by computer scientists.

It was in an academic journal titled something like "The Journal of
Technical Communication". It had a non-glossy, light-brown cover, no
art, very academic-looking.

I'm seeking it and anything you may know of similar to it. Skip
_Technobabble_, I didn't find it very useful.

The main reason I'm pursuing this is to help my colleagues understand
the source of various computer terms and usages in our writing (i.e.
the data is "in" the file, "on" a disk, "under" a directory, etc).

Steven J. Owens
uso01 -at- unidata -dot- com


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