Unicycle synonyms

system · July 5, 2001, 5:10am

Jack Halpern wrote:
>You will probably be amazed to know that “unicycle” has I think more than
>20 synonyms in English – I could post that list if people are
>interested.

Jeff Lutkus wrote…

>When I’m riding, people around me have only used the words such as
>“unicycle,” “that thing,”
and even (still trying to figure this out) “tricycle”.
>
>Post away, Jack

Here is the list. Before anyone objects that these are not “real synonyms”
I will say that you are right, The theory of synonymy is very complex, and
involves fine distinctions between absolute synonyms, near-synonyms,
synonymous expressions, including unlexicalized nonce words, and more. I
will spare you the gory details.

There are 28 terms in all. The “English” part of the output from the
database implies that I have other languages too – actually, quite a few.
I will, “one day”, make Unicode and gif versions of all the languages.
Perhaps use as a T-shirt for UXI?

Enjoy!

English UNICYCLE Standard English MONOCYCLE Traditional (obsolescent?)
British English ONE-WHEELED VEHICLE “Scientific” English ICICLE colloq. (I
know one family who use it) English IKE colloq. (not sure where from –
attested) English YIKE colloq. (according to Adam Stork) English UNI
colloq., very common English WHEEL colloq. English ONE-WHEELER Unattested
nonce word English ONE-WHEEL BICYCLE Unattested, substandard nonce word
English BIKE Substandard nonce word English ONE-WHEELED BICYCLE colloq.,
substandard nonce word English ONE-WHEELED BIKE colloq., substandard nonce
word English TRICYCLE colloq., substandard, childish nonce word English
UNI-BIKE colloq., substandard nonce word English MONOBIKE substandard
nonce word? (by Phillipino) English ONE TRICYCLE colloq., substandard,
childish nonce word English BICYCLE Substandard illiterate nonce word
English UNIQUE colloq. nonce word (by Coolberg) English FUNNY LOOKING BIKE
substandard informal description English FUNNY THING substandard informal
description English FUNNY LOOKING THING substandard informal description
English THAT WEIRD THING substandard informal description English THAT
SILLY THING substandard informal description English THAT THING
substandard informal description English THAT substandard informal
description English THAT OVER THERE substandard informal description
English WHAT THAT FUNNY MAN’S RIDING substandard informal description

Do you know of any others, or can you confirm the unattested ones?

Regards, Jack Halpern President, The CJK Dictionary Institute, Inc.
http://www.cjk.org Phone: +81-48-473-3508

system · July 5, 2001, 5:24am

I’ve heard: “one-legged bike” and “unicorn” anyone else heard these? -Mark

system · July 5, 2001, 8:03am

Mark Stephens wrote:

> I’ve heard: “one-legged bike” and “unicorn” anyone else heard these?

I usually hear “Hey, you lost your other wheel?” Do you think they’re
using that as a reference to the unicycle?

Greg

system · July 5, 2001, 10:02am

cokerhead@gilby.com writes:
>I’ve heard: “one-legged bike” and “unicorn” anyone else heard
>these? -Mark
I have also heard unicorn (as well as many on the orig. list). YIKE is my
favorite, and I always use UNI.

system · July 5, 2001, 4:02pm

On Thu, 5 Jul 2001 10:03:44 -0500, Greg House
<ghouse@spammenot.southwind.net> wrote:

>I usually hear “Hey, you lost your other wheel?” Do you think they’re
>using that as a reference to the unicycle?

No, on the contrary: The wheel you lost is NOT (on) the unicycle, the
wheel you still have is.

Klaas Bil

“To trigger/fool/saturate/overload Echelon, the following has been picked
automagically from a database:” “Aegis radar system, kill, Sudan”

system · July 5, 2001, 2:07pm

Jack Halpern <jack@kanji.org> wrote:

> English UNICYCLE Standard English MONOCYCLE Traditional (obsolescent?)
> British English ONE-WHEELED VEHICLE “Scientific” English ICICLE colloq.
> (I know one family who use it)

Icicle was a brand name used by (IIRC) more balls than most for a cheap
T-cycle I owned one back in 1991.

> English IKE colloq. (not sure where from – attested) English YIKE
> colloq. (according to Adam Stork)

Popularised by the York UK Unicyclists, it is the standard term for a uni
owned by a York based rider as far I am aware.

> English UNI colloq., very common English WHEEL colloq. English
> ONE-WHEELER Unattested nonce word English ONE-WHEEL BICYCLE Unattested,
> substandard nonce word English BIKE Substandard nonce word English
> ONE-WHEELED BICYCLE colloq., substandard nonce word English ONE-WHEELED
> BIKE colloq., substandard nonce word English TRICYCLE colloq.,
> substandard, childish nonce word English UNI-BIKE colloq., substandard
> nonce word

Used last year by a scotish rider ( doug …) who knew no other riders, it
was his standard term for his unicycle which had been custom built by a
Bike frame builder.

> English MONOBIKE substandard nonce word? (by Phillipino) English ONE
> TRICYCLE colloq., substandard, childish nonce word English BICYCLE
> Substandard illiterate nonce word English UNIQUE colloq. nonce word (by
> Coolberg) English FUNNY LOOKING BIKE substandard informal description
> English FUNNY THING substandard informal description English FUNNY
> LOOKING THING substandard informal description English THAT WEIRD THING
> substandard informal description English THAT SILLY THING substandard
> informal description English THAT THING substandard informal description
> English THAT substandard informal description English THAT OVER THERE
> substandard informal description English WHAT THAT FUNNY MAN’S RIDING
> substandard informal description

British sign Language ( at least in North Yorkshire) , uses the sign for
ONE CYCLE to name a unicycle.

> Do you know of any others, or can you confirm the unattested ones?

I assume you are not includeing such model specific things as BIG WHEEL,
MUNI , MINI , Hockey wheel etc.

sarah

Euro-cycle 2001 20 - 22 July Plymouth UK A european unicycle convention
http://www.eurocycle.org

system · July 5, 2001, 2:56pm

My giraffe unicycle has been called a “giraffe-a-cycle”.

George C. Barnes IV President, ISU Unicycling Club
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~gbarnes/

“Jack Halpern” <jack@kanji.org> wrote in message
news:200107060203.AA01190@mail.kanji.org…
>
> Jack Halpern wrote:
> >You will probably be amazed to know that “unicycle” has I think more
> >than 20 synonyms in English – I could post that list if people are
interested.
>
> Jeff Lutkus wrote…
>
> >When I’m riding, people around me have only used the words such as
“unicycle,” “that thing,”
> and even (still trying to figure this out) “tricycle”.
> >
> >Post away, Jack
>
> Here is the list. Before anyone objects that these are not "real
> synonyms"
I will say
> that you are right, The theory of synonymy is very complex, and involves
fine
> distinctions between absolute synonyms, near-synonyms, synonymous
expressions,
> including unlexicalized nonce words, and more. I will spare you the gory
details.
>
> There are 28 terms in all. The “English” part of the output from the
database implies
> that I have other languages too – actually, quite a few. I will, "one
day", make
> Unicode and gif versions of all the languages. Perhaps use as a T-shirt
for UXI?
>
> Enjoy!
>
> English UNICYCLE Standard English MONOCYCLE Traditional (obsolescent?)
> British English ONE-WHEELED VEHICLE “Scientific” English ICICLE colloq.
> (I know one family who use it) English IKE colloq. (not sure where from
> – attested) English YIKE colloq. (according to Adam Stork) English UNI
> colloq., very common English WHEEL colloq. English ONE-WHEELER
> Unattested nonce word English ONE-WHEEL BICYCLE Unattested, substandard
> nonce word English BIKE Substandard nonce word English ONE-WHEELED
> BICYCLE colloq., substandard nonce word English ONE-WHEELED BIKE
> colloq., substandard nonce word English TRICYCLE colloq., substandard,
> childish nonce word English UNI-BIKE colloq., substandard nonce word
> English MONOBIKE substandard nonce word? (by Phillipino) English ONE
> TRICYCLE colloq., substandard, childish nonce word English BICYCLE
> Substandard illiterate nonce word English UNIQUE colloq. nonce word (by
> Coolberg) English FUNNY LOOKING BIKE substandard informal description
> English FUNNY THING substandard informal description English FUNNY
> LOOKING THING substandard informal description English THAT WEIRD THING
> substandard informal description English THAT SILLY THING substandard
> informal description English THAT THING substandard informal description
> English THAT substandard informal description English THAT OVER THERE
> substandard informal description English WHAT THAT FUNNY MAN’S RIDING
> substandard informal description
>
> Do you know of any others, or can you confirm the unattested ones?
>
>
> Regards, Jack Halpern President, The CJK Dictionary Institute, Inc.
> http://www.cjk.org Phone: +81-48-473-3508

system · July 5, 2001, 4:03pm

On 5 Jul 2001 05:10:57 -0700, jack@kanji.org (Jack Halpern) wrote:

>Jack Halpern wrote:

>Do you know of any others, or can you confirm the unattested ones?

I live in the Netherlands, and my unicycle has been referred to by
passers-by as “circusfiets”. That would translate as “circus bicycle”
(which was not on your list) except that a “fiets” does not necessarily
have two wheels so it is not illiterate (yet misinformed).

Other Dutch (near) synonyms include “eenwielfiets” and “eenwieler” which
are both quite common.

Klaas Bil

“To trigger/fool/saturate/overload Echelon, the following has been picked
automagically from a database:” “Aegis radar system, kill, Sudan”

system · July 5, 2001, 5:16pm

, Sarah Miller wrote…
>
>Icicle was a brand name used by (IIRC) more balls than most for a cheap
>T-cycle I owned one back in 1991.

Thanks for all this valuable input! It is a lexicographer’s feast, and I
will update my database.
>> Do you know of any others, or can you confirm the unattested ones?
>
>I assume you are not includeing such model specific things as BIG WHEEL,
>MUNI , MINI , Hockey wheel etc.

This list strictly refers to the standard unicycle. Novelty or specialy
unicycles are a subject in their own right and are also covered by my
dictionary. There are hundreds of terms for these. If you know of any
others, please send them along.

P.S. What is a MINI?.

Regards, Jack Halpern President, The CJK Dictionary Institute, Inc.
http://www.cjk.org Phone: +81-48-473-3508

system · July 5, 2001, 5:51pm

Greetings

In message “Re: Unicycle synonyms”, Klaas Bil wrote…
>On 5 Jul 2001 05:10:57 -0700, jack@kanji.org (Jack Halpern) wrote:
>
>>Jack Halpern wrote:
>
>>Do you know of any others, or can you confirm the unattested ones?
>
>I live in the Netherlands, and my unicycle has been referred to by
>passers-by as “circusfiets”. That would translate as “circus bicycle”
>(which was not on your list) except that a “fiets” does not necessarily
>have two wheels so it is not illiterate (yet misinformed).
>
>Other Dutch (near) synonyms include “eenwielfiets” and “eenwieler” which
>are both quite common.

That is good to know. The only entries I have for Duch are as follows:

Dutch EENWIELER standard Dutch EENWIELFIETS colloq.? variant

From your message it is clear that neither of these are standard. So
please tell me what the standard one is and add whatever else to the
entries you think is appropriate. Thanks.

Regards, Jack Halpern President, The CJK Dictionary Institute, Inc.
http://www.cjk.org Phone: +81-48-473-3508

system · July 5, 2001, 5:16pm

Greg House wrote…
>Mark Stephens wrote:
>
>> I’ve heard: “one-legged bike” and “unicorn” anyone else heard these?
>
>I usually hear “Hey, you lost your other wheel?” Do you think they’re
>using that as a reference to the unicycle?

Thank you and everyone else for you input. I will record it in my
dictionary. I wonder if “unicorn” deserves an an entry. At the very mist
we should consider it as a nonce description, not a proper headword
(lexicalized, in lexicographer’s lingo).

Regards, Jack Halpern President, The CJK Dictionary Institute, Inc.
http://www.cjk.org Phone: +81-48-473-3508

system · July 5, 2001, 9:21pm

> English MONOCYCLE Traditional

I find this one interesting. As I understand it, a monocycle is a device
where the rider is actually located inside the wheel. However, by the word
components itself, it implies the same as a unicycle – one wheel.

The term dicycle also comes to mind. I forget if this referrs to two
wheels, side by side, or one on top of hte other.

>British sign Language ( at least in North Yorkshire) , uses the sign for
>ONE CYCLE to name a unicycle.

As I recall from German class, a bicycle is called “Rad”, which literally
translates to “wheel.” A unicycle is an “Einrad”, literally “a wheel”.
Technically, you can call your unicycle a “Rad”, I would believe, which is
nice in a conversational sense. (Sometimes, I’ll use a term like “bike”
when I’m meaning to be quick and vague… but this bothers me because bike
technically refers to something with two wheels.)

I find myself frequently using terms like “cycling” rather than
“unicycling” or “bicycling” when I don’t feel like taking the time to
explain the difference. “Where do you recommend I go cycling?” allows me
to ask someone for a recommendation without getting into a lengthly
conversation about my coker or muni. (Yeah, I know, I should be doing more
to promote the sport, but it seems every time I’m in the bike shop, I’m in
a hurry for one reason or another.)

Jeff Lutkus

Free e-Mail and Webspace - http://Unicyclist.com

system · July 6, 2001, 8:53am

On 6/7/01 5:21 am, Jeff Lutkus posted:

> I find myself frequently using terms like “cycling” rather than
> “unicycling”

Likewise. I’ve ridden to work most of this week, and found that I just
tell people I’ve “cycled” (unless they’ve seen my crossing the car park).
Most of the other cyclists will have seen a unicycle in the “bike-shed”
[sic] but won’t know whose it is.

–
Trevor Coultart

system · July 6, 2001, 4:13pm

No, I think you got to the wrong conclusion as to what the standard term
is. I just mentioned “circusfiets” first because the translation did not
occur in your list of English terms, so I could add there (if “circus
cycle” or anything similar is at least used in English).

I don’t know what exactly you mean by standard. EENWIELFIETS is best
understood by the general public, because EENWIELER could be interpreted
as a broader term, to include pizza cutters, curvimeters or in general
anything with but one wheel. EENWIELER, on the other hand, is the most
used term in circles of unicyclists, at least the ones I am part of.
Amazingly, my Dutch dictionary (Van Dale comprehensive edition 1976)
gives neither term. CIRCUSFIETS is also not included, rightfully so IMHO;
it seems to be just used (occasionally) because it reminds people of
circuses (circi?).

Unfortunately I do not know other Dutch synonyms. Terms like THAT THING
are sometimes used, of course, but I would not call that a synonym. It
could as well be used for a pizzacutter, a car or a 7/16" hex wrench to
name I few.

It’s time I stop typing.

Klaas Bil

On 5 Jul 2001 17:51:48 -0700, jack@kanji.org (Jack Halpern) wrote:

>Greetings
>
>In message “Re: Unicycle synonyms”, Klaas Bil wrote…
> >On 5 Jul 2001 05:10:57 -0700, jack@kanji.org (Jack Halpern) wrote:
> >
> >>Jack Halpern wrote:
> >
> >>Do you know of any others, or can you confirm the unattested ones?
> >
> >I live in the Netherlands, and my unicycle has been referred to by
> >passers-by as “circusfiets”. That would translate as “circus bicycle”
> >(which was not on your list) except that a “fiets” does not necessarily
> >have two wheels so it is not illiterate (yet misinformed).
> >
> >Other Dutch (near) synonyms include “eenwielfiets” and “eenwieler”
> >which are both quite common.
>
>That is good to know. The only entries I have for Duch are as follows:
>
>Dutch EENWIELER standard Dutch EENWIELFIETS colloq.? variant
>
>From your message it is clear that neither of these are standard. So
>please tell me what the standard one is and add whatever else to the
>entries you think is appropriate. Thanks.
>
>
>Regards, Jack Halpern President, The CJK Dictionary Institute, Inc.
>http://www.cjk.org Phone: +81-48-473-3508
>

–
“To trigger/fool/saturate/overload Echelon, the following has been picked
automagically from a database:” “terrorist, Saddam Hussein, CIA”

system · July 6, 2001, 4:29pm

Jeff Lutkus wrote…
>> English MONOCYCLE Traditional
>
>I find this one interesting. As I understand it, a monocycle is a device
>where the rider is
actually located inside the wheel. However, by the word components itself,
it implies the same as a unicycle – one wheel.

In current English that is true. But I understand that sometime before the
fall of the Roman Empire the standard term in British English used to
be MONOCYCLE. I still hear it once in a while, but not from unicyclists. I
wonder if anyone knows when MONOCYCLE fell into disuse. By the way, there
are many languages that use some word similar to MONOCYCLE. Only one that
I lknow, Spanish, “uniciclo”, based on unicycle, though “monociclo” is
also common, esp.in Spain, I think

>The term dicycle also comes to mind. I forget if this referrs to two
>wheels, side by side, or one
on top of hte other.

Side by side. I have a book with pictures of dicycles.

>>British sign Language ( at least in North Yorkshire) , uses the sign
>>for ONE CYCLE to name a unicycle.
>
>As I recall from German class, a bicycle is called “Rad”, which
>literally translates to “wheel.”
A unicycle is an “Einrad”, literally “a wheel”. Technically, you can call
your unicycle a “Rad”, I would believe, which is nice in a conversational
sense. (Sometimes, I’ll use a term like “bike” when I’m meaning to be
quick and vague… but this bothers me because bike technically refers to
something with two wheels.)

Do you mean Rad is a colloquial form of Einrad in German? I am collecting
synonyms for various languages and would like to hear form the German
unicyclists of what variants they now for the standard Einrad.

>I find myself frequently using terms like “cycling” rather than
>“unicycling” or “bicycling” when
I don’t feel like taking the time to explain the difference.
>“Where do you recommend I go cycling?” allows me to ask someone for a
>recommendation
without getting into a lengthly conversation about my coker or muni.
(Yeah, I know, I should be doing more to promote the sport, but it
seems every time I’m in the bike shop, I’m in a hurry for one reason
or another.)
>
>Jeff Lutkus
>
>_____________________________________________________________
>Free e-Mail and Webspace - http://Unicyclist.com
>

Regards, Jack Halpern President, The CJK Dictionary Institute, Inc.
http://www.cjk.org Phone: +81-48-473-3508

system · July 6, 2001, 6:34pm

“Jack Halpern” <jack@kanji.org> wrote in message
news:200107070604.AA01224@mail.kanji.org…
>
> In current English that is true. But I understand that sometime
> before the
fall of the
> Roman Empire the standard term in British English used to be
MONOCYCLE.
> I still hear it once in a while, but not from unicyclists. I wonder if
anyone knows when
> MONOCYCLE fell into disuse. By the way, there are many languages
> that use
some
> word similar to MONOCYCLE. Only one that I lknow, Spanish, “uniciclo”,
based on
> unicycle, though “monociclo” is also common, esp.in Spain, I think

On our recent trip to Mexico, it was always monociclo, never uniciclo.
Can’t speak for Spain though, although I’ll be able to check it out
next year!

—Nathan

system · July 6, 2001, 8:45am

> Dutch EENWIELER standard Dutch EENWIELFIETS colloq.? variant

When I was in Holland in 1983 staying with the Abrahams, I remember being
taught “eenwielfiets” as the main term they used. I have also heard
eenwieler from other Dutch riders.

John Foss, the Uni-Cyclone jfoss@unicycling.com www.unicycling.com

There can be a fine line between “hobby” and “mental illness.” – scary
reality-check for unicyclists

system · July 6, 2001, 3:41pm

Hey Mark, I have most definately heard these. One-legged thingy is my
favorite. When I’m out riding on the trail around the lake I hear a lot of
" hey, you lost you’re other wheel" to which my response is Nah, I got rid
of the training wheel years ago. I have also been known to turn around and
give them a nice bit of ribbing and beg them to come up with something
more original. Probably a waste of time but it’s worth a shot. The best
comment I have heard of was from a friend. He was riding around town and
from across the street he heard a drunk person yell " hey, that guy’s got
a wheel up his @ss!"

Later days, Aj

system · July 6, 2001, 4:58pm

John Foss wrote…
>
>> Dutch EENWIELER standard Dutch EENWIELFIETS colloq.? variant
>
>When I was in Holland in 1983 staying with the Abrahams, I remember
>being taught “eenwielfiets” as the main term they used. I have also
>heard eenwieler from other Dutch riders.

“Eenwielfiets” is what I learned from the Abrahams too, but then I think
someone told me it is incorrect and that “eenwieler” is the standard term.
I hope someone can clear this up.

My experience with asking people all over the world how to say unicycle in
their language has taught me that more often than not you cannot trust
their answer, as they often don’t know and will just give you the
equivalent of “one-wheel bicycle”. For years I was under the mistaken
impression about the correct term in such languages as Arabic until I was
able to check in a comprehensive dictionary.

What is even more disturbing is that you cannot trust most dictionaries,
even authoriative comprehensive ones. For example, in mainland China it is
DULUNCHE, but mst dictionaries give soe equivalent of “one-wheel bicycle”,
or mistakenly use the Taiwanese version simply because lexicogarphy has a
long tradition of making dictionaries by copying from other dictionaries.

Stay on top, Jack Halpern Executive Director for International Development
International Unicycling Federation, Inc. Website: http://www.kanji.org

system · July 7, 2001, 2:46pm

On 5 Jul 2001 21:21:16 -0700, lutkus@unicyclist.com (Jeff Lutkus) wrote:

>As I recall from German class, a bicycle is called “Rad”, which literally
>translates to “wheel.”

I have a limited knowledge of German. I think the normal word for bicycle
is FAHRRAD (ridewheel). It may very well be abbreviated to RAD though I
never heard that.

> A unicycle is an “Einrad”, literally “a wheel”. Technically, you can
> call your unicycle a “Rad”, I would believe, which is nice in a
> conversational sense.

In official texts such as Dutch traffic laws the term for a bicycle is
RIJWIEL which also literally means ridewheel. Technically you could call a
unicycle a RIJWIEL because it is a wheel on which you ride. But the term
is only used for contraptions with two wheels. (FIETS includes the
one-wheel variety, though.)

Klaas Bil

“To trigger/fool/saturate/overload Echelon, the following has been picked
automagically from a database:” “Pretty Good Privacy, espionage, cocaine”