Lingua

Our carbon world

Today’s post is inspired by stories I read and experiences I made myself with people who cannot properly use the cc: and bcc: functions when sending emails. However, I don’t really want to write about how irresponsible and embarrassing it is to send one email (usually promotional or with wishes) to DISCLOSED recipients.

I’d rather have a look at the linguistic background of the abbreviation cc itself. As you probably know it stands for carbon copy and the term actually comes from the times long (well not so long) before emails or photocopiers when one used to make copies by putting carbon paper between the sheets and typing or writing real hard.

I find it really funny that ‘old’ terminology enters the world of new technologies. On a side note: can you possibly imagine a world without copy machines or emails anymore? When I was still a student we often thought about how hard it must have been even for our parents to study without those blessings. I mean, seriously! How did they copy the notes taken during a boring lecture at 8 am by the only conscientious student who actually showed up and made them?