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Complaining that they use a common term that most people know rather than a correct term misunderstands language. Like, yes, it's a magazine, but colloquially
by Humboldtsnee 3y ago
Complaining that they use a common term that most people know rather than a correct term misunderstands language.
Like, yes, it's a magazine, but colloquially it's a clip. Pop culture has given these objects two names.
It's not a mark of failure to use the term most people are familiar with.
- alexb_ 3y agoIf you are talking about guns and call a magazine a clip, even in a casual setting, you would be instantly made fun of for not knowing what you are talking about. Pop culture absolutely has not given these things two names. Calling a suppressor a "silencer" is just incorrect.
- NoraCodes 3y agoThat you dislike it when people use incorrect but clear language does not mean that it invalidates their point.
- Humboldtsnee 3y agoMy guy, I'm in a gun organization. I'm aware. But most folks call it a clip because that's what movies and videogames have called them for 40 years. "Throw me a clip!" Or picking up "clips" of ammo in FPS games. Yes, mag is becoming more common now, but clip was absolutely common.
- nonethewiser 3y ago> But most folks call it a clip because that's what movies and videogames have called them for 40 years. This is precisely the point. Perhaps there is something illegal about these sales but why should I assume this is the case when the author incorrectly implies the existence of gun ads itself is illegal and use video game and movie terminology to talk about them?
- TimSchumann 3y agoShouldn’t you base that judgement on the validity of their argument, and not discard the argument outright because of some semantics around the author not using ‘pure’ enough language for you?
- semi-extrinsic 3y agoI believe they are used fairly interchangeably in colloquial speech. E.g. "Full clip, do you wanna mess with this?" (Guru and Premier, 1999) "I'm like two magazines fully-loaded to your one" (ibid.)
- numpad0 3y agoThey're different technologies. Maybe there could be a "ammunition holding feature" superclass that both belongs. Clips don't have springs, and are used to tidy ammunition, and to aid loading magazines. Old rifles and some revolvers had clip compatibility to aid loading internal magazine. At some point the military stopped using old rifles and some revolvers, making removable magazines far more common. But that is not even remotely relevant to the topic. The original article don't even use the word "silencer", nor "suppressor", let alone "clip".
- Humboldtsnee 3y ago[flagged]
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- delecti 3y agoThere are different kinds of casual settings. In my social circle, if you criticized someone for calling a magazine a clip, you would be instantly made fun of for being such a pedantic nuisance. A clearly left-leaning media outlet like this is likely targeting an audience more like my social circle than ones who would be pedantic about silencer/suppressor or clip/magazine. A lack of precision is only really a problem when it would cause confusion. In the context of the article, nobody is confused about what they mean by "silencer". A good example of this is that, even while complaining about calling them "silencers" rather than suppressors, the top comment still didn't have any confusion about what was being discussed.
- alexb_ 3y ago> In the context of the article, nobody is confused about what they mean by "silencer". People are confused as to believing the idea that any device which makes a gun silent exists.
- delecti 3y agoBut that distinction isn't relevant to the discussion of instagram ads.
- Humboldtsnee 3y agoEven my most gun averse friends don't think a silencer makes a gun silent.
- stickfigure 3y agoApparently none of your friends work in Hollywood.
- Humboldtsnee 3y agoSure, movies portray suppressors as incredible magic devices, but everyone I know thinks this is fiction.
- 3y ago
- rdl 3y agoThe legal term in the NFA is "Silencer", and the original items were in fact called "Silencers".
- stuaxo 3y agoA large part of the world is made up of people that don't live around guns or know the proper names of their parts - living in the UK, the majority of people I know wouldn't know this, I bet it's the same for most of the people in Europe and Asia too.
- 0xcde4c3db 3y agoIt's similarly incorrect to call a Ryzen 9 7950X3D a "chip", but if you complained about it, even on a hardcore PC enthusiast forum, you'd probably be downvoted and mocked for being uselessly pedantic.
- nonethewiser 3y agoIt's a mark of not understanding the subject matter.
- Nullabillity 3y agoNot all details matter for the broader discussion. Being a gun nerd has very little to do with understanding their impact on society.
- nonethewiser 3y agoThe impact on society and whether you arent ignorant about firearms is irrelevant. They claim the firearm ads are illegal but dont seem credible because they use outsider language and incorrectly imply firearm ads are illegal in general.
- Humboldtsnee 3y agoIt's not. I guarantee you they know the difference. They are choosing to use common vernacular to speak to their audience. People know what a "silencer" is because that's what it's called in movies and TV. Much fewer people know that it's actually called a "suppressor". Meet the audience where they are.
- nonethewiser 3y agoI'm not going to take their word that they are illegal firearms when they demonstrate ignorance of firearms and firearms ads.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- Humboldtsnee 3y ago[flagged]
- unethical_ban 3y agoWithout comment on the rest of the discussion, a professional journalism outlet should work to be technically accurate to the greatest extent possible. Explain the true term in a one-liner and then use it. edit: If Tom's Hardware ran an article about a laptop that has 2TB of "memory", I'd be skeptical of their ability to give me the proper information. If I read an article about welfare that calls Medicaid "handouts", I'm going to realize they aren't being objective.
- philistine 3y agoAnd so, according to your logic, no one is allowed to talk about guns using the words people typically use. You’re literally gatekeeping.
- unethical_ban 3y agoAccording to your logic, "everyone" is a professional journalism institution trying to build a reputation for good reporting. So no, you are incorrect.
- catiopatio 3y agoThe general public knows what a “magazine” is. Even if we didn’t, it’s a journalist’s job to inform. Using “clip” isn’t just a colloquialism — it refers to a different thing entirely, and is incorrect. If they genuinely believe the public is not familiar with “magazine”, they can and should explain the terminology. However, I sincerely doubt these individuals — especially given their Vice/Motherboard background — knew the correct terminology in the first place.
- numpad0 3y agoFYI/PSA, the article does not contain the word "silencer", "suppressor", "magazine", nor "clip". The only relevant part is "silenced Glock handguns". This whole tree is cheap astroturfing exploiting clip-silencer controversy. It shall not be rewarded.
- catiopatio 3y agoThanks. I’ll be honest, I’m avoiding giving 404media any clicks and was responding solely to the commentary here. The last thing I want to do is contribute traffic to vapid outrage-bait Vice/Motherboard-style journalism, and HN has been spammed with their articles for days now.
- Humboldtsnee 3y ago[flagged]