[Vocabulary] Gizmo

[notletrest]

"The modern world is populated by intelligent gizmos whose universal existence has removed much human labor."
I would like to know which word "zigmos" is most probably means ; devices or creatures and why.
Thanks!

 

[charliedeut]

Re: zigmo

Hi,

About the menaing: gizmo - WordReference.com Dictionary of English, which you should have done yourself anyway.

charliedeut

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: zigmo

"The modern world is populated by intelligent gizmos whose universal existence has removed much human labor."
I would like to know [STRIKE]which[/STRIKE] what the word "zigmos" [STRIKE]is most probably[/STRIKE] means - "devices" or "creatures".[STRIKE] and why.[/STRIKE]
Thanks!

Concentrate on your spelling. The word is "GIZMO". You have swapped the Z and G round both in your title and in your post. If you have looked up the word "zigmo" then it is not surprising that you have not found anything.

 

[notletrest]

Re: zigmo

Concentrate on your spelling. The word is "GIZMO". You have swapped the Z and G round both in your title and in your post. If you have looked up the word "zigmo" then it is not surprising that you have not found anything.

1. The topic should be "gizmo". I am sorry for that.
2. It is from a test paper for university graduates. My real meaning is a gizmo can be devices. The two choices are both correct. So the design of the question is not right. I would like to hear your opinions.
Thank 2d2 amd others!

 

[Barb_D]

Re: zigmo

A gizmo is ONLY a thing, never a person.

 

[Barb_D]

Okay, "Gizmo" can also be the proper name of a living thing, but don't feed it after midnight.

 

[tzfujimino]

Re: zigmo

Hello.
To me, "Gizmo" is this:

 

[notletrest]

Okay, "Gizmo" can also be the proper name of a living thing, but don't feed it after midnight.

1.The title should be gizmo. I am sorry for my carelessness.
2.It is from a test paper for unversity graduates. My real meaning is creatures and devices are both correct. According to a dictionary , creature means " anything that has been cteated." So I think the two choices are correct, and the design of the question is wrong. What do think of my ideas?
Thank to 2d2 and others!

 

[5jj]

My real [STRIKE]meaning[/STRIKE] opinion is creatures and devices are both correct. According to a dictionary , creature means " anything that has been c[STRIKE]t[/STRIKE]reated." So I think the two choices are correct, and the design of the question is wrong. What do think of my ideas?

Most of us, in my opinion, think of gizmos as gadgets, machines; the question is fine.

 

[emsr2d2]

Apart from the Gizmo pictured above, a completely fictional creature which was actually called "a gremlin", I have never heard of any living creature, artificially created or otherwise, being referred to as "a gizmo". To me, it's usually an electric/electronic device.

 

[SoothingDave]

I think there were gizmos long before there were electronics.

 

[emsr2d2]

I think there were gizmos long before there were electronics.

No doubt, but electronics existed before I did so all the gizmos I have been introduced to have been of that type. My grandfather, to his dying day, referred to the TV remote control as the "scary telly gizmo"!

 

[Barb_D]

So we are 100% clear - it's NOT a creature, it's ONLY a device.

 

[notletrest]

So we are 100% clear - it's NOT a creature, it's ONLY a device.

First of all, thank all the teachers.
My key lies in logic. According to the dictionary, creature means “anything that has been created” ,which includes “device” , I think. Suppose you don’t know “gizmo” at all , in fact, the above test referring to robot.
Now if I ask you to choose a word in the following question : you can get there by x . a. car , b. traffic tool. In my eyes both are good. Because traffic tool includes car, just as creature includes device.
What do you think of what I said?
thanks!

 

[5jj]

'Traffic tool' is not English, so the question is pointless.

 

[emsr2d2]

First of all, thank all the teachers.
My key lies in logic. According to the dictionary, creature means “anything that has been created” ,which includes “device” , I think. Suppose you don’t know “gizmo” at all , in fact, the above test referring to robot.
Now if I ask you to choose a word in the following question : you can get there by x . a. car , b. traffic tool. In my eyes both are good. Because traffic tool includes car, just as creature includes device.
What do you think of what I said?
thanks!

If you base your English study on logic then I'm afraid you are doomed to constant frustration and, ultimately, failure. There are many illogical aspects to the language!

I agree with 5jj on the "traffic tool" question - it's pointless to even consider it because "traffic tool" does not exist in English (you can't just put two existing words together and make a new one).

I was somewhat perturbed by your statement that a "creature" means "anything that has been created". If that were indeed the case, then "creature" could be used for every single thing on this planet. The living beings, both human and animal, having been created by nature (or God, depending on your point of view) and the man-made objects (tables, gizmos, window frames) having been created by people. That just doesn't work.

I found one online dictionary which gave that as the fourth possible definition out of five (sorry, I closed the page and can't find the link now) but the others, for example Oxford (online) only show that as an archaic/middle English definition.

Whatever the logic, I can certainly assure you that in standard, everyday, natural, acceptable English, a gizmo/device is not a creature.

PS - Your username is definitely very apt.

 

[5jj]

ems: Whatever the logic, I can certainly assure you that in standard, everyday, natural, acceptable English, a gizmo/device is not a creature.

Barb: So we are 100% clear - it's NOT a creature, it's ONLY a device.

That should be clear enough.

 

[emsr2d2]

That should be clear enough.

Wanna bet? ;-)



(Apologies for non-standard English but it just doesn't work with "Want to"!)

 

[notletrest]

That should be clear enough.

According to yours:” Whatever the logic, I can certainly assure you that in standard, everyday, natural, acceptable English, a gizmo/device is not a creature.” I agree indeed. But I still have something to say.
1. “creature n. anything that has been created, animate or inanimate, esp. an animatede being, an animal, a man:” quoted from the <<Chambers 20[SUP]th[/SUP] Century Dictionary >>1983 p.294
Just as you said, “Oxford (online) only show that as an archaic/middle English definition.”
.what makes me put the post is the definition I looked up in the dictionary.
2. Now if I ask you to choose a word in the following sentence :
He is a x . a. boy , b. child .
In my eyes both are good. Because child includes boy.
3.My conclusion is because the definition “creature n. anything that has been created,” is out of time , the design of the topic is correct. If the definition were modern, the design of the topic would be wrong. Can I say like that?
Thank you all sincerely!

 

[5jj]

Wanna bet? ;-)

I am glad I didn't!