tec/tek/teck?

[Rover_KE]

I was watching an episode of NCIS and DiNozzo was reading out a printed label stencilled on a wooden crate: 9-23-6-A.

He rapidly but clearly said 'nine teck twenty-three tec six tek A' (I don't know how to spell it because the subtitles just showed it as above).

Can anybody throw any light on this? I use 'dash' in this situation.

 

[probus]

No clue. I have forwarded the query to the younger generation.

 

[probus]

Here is a reply from the younger generation, my daughter, an MA in English.

It's "tack" (though some spell it "tac") and is basically military jargon used as a substitute or simile for dash. I don't know the etymology and always change it when it appears (if it needs to be written out) to either en dash, em dash, or hyphen, depending on the situation. That should give you enough to go on for more info via Google.

 

[GoesStation]

You will also hear bang for "exclamation mark" and whack for a forward slash. These terms are often used in the IT world.

 

[tzfujimino]

I googled "tack military" and found this:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Eve/comments/14z22k/til_why_people_in_eve_say_tack_instead_of_dash/