Abstract
The term digital originates from the Latin word for finger/counting and has for many years been used to denote discrete signals and information, as opposed to analog. Discrete representation is an important principle, not only in computers, but also for (printed) text, music scores and even our genes. Recently however, the use of the term has increased and the meaning expanded to include almost everything related to information technology, e.g. digital natives and digital addiction. This study investigates the core principles of digital representation and compares this concept with the recent usage, with a focus on Norwegian media. The purpose is to reveal the apparent meaning of digital in different settings, to see if the original technical concept has changed; and if so, to analyze the semantic change. The results show both synecdoche, ellipsis and indications of folk etymology. As a central concept in the digital revolution, a semantic change could be temporary. In some areas, there are already signs of a post-digital age, and that the excessive use of digital is declining.
Highlights
The use of the term digital has within a few years increased significantly in Norwegian written language, and is at the same level as everyday words such as mobile phone and hospital (National Library of Norway, 2016).Historically, digital has evolved from the Latin term for finger, counting and digits (0-9), to denote a specific type of electrical pulse in the first “computer supported” air defense systems during World War II
The results of this study show that we have semantic changes for the term digital
This means that books, literature, music, and 21 from Karl Signell's paper, "Digital Equipment for Field Recording: Pro and Con," delivered at the 1984 annual meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology
Summary
The use of the term digital has within a few years increased significantly in Norwegian written language, and is at the same level as everyday words such as mobile phone and hospital (National Library of Norway, 2016).Historically, digital has evolved from the Latin term for finger, counting and digits (0-9), to denote a specific type of electrical pulse in the first “computer supported” air defense systems during World War II. The use of discrete quantities (as opposed to continuous) to represent information is the core of the technical concept digital. This implies that digital, in “pre-digital” times, has been a recognized principle of representation, independent of computers. Both human genes and printed text are essentially digital representations. The technical term seems to have expanded its meaning to include the technology that uses discrete representation. The term seems to be quite arbitrarily defined in some areas, e.g. the distinction between electronic and digital literature. Digital is still the term for finger.
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