Dinkum?

[Guest]

Suzanne (or anyone else): Have you ever come across the word 'dinkum' in the
context of Word/editing/book production? (Not the Australian term 'fair
dinkum')

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

"Fair dinkum" is the only association I have with it. Google provides a lot
of interesting links, but they seem to be universally derived from that same
usage. Are you sure you're not thinking of "lorem ipsum"? See
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/DummyText.htm

 

[Pat Garard]

It's generally regarded as Australian, but a number of sources suggest that
it originated from an English (east midlands) dialect:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=dinkum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinkum#A_to_D
....

 

[Guest]

No. It was the name one of my publishers gave to an icon of a computer at
the end of chapters to signify same. I've never seen the word before or
since.

 

[Guest]

Fascinating page. But no, that's not it. See my above post.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

That's usually referred to as a "dingbat." Fonts such as Wingdings, Monotype
Sorts, and Zapf Dingbats contain such "pi" or "symbol" characters.

 

[Tom Ferguson]

....or sometimes as "ding" or "dings".


: That's usually referred to as a "dingbat." Fonts such as Wingdings,
Monotype
: Sorts, and Zapf Dingbats contain such "pi" or "symbol" characters.
:
: --
: Suzanne S. Barnhill
: Microsoft MVP (Word)
: Words into Type
: Fairhope, Alabama USA
:
: Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so
: all may benefit.
:
: > No. It was the name one of my publishers gave to an icon of a
computer at
: > the end of chapters to signify same. I've never seen the word before
or
: > since.
: >
: >
: > : > > "Fair dinkum" is the only association I have with it. Google
provides a
: > > lot
: > > of interesting links, but they seem to be universally derived from
that
: > > same
: > > usage. Are you sure you're not thinking of "lorem ipsum"? See
: > > http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/DummyText.htm
: > >
: > > --
: > > Suzanne S. Barnhill
: > > Microsoft MVP (Word)
: > > Words into Type
: > > Fairhope, Alabama USA
: >
: > > Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
: newsgroup
: > > so
: > > all may benefit.
: > >
: > >> Suzanne (or anyone else): Have you ever come across the word
'dinkum'
: in
: > > the
: > >> context of Word/editing/book production? (Not the Australian term
'fair
: > >> dinkum')
: > >>
: > >>
: > >
: >
: >
:

 

[TF]

That's a new one on me too. I've only ever heard of it used in Australia &
New Zealand, never in a typographical context.



: No. It was the name one of my publishers gave to an icon of a computer at
: the end of chapters to signify same. I've never seen the word before or
: since.
:
:
: : > "Fair dinkum" is the only association I have with it. Google provides a
: > lot
: > of interesting links, but they seem to be universally derived from that
: > same
: > usage. Are you sure you're not thinking of "lorem ipsum"? See
: > http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/DummyText.htm
: >
: > --
: > Suzanne S. Barnhill
: > Microsoft MVP (Word)
: > Words into Type
: > Fairhope, Alabama USA
:
: > Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup
: > so
: > all may benefit.
: >
: >> Suzanne (or anyone else): Have you ever come across the word 'dinkum'
in
: > the
: >> context of Word/editing/book production? (Not the Australian term 'fair
: >> dinkum')
: >>
: >>
: >
:
:

 

[Guest]

Thanks all for your responses. I've come to the conclusion that the
particular acquisitions editor concerned was misusing the word, and in my
ignorance at the time (it was my own full-length work 10 years ago (in
which, incidentally I forecast that the Internet 'might" become big!)) I
assumed it was jargon I should know.