Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

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trokanmariel
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Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by trokanmariel »

When governments apply the word "strike", as and when people don't go to work, is that an offensive use of the term strike, as strike means to physically attack?
Belinda
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by Belinda »

trokanmariel wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 3:04 am When governments apply the word "strike", as and when people don't go to work, is that an offensive use of the term strike, as strike means to physically attack?
I guess English is not your native language. I have never heard of anybody who connotes 'strike' as in refusal to work, with hitting somebody.

'Strike' is a homonym. 'Strike' would be a homonym even if the separate usages stemmed from the same Sanskrit source.
trokanmariel
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by trokanmariel »

Belinda wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:02 am
trokanmariel wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 3:04 am When governments apply the word "strike", as and when people don't go to work, is that an offensive use of the term strike, as strike means to physically attack?
I guess English is not your native language. I have never heard of anybody who connotes 'strike' as in refusal to work, with hitting somebody.

'Strike' is a homonym. 'Strike' would be a homonym even if the separate usages stemmed from the same Sanskrit source.
The word strike is used by the government to infer attack, as otherwise there would be no point in the use. As such, there is a need to identify the use, as when people don't work, they are not attacking anyone or anything
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Immanuel Can
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by Immanuel Can »

trokanmariel wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 3:04 am ...when people don't go to work...
Just call it "Socialism."

When they do go, because they're forced to work in a salt mine, call it "Communism."
Belinda
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by Belinda »

trokanmariel wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 3:49 pm
Belinda wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:02 am
trokanmariel wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 3:04 am When governments apply the word "strike", as and when people don't go to work, is that an offensive use of the term strike, as strike means to physically attack?
I guess English is not your native language. I have never heard of anybody who connotes 'strike' as in refusal to work, with hitting somebody.

'Strike' is a homonym. 'Strike' would be a homonym even if the separate usages stemmed from the same Sanskrit source.
The word strike is used by the government to infer attack, as otherwise there would be no point in the use. As such, there is a need to identify the use, as when people don't work, they are not attacking anyone or anything
I think perhaps you are not a native English speaker. The word you want is probably 'imply' not 'infer'.
What newspaper have you been reading?
Etymology. The use of the English word "strike" to describe a work protest was first seen in 1768, when sailors, in support of demonstrations in London, "struck" or removed the topgallant sails of merchant ships at port, thus crippling the ships.


Impenitent
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by Impenitent »

baseball, oil, matches...

unions refuse more often than individuals

-Imp
trokanmariel
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by trokanmariel »

Immanuel Can wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 4:53 pm
trokanmariel wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 3:04 am ...when people don't go to work...
Just call it "Socialism."

When they do go, because they're forced to work in a salt mine, call it "Communism."
Can you clarify, by socialism meaning to not go to work?
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Immanuel Can
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by Immanuel Can »

trokanmariel wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:20 pm
Immanuel Can wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 4:53 pm
trokanmariel wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 3:04 am ...when people don't go to work...
Just call it "Socialism."

When they do go, because they're forced to work in a salt mine, call it "Communism."
Can you clarify, by socialism meaning to not go to work?
I was being a bit facetious, obviously; but not much.

You see the dynamic being played out in the US today. If you pay people not to work, they will choose not to work. It's pretty simple, really.

Socialism pays people for not working, or for being "employed" only in a dilatory way. There's no incentive to innovate, to work hard, to expand business, to generate capital, or to improve the world, because you're going to get paid badly for a good job, and badly for a bad job.

Bad jobs are easier to do.

Go to any socialist country, and try to get service. You'll see what I mean.
trokanmariel
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by trokanmariel »

Immanuel Can wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 11:03 pm
trokanmariel wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:20 pm
Immanuel Can wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 4:53 pm
Just call it "Socialism."

When they do go, because they're forced to work in a salt mine, call it "Communism."
Can you clarify, by socialism meaning to not go to work?
I was being a bit facetious, obviously; but not much.

You see the dynamic being played out in the US today. If you pay people not to work, they will choose not to work. It's pretty simple, really.

Socialism pays people for not working, or for being "employed" only in a dilatory way. There's no incentive to innovate, to work hard, to expand business, to generate capital, or to improve the world, because you're going to get paid badly for a good job, and badly for a bad job.

Bad jobs are easier to do.

Go to any socialist country, and try to get service. You'll see what I mean.

If the term strike weren't used, by the government, and thus by no one, do you think that daylight would react?
Belinda
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by Belinda »

trokanmariel wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:20 pm
Immanuel Can wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 4:53 pm
trokanmariel wrote: Thu Oct 07, 2021 3:04 am ...when people don't go to work...
Just call it "Socialism."

When they do go, because they're forced to work in a salt mine, call it "Communism."
Can you clarify, by socialism meaning to not go to work?
Reds Under The Beds. Immanuel Can dislikes communism.
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Immanuel Can
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by Immanuel Can »

trokanmariel wrote: Fri Oct 08, 2021 9:29 am If the term strike weren't used, by the government, and thus by no one, do you think that daylight would react?
I certainly don't think you're wrong to think that the word "strike" has an implication of violence in it. The goal of one, after all, is to "strike at" the profits and functioning of a business, so as to force concessions from an employer. And the rhetoric of violence is often employed by "strikers" to ramp up the conflict and (they hope) increase the pressures on the employer. And often, of course, real violence has been involved as well.

But I think it's only one of many rhetorical flourishes and practical actions "strikers" take in order to achieve their ends. So I wouldn't make too much of it. I think the important thing you're onto is the presence of that undercurrent of threat of mutual violence in all "job actions," as well as in the employers response in "punitive measures" or "strike breaking."
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Immanuel Can
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by Immanuel Can »

Belinda wrote: Fri Oct 08, 2021 9:32 am Immanuel Can dislikes communism.
Yes...I'm strange that way...I hate things that have murdered millions and beggared every economy they have touched. 8)
trokanmariel
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by trokanmariel »

Immanuel Can wrote: Fri Oct 08, 2021 3:03 pm
trokanmariel wrote: Fri Oct 08, 2021 9:29 am If the term strike weren't used, by the government, and thus by no one, do you think that daylight would react?
I certainly don't think you're wrong to think that the word "strike" has an implication of violence in it. The goal of one, after all, is to "strike at" the profits and functioning of a business, so as to force concessions from an employer. And the rhetoric of violence is often employed by "strikers" to ramp up the conflict and (they hope) increase the pressures on the employer. And often, of course, real violence has been involved as well.

But I think it's only one of many rhetorical flourishes and practical actions "strikers" take in order to achieve their ends. So I wouldn't make too much of it. I think the important thing you're onto is the presence of that undercurrent of threat of mutual violence in all "job actions," as well as in the employers response in "punitive measures" or "strike breaking."
I'm curious, as to whether the term in its current context derives from employer, government or union. If unions publicly said they weren't going to work, and also said that they refused to say the term as consequence of their actions, would there be a change of ownership of the term?
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Immanuel Can
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by Immanuel Can »

trokanmariel wrote: Fri Oct 08, 2021 3:43 pm I'm curious, as to whether the term in its current context derives from employer, government or union.
That's an interesting question.

I've never checked.

Wiki claims, "The use of the English word "strike" to describe a work protest was first seen in 1768, when sailors, in support of demonstrations in London, "struck" or removed the topgallant sails of merchant ships at port, thus crippling the ships."

The footnote is from Oxford, and reads,

"A body of sailors..proceeded..to Sunderland.., and at the cross there read a paper, setting forth their grievances... After this they went on board the several ships in that harbour, and struck (lowered down) their yards, in order to prevent them from proceeding to sea."
(Ann. Reg. 92, 1768), quoted in Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed.

If that's right, it was the people reporting on the protesting workers who coined the term, by way of noting their "striking" the rigging.

But I doubt anybody today thinks of yardarms when they hear "The union's going on strike."
Belinda
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Re: Is it incorrect, to say the word strike when people refuse to work?

Post by Belinda »

Immanuel Can wrote: Fri Oct 08, 2021 4:17 pm
trokanmariel wrote: Fri Oct 08, 2021 3:43 pm I'm curious, as to whether the term in its current context derives from employer, government or union.
That's an interesting question.

I've never checked.

Wiki claims, "The use of the English word "strike" to describe a work protest was first seen in 1768, when sailors, in support of demonstrations in London, "struck" or removed the topgallant sails of merchant ships at port, thus crippling the ships."

The footnote is from Oxford, and reads,

"A body of sailors..proceeded..to Sunderland.., and at the cross there read a paper, setting forth their grievances... After this they went on board the several ships in that harbour, and struck (lowered down) their yards, in order to prevent them from proceeding to sea."
(Ann. Reg. 92, 1768), quoted in Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed.

If that's right, it was the people reporting on the protesting workers who coined the term, by way of noting their "striking" the rigging.

But I doubt anybody today thinks of yardarms when they hear "The union's going on strike."
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strike

Please look within the above to view examples of sentences that contain the word 'strike'.
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