What’s in a name

“It’s amazing how many words for machines, processes and units are actually the names – or incorporate the names – of people who have invented, discovered or are associated with the gadgets and processes concerned,” writes a regular reader.

“My attention was drawn to this phenomenon by an exception to the rule – X-rays. In dozens of other cases, however, we find examples such as Bailey bridge, Bunsen burner, Anderson shelter, macadam, macintosh, Hoover, Sandwich, Wellington, Cardigan, Ohm, Watt and volt. Even Rolls and Royce have given us Rolls or Roller.

“Most folk are not even aware they are using a person’s name when referring to a gadget.

“But not Roentgen. He was the German physicist who discovered X-rays. I always thought that the British and Americans could not cope with the word Roentgen but, apparently, X was used instead because scientists were not sure at first what X-rays were. The Germans on the other hand still honour their scientist by giving X-rays his name – Roentgenstrahlen.”