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Conference thebay::joyoflex

Title:The Joy of Lex
Notice:A Notes File even your grammar could love
Moderator:THEBAY::SYSTEM
Created:Fri Feb 28 1986
Last Modified:Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1192
Total number of notes:42769

583.0. "what/whence 'boilerplate'?" by MORO::BONNER_BO (Some stunned by Newfoundland) Fri Nov 04 1988 03:59

     Would someone please suggest a concise definition of the word
     "BOILERPLATE"?  The important aspects of its meaning (as I hear
     it used in the US) are: it refers to pieces of text which are
     prefabricated (written well in advance of their anticipated use),
     modular (intended to be used in conjunction with other pieces of
     boilerplate), discuss a single topic, and are used without (or
     only slight) modification.
     
     Is this word used in other English speaking parts of the world?
     If so does its meaning differ?  How so?
     
     What is its etymology?
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583.1UNTADI::ODIJPElefanten springen nieFri Nov 04 1988 11:225
    A boilermaker wearing a boilersuit , working in a boilerroom , will
    probably eat his lunch off a boilerplate .
    
    John J   
    
583.2PSTJTT::TABERNothing is certain but Duke & taxesFri Nov 04 1988 13:549
The plates of a boiler are pre-fabricated, designed to go into one 
position only, and made to be rivited together into a completed boiler 
with no special thought involved.

"Boilerplate" in documents is prefabricated, designed to go into one 
position in the document, and they are made to be stuck together with a 
few new words into a completed documnet that has no evidence of special 
thought involved.
					>>>==>PStJTT
583.3It's spelled "riveted"CLOSET::T_PARMENTERTongue in cheek, fist in air!Fri Nov 04 1988 15:1510
    Add to >>>==>PStJTT's explanation that printing plates (stereotypes)
    look a lot like boiler plates. 
                                       
    When I worked for Chicago's American in the 60's, we had another
    category of the same sort of stuff called "muskox" after a legendary
    Chicago Tribune article on the musk ox that had been set in type for
    some 40 years awaiting the necessity of ripping a column of type out of
    the paper at the last minute and replacing it.
    
    But I don't know why cheap furniture is called "borax". 
583.4spelling is my Ackilly...Achilees...my weak spot.PSTJTT::TABERNothing is certain but Duke & taxesFri Nov 04 1988 21:0414
>                          -< It's spelled "riveted" >-

It's spelt "spelt."  My spelling is terrible and has only gotten worse 
since I learned to touch-type.  With a pencil I only misspell; with a 
keyboard I can do homophone errors as well.

Are you the famed Desperado Tom Parmenter?  


>    But I don't know why cheap furniture is called "borax". 

If you ever sat in some you would... it bores into it something awful.

				>>>==>PStJTT
583.5Famed, framed, and disclaimedCLOSET::T_PARMENTERTongue in cheek, fist in air!Fri Nov 04 1988 21:446
-.1>    Are you the famed Desperado Tom Parmenter?  

    I am he.  Watch your mailbox.
   
    It's misspell that I can't spell.  That and >>>==>PStJTT.
    Spelt and spelled don't give me no problems.   
583.6IND::BOWERSCount Zero InterruptFri Nov 04 1988 22:145
    While .2 is a plausible explanation, I seem to remember running into
    the term about 20 years ago in a different context - standard texts for
    legal contracts.  Wording that had stood up to numerous court
    challenges was considered to be "as strong (or solid) as boilerplate"
    and was used intact thereafter.
583.7Rhyming slang?MARVIN::KNOWLESthe teddy-bears have their nit-pickMon Nov 07 1988 14:175
    Re `borax'
    
    I wonder if there's a remote connection with `boracic lint'/skint?
    
    b
583.8PSTJTT::TABERNothing is certain but Duke &amp; taxesMon Nov 07 1988 16:098
>-.1>    Are you the famed Desperado Tom Parmenter?  
>
>    I am he.  Watch your mailbox.
   
Welcome home!  This means Desperado will rise again?  It's been so long,
I was beginning to think I had been taken off the list for bad behavior.

				>>>==>PStJTT
583.9WELMTS::GIBSONAlan Gibson @WLOMon Dec 19 1988 17:269
    Yes, I know I'm late with this, but I've been away from JoyOfLex
    for some time.
                                        
    Re Boilerplate:
    
    Robert Heinlein (sp?) used the term to describe a late 19th century
    US practise.  A regional (state?) newspaper would be printed on
    one side of a large single sheet.  The other side would then be
    used by a local newspaper for the news closer to home.