Grammar peeve II: Duck Tape vs. Duct Tape

[ZenLefty]

Red Green says "Duct Tape." Red Green is a God. Ergo, it is Duct Tape. I wouldn't dare disagree, but I still see the foolish "Duck Tape" mis-spelling occasionally, and I'd like to settle this once and for all!

[TX-RAT]

1. Duck tape of course

What do you tape your ducks up with?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

2. Spelled 'Duct Tape' - pronounced 'Duck Tape'

[eyesroll]

3. "Duck Tape" is an actual brand of "Duct Tape"

So it's not inaccurate to say, "hand me the Duck Tape, my mower handle's coming off," if, indeed, the product in question is Duck Tape brand duct tape.

:crazy:

[trotsky]

6. Kudos for posting it first!

LOL, I wasted time looking for a nice picture.

[TrogL]

11. damn, beat me to it again

I need a faster computer.

[TrogL]

7. damn, beat me to it

What I get for providing links.

[ZenLefty]

9. They're wrong.

It's Duct Tape!!! Wah! :tantrum:

[TrogL]

4. There is a brand of duct tape called "Duck Tape"

http://www.duckproducts.com/products/subcategory.asp?CatID=1&SubID=1

http://www.duckproducts.com/
http://www.ducktapeclub.com/

[trotsky]

5. Peevily enough, there is a Duck Tape brand of Duct Tape.

[Endangered Specie]

8. The Almighty fixer of all things broken.

10. Too bad for you that Google exists!

voila

:evilgrin:

http://www.octanecreative.com/ducttape/duckvsduct.html

Dear Duct Tape Users:

Is it Duct or Duck? We don’t want you to be confused, so we will explain. The first name for Duct Tape was DUCK. During World War II the U.S. Military needed a waterproof tape to keep the moisture out of ammunition cases. So, they enlisted the Johnson and Johnson Permacel Division to manufacture the tape. Because it was waterproof, everyone referred to it as “duck” tape (like water off a duck’s back). Military personnel discovered that the tape was good for lots more than keeping out water. They used it for Jeep repair, fixing stuff on their guns, strapping equipment to their clothing... the list is endless.

After the War, the housing industry was booming and someone discovered that the tape was great for joining the heating and air conditioning duct work. So, the color was changed from army green to the silvery color we are familiar with today and people started to refer to it as “duct tape*.” Therefore, either name is appropriate.

Today, Duck® brand Tape is manufactured by Henkel Consumer Adhesives. After thoroughly familiarizing ourselves with the hundreds of duct tapes on the market, we have found Duck® brand Tape to be the most consistent in quality. And, we are delighted with the large array of colors that they manufacture (including camo tape and new “X-Treme Tape” which comes in hot day-glo colors).

:evilgrin:

[arwalden]

14. The Folks At The History Channel's "Mail Call" Found The Same Info...

... that you did and explained it to their viewers a while back.

-- Allen

15. The History Channel is spending time on this?

Maybe that's why I don't have a TV.
:)

[arwalden]

17. No... The "Mail Call" Show Is... They Answer Viewer Mail About...

all sorts of military trivia, equipment, weapons, and all sorts of other little known history tidbits. Very interesting and entertaining.

R. Lee Ermey's personality helps a lot too.

-- Allen

20. Does sound entertaining actually

I have other reasons for not having a TV.
Although I've been thinking about getting one so that I can see first hand just how bad the propaganda machines have gotten since I last had one.
Places like DU keep me pretty up to the minute on that stuff though.

[jdsmith]

12. I vote "Duct"

but _Prairie Home Companion_'s "Duck Tape" commercials (with duck call sound effects) nearly convince me otherwise.

[MsUnderstood]

13. I saw a brand name once

and it was called Duck TAPE. It even had a picture of a duck on it.

http://www.ducktapeclub.com/

[Wickerman]

16. hmmm

duct


duck
+

tape

And, if you want to believe everything you beleive on the net... It truly was at one time called Duck tape.
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/02.19.03/nuz-0308.html
Created in 1942 to keep moisture out of ammo, duct tape used to be called "duck tape" until the postwar housing industry got their hands on it, at which point its name morphed--as did its color from Army green to silver (to match the ductwork, of course).

Which is it?
http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/columnists/scottmorris/030223.shtml

Don't let this get out, fellows, but the women are partly right. According to ducttapeguys.com, it was duck before it was duct. During World War II, the military used the newly developed tape to keep moisture out of ammunition cases. Because it was waterproof, like a green-headed mallard, everyone called it duck tape. Soldiers quickly learned it had more than one use and soon were repairing Jeeps, guns and other equipment with it.

During the post-war housing boom, someone discovered the tape was great for joining heating and air conditioning ductwork. The color changed from Army green to silver and people started calling it duct tape.

[sybylla]

18. My 2-year-old gave it a new name - Bird Tape

Sent him to his father to ask for Duct Tape, when he got there, all he could remember was bird and that was what he asked for. He had to repeat it several times before his dad caught on. Cracked him up when he figured it out.

[skip fox]

19. Actually, that's a lexical peeve! Or a spelling peeve, right?

Not to be picky.