The correct spelling of the term "micro fiches" is /ˈmaɪkroʊ ˈfiːʃɪz/. It refers to small sheets of microfilm with information that can be viewed using a special reading machine. The word "micro" indicates small size, while "fiches" comes from the French word for index cards. The pronunciation involves stressing the first syllable of "micro" and the second syllable of "fiches." Correct spelling is important for clear communication, especially when dealing with technical terminology.
Micro fiches are a type of microform that contain reduced-scale reproductions of printed or graphic materials. These miniature sheets, measuring about 4 x 6 inches, are typically made of transparent film and hold a vast amount of information. Micro fiches are commonly used for archiving and preserving large volumes of documents in a compact and easily manageable format.
Micro fiches were widely adopted as a storage medium during the latter half of the 20th century, especially in libraries, government agencies, and research institutions. They were used to store a diverse range of materials, including books, newspapers, journals, patents, and technical manuals.
To view the contents of micro fiches, a microfiche reader or viewer is required. This device magnifies the tiny images on the film and projects them onto a screen or through a lens for easy reading. Some microfiche viewers even offer the ability to print or digitize the content for further use or distribution.
The advantages of micro fiches lie in their space-saving nature, as they allow a substantial amount of information to be stored in a small area. Additionally, micro fiches provide a long-lasting optical storage solution, as the film material is durable and can withstand handling and frequent usage.
In recent years, micro fiches have been gradually phased out with the advent of digital technologies and the availability of online resources. Nevertheless, they still play a role in the preservation of historical documents and are sometimes consulted for research purposes.
The word "microfiches" is a combination of two terms: "micro" and "fiches".
- "Micro" comes from the Greek word "mikros", meaning "small" or "tiny". It entered the English language through Latin and has been used in various contexts to refer to something extremely small in size or scale.
- "Fiches" is the French word for "cards" or "index cards". It originates from the Italian "fiche", which means "plank" or "slab". In the context of microfiches, it refers to the small sheets of film or paper used to store multiple pages of information in a reduced size.
Therefore, the term "microfiches" essentially translates to "small index cards" or "miniature cards" in English, reflecting the technology's purpose of condensing large amounts of information onto tiny sheets for storage and retrieval.