ROTARY PHONE Meaning and
Definition
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A rotary phone, also known as a dial telephone, is a vintage telecommunications device used for making and receiving calls. It is a type of telephone that features a circular dial with numbered holes or slots for each digit from 0 to 9. The user rotates the dial by inserting their finger into the corresponding numbered slot and rotating it clockwise until it reaches the finger stop, and then releases it. Each rotation of the dial generates a series of pulses that correspond to a specific digit in the telephone number being dialed.
Within the phone's internal circuits, these pulses are transmitted as electrical signals, which are interpreted by the telephone exchange to establish a connection with the desired recipient. Rotary phones typically have a built-in receiver for listening to the caller's voice and a separate microphone for speaking into during a conversation.
A hallmark feature of rotary phones is their mechanical click sounds produced as the dial is rotated, which helps users identify the digits dialed. These phones were prevalent from the early 20th century until the 1970s when they were gradually replaced by push-button telephones or touch-tone phones, which offered quicker and more convenient dialing methods.
While rotary phones are now considered outdated, they hold nostalgic value and are sometimes used as retro decor or collector's items.
Etymology of ROTARY PHONE
The word "rotary phone" is composed of two main elements:
1. Rotary: The term "rotary" refers to anything that rotates or revolves. It comes from the Latin word "rota", meaning "wheel" or "circle". In this context, "rotary" describes the mechanism of the phone dial which consists of a circular disk that rotates to select numbers.
2. Phone: Short for "telephone", the word "phone" originated from the Greek word "phōnē", meaning "sound" or "voice". It was combined with the Greek word "tele", meaning "far", to create the concept of transmitting sound over long distances.
Therefore, the etymology of the word "rotary phone" relates to the rotating mechanism used to operate the device (rotary) and its function as a device for transmitting sound or voice (phone).
