iL Dottore Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Perusing some of the recent issues of the railway modelling magazines I subscribe to, I've noticed that the term "Ready-To-Plonk" (often used on RMWeb) has been replaced by "Ready-To-Plant" Has "Plonk" (as in "plonk it down there somewhere") suddenly acquired an "offensive-to-someone-somewhere" connotation that I am unaware of? Does anyone know? If we proceed down the path of political correctness in railway modelling, what other terms with hitherto innocent meanings would fall afoul of the censors? Does anyone have any examples or suggestions? Over to you! F Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew1974 Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Personally I've never used 'ready-to-plonk' and have always used 'ready-to-plant' for such items. Can't think of any reasons why the word 'plonk' could not be politically correct. Perhaps someone just prefers 'ready-to-plant' Whilst there might be examples of political correctness I don't think this is one of them. Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammer Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Never seen ready-to-plonk used in that context. Given the term is often used regarding signals, trees and other things which need to be inserted into the baseboard, it seems quite suitable. Only other meaning of plonk that I know is "cheap wine". No political correctness going on here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted April 25, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 25, 2010 Signalman and Secondman are ripe for PC conversion - and frankly if I were a Personchester United supporter I'd be very worried. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I think Ready to Plant suggests (or is intended to suggest) using the RTP item in such a way as it looks as though it belongs where it is put/ placed/ plonked/ planted, bedding the item in to the scenery. Ready to plonk sounds like train set/ playmat use aka Ready To Play, where there's a yawning air gap between baseboard/ platform and the building! I'd plonk something in this way like a placeholder or makeweight, while I decided its final position. I for one was finding the phrase 'ready to plonk' pretty condescending when you consider the realism of the RTP items, so I'm all for Ready to Plant. Also plant suggests organic natural growth and infinite potential, plonked sounds like its the end of the matter - finite, sterile, job-done. I like Ready to Plant. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Use of the terms 'male' and 'female' to describe parts will undoubtedly become forbidden. Well, the former anyway...! And will militant feminists demand a new term to describe the outer, guiding part of a train wheel...? Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted April 25, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 25, 2010 Only other meaning of plonk that I know is "cheap wine". I believe that started as an Anglais rendition of "vin blanc", and I drink that stuff daily, albeit a fizzy version. I would suggest that in my employment days I knew a number of people for whom the term "plonk" or, indeed "prize plonk" would have been pretty apt. No doubt they spoke well of me, too! Ok, so these are nouns rather than verbs, but neither the wine nor the person is in the top-drawer category, so after, say, spending £26 on a rather nice RTP LSWR signalbox, one might be less inclined to rubbish it, or deride its inevitable limitations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Rickard Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I think Ready to Plant suggests (or is intended to suggest) using the RTP item in such a way as it looks as though it belongs where it is put/ placed/ plonked/ planted, bedding the item in to the scenery. Ready to plonk sounds like train set/ playmat use aka Ready To Play, where there's a yawning air gap between baseboard/ platform and the building! I'd plonk something in this way like a placeholder or makeweight, while I decided its final position. I for one was finding the phrase 'ready to plonk' pretty condescending when you consider the realism of the RTP items, so I'm all for Ready to Plant. Also plant suggests organic natural growth and infinite potential, plonked sounds like its the end of the matter - finite, sterile, job-done. I like Ready to Plant. Seconded. Can't say I've seen 'ready to plonk' used before anywhere. The game Simcity 4 refers to some buildings as being 'ploppable'. That could be taken other ways! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Having always been a user of the term "ready-to-plonk" I think it is just a language derivation to use the term "ready-to-plant" to get around the undoubtable fact that the word "plonk" as used in this context cannot be understood as clearly. My mental derivation of the work "plonk" is very much in a derogatory manner as used in "plonk" (a cheap and nasty wine) or "plonker" (a bit of a fool) This sanitising of the general terminology - more understandable in the "conservative" press, than the internet blogosphere - could also be applied to other terms: roundy-roundy - track circle train-set - early learning model railway diseasle - blue painted locomotive powered by a diesel engine kettle - something used to boil water weathering - disguising a bad paint job kit - a collection of all the parts to enable construction of the whole soldering - an obscure form of witchcraft Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.A.C Martin Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 This sanitising of the general terminology - more understandable in the "conservative" press, than the internet blogosphere - could also be applied to other terms: roundy-roundy - track circle train-set - early learning model railway diseasele - blue painted locomotive powered by a diesel engine kettle - something used to boil water weathering - disguising a bad paint job kit - a collection of all the parts to enable construction of the whole soldering - an obscure form of witchcraft Forget PC - I think you've just described me!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold SouthernRegionSteam Posted April 25, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 25, 2010 I always thought "ready-to-plonk" was all about the ease in which a product could, with little effort or modification, be taken from a shelf and placed on the layout. I find the phrase "ready-to-plant" a bit strange myself, probably because I've never heard anyone planting houses! Mind you, my spell-checker has never heard the word 'plonk' before. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted April 25, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 25, 2010 kit - a collection of all the parts to enable construction of the whole That was certainly true of the Airfix Spitfire I built wonderfully badly in the '50s, but I find that many model railway "kits" require additional parts to make the whole, and/or provide e.g. a length of wire from which the builder is expected to fabricate grab-irons, door handles etc. Then there is the instruction sheet which cheerfully starts with the words "make a jig out of scrap materials". "Most of the parts" would be closer, I fear. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 ....and strangely, I have always thought it meant "ready to play", as in "plug in and go" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold SouthernRegionSteam Posted April 25, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 25, 2010 I think that's right Jack. To me, all three variations mean the same thing, people seem to look too deeply into them and come out with different meanings! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 That was certainly true of the Airfix Spitfire I built wonderfully badly in the '50s, but I find that many model railway "kits" require additional parts to make the whole, and/or provide e.g. a length of wire from which the builder is expected to fabricate grab-irons, door handles etc. Then there is the instruction sheet which cheerfully starts with the words "make a jig out of scrap materials". "Most of the parts" would be closer, I fear. Yes, I think you have understood the derogatory use of the word "kit" in the railway modelling sense EXACTLY "kit" in the true sense of the word it isn't Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I may be a lone voice here, but I for one welcome this change. I find the the term "ready to plonk" to be a vile and repulsive term that only serves to reinforce prejudice and discrimination against certain sections of our society. A so-called civilised society should respect all citizens equally and should seek to eliminate all such forms of discrimination, prejudice and ridicule. As a Plonker myself, I fully support all efforts to suppress the use of the "P" word and all its connotations. Which brings me on to the subject of equal rights for vegetable matter and "Plants". Now.......... . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted April 25, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 25, 2010 Yes, I think you have understood the derogatory use of the word "kit" in the railway modelling sense EXACTLY "kit" in the true sense of the word it isn't Oh, dear! There was I thinking I was going to get a smack in the mouth, and be advised sternly that unless I'd made a working O Scale Gresley A4 out of toothpicks and toilet tissue, that I couldn't really call myself a modeller at all! Life isn't as harsh as I thought! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted April 25, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 25, 2010 Oh, dear! There was I thinking I was going to get a smack in the mouth, and be advised sternly that unless I'd made a working O Scale Gresley A4 out of toothpicks and toilet tissue, that I couldn't really call myself a modeller at all! Life isn't as harsh as I thought! That would only count as real modelling if you had whittled your own toohtpicks first Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted April 25, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 25, 2010 That would only count as real modelling if you had whittled your own toohtpicks first Quite right - and as I'm often accused of being "witless", it ain't about to happen! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dilbert Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 If railway modelling is going upmarket, then maybe RTP should be read as 'Ready-To-Pose' ?...dilbert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Pannier Tank Posted April 25, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 25, 2010 "Ready to place" on your layout? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 The term "Railway Modeller" is already suitably unsexist - our hobby has been leading the way since 1910 Railway modelling PC ?? - b*llocks to that (attempt to get 1st telling off in this risky thread from the Mods) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidBelcher Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 Perusing some of the recent issues of the railway modelling magazines I subscribe to, I've noticed that the term "Ready-To-Plonk" (often used on RMWeb) has been replaced by "Ready-To-Plant" Has "Plonk" (as in "plonk it down there somewhere") suddenly acquired an "offensive-to-someone-somewhere" connotation that I am unaware of? Does anyone know? If we proceed down the path of political correctness in railway modelling, what other terms with hitherto innocent meanings would fall afoul of the censors? Does anyone have any examples or suggestions? Over to you! F Perhaps they were worried that people who prefer such an approach to modelling might be saddled with the nickname "plonkers" (insert Only Fools & Horses impressions here)? Whereas with the alternative term, they'll simply end up being "planters", which is just completely, erm, nuts. I'll get me coat. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Colin Posted April 27, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 27, 2010 "male" & "female" electrical connectors might prove a problem to the PC brigade...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted April 27, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 27, 2010 Signalman and Secondman are ripe for PC conversion - For quite a while these grades have been signaller and driver's assistant respectively andi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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