THE ORIGINAL "BLACK BOX" - LOOK NO FURTHER

THE ORIGINAL “BLACK BOX”

LOOK NO FURTHER...

Each week in the UK RADIO TIMES magazine, there is a ‘dictionary corner’ feature in which a Lexicographer responds to queries from readers in which they ask for explanations of the origins of words/phrases.

The entry for the magazine issue for April 26^th prompted me to write what follows:-

I read the DICTIONARY CORNER (Radio Times, April 26) about the origins of the term ‘black box’, with growing disbelief that someone could write so much twaddle about a topic of which they are so completely ignorant.  There was just one actual fact – the flight data recorder is orange and not black – so why ‘black box’?

I first encountered the term when I began my training as a radar specialist in the Royal Navy during World War 2.  I am now well over 88.

This was a time of major advances in electronic technology – radar was in its infancy – and much was going on in the research field.  This was also long before transistors and miniaturisation, and involved thermionic valves, large resistors and capacitors and transformers, all of which had to be assembled gradually into working circuits. 

Each element of a circuit was developed individually on a 30cm square board – known as a ‘breadboard’ – because it resembled a domestic breadboard.  As the circuits were refined, breadboards were joined together until a full working unit was complete.  Everything was then put together on a metal base or chassis for further refinement.

Eventually, the unit on its chassis had all of the bugs removed and then the chassis was given its ultimate container, or box.  The box had a stove enamelled front with all of the controls and indicators.  The stove enamelling was always of one colour… like Henry Ford’s original cars – you can have any colour as long as it is….

YES, DEAR CHILDREN, WE HAVE NOW ARRIVED AT THE ORIGINAL BLACK BOX….!

The complete radar equipment, gunnery control or what have you was then assembled for the presentation to the Top Brass of the Services, Ministers of State, and procurement officials for their approval and ultimate funding and manufacture.

The Boffins who had designed and made the gear were also assembled, and the Chief  Boffin – knowing that the assembled onlookers wouldn’t have a clue about the electronic content of the units spread out before them – would begin with the immortal phrase – NOW GENTLEMEN, WILL YOU PLEASE JUST CONSIDER THESE AS A SERIES OF BLACK BOXES - - -!!!

YES, THE ‘BLACK BOX’ EXPLANATION HAD JUST BEGUN – EVERY INNOVATIVE ELECTRONIC DEVICE WAS A ‘BLACK BOX’ WHEN IT CAME TO TRYING TO EXPLAIN ITS FUNCTION TO THE LAITY.

AND SO IT WAS WHEN THE TACHOGRAPH WAS FITTED TO LORRIES AND BUSES, AND SO IT WAS WHEN AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO USE FLIGHT DATA RECORDERS.

BUT TO CONTINUE TO CALL A THING A BLACK BOX WHEN YOU KNOW THAT IT IS A FLIGHT DATA RECORDER OR TACHOGRAPH, IS JUST THE SAME AS SAYING ‘GEE GEE’ WHEN YOU KNOW THAT IT IS A HORSE !  

One unfortunate consequence of an association with the OED is that readers might assume that the Lexicographer's ‘analysis’ carries the OED imprimatur – and actually believe it.
(OED = OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY)

ROY VINCENT  APRIL 2014