Chad refers to fragments sometimes created when holes are made in a paper, card or similar synthetic materials, such as computer punched tape or punched cards. The word "chad" has been used both as a mass noun (as in "a pile of chad") and as a countable noun (pluralizing as in "many chads").
Chads from punched cards. Each chad is about 3 mm (1⁄8 in) long.Votomatic[1] voting machines of the type used in the 2000 election in FloridaThe chip (chad) receiver from a UNIVACkey punchPouring chads from a jar at the Computer History MuseumAsymmetrical chad produced by a railroad ticket punch
The origin of the term chad is uncertain. Patent documents from the 1930s and 1940s show the word "chad", often in reference to punched tape used in telegraphy. These patents sometimes include synonyms such as "chaff" and "chips". A patent filing in 1930 included a "receptacle or chad box ... to receive the chips cut from the edge of the tape."[2] A 1938 patent filing included a "chaff or chad chute" to collect the waste fragments.[3] Both patents were assigned to Teletype Corporation.
The plural chads is attested from about 1939, along with chadless, meaning "without [loose] chad". Clear definitions for both terms are offered by Walter Bacon in a patent application filed in 1940 assigned to Bell Telephone Laboratories: "... In making these perforations, the perforator cuts small round pieces of paper, known in the art as chads, out of the tape. These chads are objectionable ... Chadless tape is prepared by feeding blank tape through a device which will not punch a complete circle in the tape but, instead, will only cut approximately three-quarters of the circumference of a circle ... thereby leaving a movable, or hinged, lid of paper in the tape."[4]
In the New Hacker's Dictionary, two unattributed and likely humorous derivations for "chad" are offered, a back-formation from a personal name "Chadless" and an acronym for "Card Hole Aggregate Debris".[5] Other etymologies claim derivation from the Scottish name for river gravel, chad, or the British slang for louse, chat.[citation needed]
Partially punched chadedit
When a chad is not fully detached, it is described by various terms corresponding to the level of modification from the unpunched state. The distinctions are of importance in counting cards used in voting. The following terms are sometimes used when describing a four-cornered chad:
Hanging chads are attached to the ballot at only one corner.
Swinging chads are attached to the ballot at two corners.
Tri-chads are attached to the ballot at three corners.
Dimpled chads are attached to the ballot at all four corners, but bear an indentation indicating the voter may have intended to mark the ballot.[6] (Sometimes "pregnant" is used to indicate a greater mark than "dimpled".)
2000 United States presidential election controversyedit
In the 2000 United States presidential election, many Florida votes used Votomatic-style punched card ballots where incompletely punched holes resulted in partially punched chads: either a "hanging chad", where one or more corners were still attached, or a "fat chad" or "pregnant chad", where all corners were still attached, but an indentation appears to have been made. These votes were not counted by the tabulating machines.[7][8] The aftermath of the controversy (see Bush v. Gore) caused the rapid discontinuance of punch card ballots in the United States.[9]
chad, paper, chad, refers, fragments, sometimes, created, when, holes, made, paper, card, similar, synthetic, materials, such, computer, punched, tape, punched, cards, word, chad, been, used, both, mass, noun, pile, chad, countable, noun, pluralizing, many, ch. Chad refers to fragments sometimes created when holes are made in a paper card or similar synthetic materials such as computer punched tape or punched cards The word chad has been used both as a mass noun as in a pile of chad and as a countable noun pluralizing as in many chads Chads from punched cards Each chad is about 3 mm 1 8 in long Votomatic 1 voting machines of the type used in the 2000 election in FloridaThe chip chad receiver from a UNIVAC key punchPouring chads from a jar at the Computer History MuseumAsymmetrical chad produced by a railroad ticket punch Contents 1 Etymology 2 Partially punched chad 3 2000 United States presidential election controversy 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEtymology editThe origin of the term chad is uncertain Patent documents from the 1930s and 1940s show the word chad often in reference to punched tape used in telegraphy These patents sometimes include synonyms such as chaff and chips A patent filing in 1930 included a receptacle or chad box to receive the chips cut from the edge of the tape 2 A 1938 patent filing included a chaff or chad chute to collect the waste fragments 3 Both patents were assigned to Teletype Corporation The plural chads is attested from about 1939 along with chadless meaning without loose chad Clear definitions for both terms are offered by Walter Bacon in a patent application filed in 1940 assigned to Bell Telephone Laboratories In making these perforations the perforator cuts small round pieces of paper known in the art as chads out of the tape These chads are objectionable Chadless tape is prepared by feeding blank tape through a device which will not punch a complete circle in the tape but instead will only cut approximately three quarters of the circumference of a circle thereby leaving a movable or hinged lid of paper in the tape 4 In the New Hacker s Dictionary two unattributed and likely humorous derivations for chad are offered a back formation from a personal name Chadless and an acronym for Card Hole Aggregate Debris 5 Other etymologies claim derivation from the Scottish name for river gravel chad or the British slang for louse chat citation needed Partially punched chad editWhen a chad is not fully detached it is described by various terms corresponding to the level of modification from the unpunched state The distinctions are of importance in counting cards used in voting The following terms are sometimes used when describing a four cornered chad Hanging chads are attached to the ballot at only one corner Swinging chads are attached to the ballot at two corners Tri chads are attached to the ballot at three corners Dimpled chads are attached to the ballot at all four corners but bear an indentation indicating the voter may have intended to mark the ballot 6 Sometimes pregnant is used to indicate a greater mark than dimpled 2000 United States presidential election controversy editSee also 2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida In the 2000 United States presidential election many Florida votes used Votomatic style punched card ballots where incompletely punched holes resulted in partially punched chads either a hanging chad where one or more corners were still attached or a fat chad or pregnant chad where all corners were still attached but an indentation appears to have been made These votes were not counted by the tabulating machines 7 8 The aftermath of the controversy see Bush v Gore caused the rapid discontinuance of punch card ballots in the United States 9 See also editBit bucket Chinese paper cutting Confetti recycling chad for celebratory use Keypunch Card punch Papel picado Paper tape Punched card Recount film Teleprinter TeletypeReferences edit Votamatic Verified Voting Foundation Archived from the original on 7 August 2020 Retrieved 30 May 2015 Howard L Krum Coupon Printer U S Patent 1 884 755 filed Oct 16 1930 issued Oct 25 1932 Albert H Reiber Telegraph Transmitter U S Patent 2 213 475 filed July 18 1938 issued Sept 3 1940 Walter M Bacon Tape Splicer U S Patent 2 246 655 filed Feb 20 1940 issued June 24 1941 Eric S Raymond Chad The New Hacker s Dictionary Third Ed 1996 page 108 Methodology Coding Process Florida Ballots Project Archived from the original on 2008 11 20 Retrieved 2009 05 23 How we got here A timeline of the Florida recount CNN December 13 2000 Archived from the original on 2009 06 11 Retrieved 2009 05 23 Jackson Brooks November 16 2000 Hanging chads often viewed by courts as sign of voter intent CNN Archived from the original on June 11 2009 Retrieved 2009 05 23 Voting Equipment Database ES amp S Votomatic Verified Voting Retrieved 2022 11 15 External links edit nbsp Look up chad in Wiktionary the free dictionary nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chads Snopes Origin of Chad Word Detective on chad BBC News on chad Macmillan English Dictionary on chad Jargon file entry Papercutting Art Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chad paper amp oldid 1176585806, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
