Talk:bus

Translations need to be split

The translations need to be split, because some translations refer to meaning #3 of bus, which has probably become meaning #1 of Etymology 2. Very confusing! — This unsigned comment was added by 212.29.160.170 (talk) at 01:42, 9 August 2006 (UTC).

Electrical sense

elec: the elec service panel has bus bars -- to which the circuit breakers or fuse holders are attached via contacts, not normally called conductors by electricians. — This unsigned comment was added by Cem BSEE (talk • contribs) at 12:14, 30 December 2006 (UTC).

Tea room discussion

Note: the below discussion was moved from the Wiktionary:Tea room.

There are currently three verb senses for etymology 2 -

1. (transitive, automotive, transport) To transport via a motor bus.
2. (transitive, automotive, transport, especially US) To transport students to school, often to achieve racial integration.
3. (intransitive, automotive, transport) To travel by bus.

The first part of the second sense is redundant to the first sense, but the additional meaning makes it distinct, although you don't get the impression from the current wording that the second part is required to make the whole sense distinct.

"Bus" is used as a verb in the UK per senses 1 and 3, however the use in relation to transporting students does not contain any additional meaning beyond sense 1 - except when the context is clearly the US racial integration policies. Does Canada follow the US or UK in this regard?

Additionally, is etymology 3's verb sense "To clear and clean a table in a restaurant." US only? I don't recognise it from the UK (looking up it's meaning was why I arrived at the entry). Thryduulf 16:36, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

I inserted both transitive and intransitive versions of the sense previously at ety 3 because conjectural etymologies suggest that the term derives from the four-wheel carts often used to transport meal remains in food-service establishments. Feel free to revert if this seems wrong. DCDuring TALK 03:31, 4 June 2008 (UTC)

Sense 3 seems rather informal to my US ears. Sense 1 is much less common than sense 2 in US, though 2 is clearly derived from 1. DCDuring TALK 16:43, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Sense 2 is not used here in Canada—I would definitely change it to “especially US”, or more precisely “in the US”, because it is the context, not the dialect. More info at w:Desegregation busing in the United States. Syns.: (deprecated template usage) desegregation busing, (deprecated template usage) forced busing.

I doubt that either “automotive” or “transport” should be present. Schools bus their students, tours and conventions bus their people, the military busses soldiers around, political parties sometimes bus voters in to the polls—none of these are in either of these specific contexts.

But etym. 3 is restricted to restaurants, or food services. and in Canada, a busboy does bus tables. —Michael Z. 2008-06-02 17:25 z

If I (a 23-year-old U.S.ian) hear "busing" devoid of any context, I think my first thought would be of desegregation (even though that was before my time); but for me I think "bus" as a real verb can only have sense #1. For example, "I grew up back in the days of busing" sounds right to me; "I grew up back in the days of busing students" sounds crazy, firstly because it's missing a mandatory "to school", and secondly because we still bus students to school. That's just my take as a young 'un; an old fogie (someone 24 or older) might have a different take entirely. —Ruakh_TALK 03:12, 4 June 2008 (UTC)