Yesterday I saw a sign "Close Circuit Security TV" - A letter "d" at the end of "close" had been painted over. Surely the correct term is "Closed Circuit" - ie. local and not on a wide network - yet often the term Close Circuit is in use. Is it a case of poor pronunciation leading to mis-spelling? If so - what next - the London Waher Board?
Security video
Jul 18, 2005
16 Replies
"Close Circuit Television" is the correct term, meaning in the vicinity and surrounding area of it's view.
No, it's not.
And your reply should say "its view", not "it's view".
I see your eager to be pedantic.
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Nope. It's closed circuit, meaning the circuit can't be picked up elsewhere, unlike normal off air TV.
It could have long lenses on it and view stuff miles away.
Shouldn't it be "its' view, and not its view, nor it's view" ?
Its is the correct form for the possessive. It's can be used as a contraction of it is, although contractions are not considered to be good grammar. Its' does not exist.
Colin Bignell
Except that it's "closed circuit" because it's sent over a cable and not broadcast.
No.
Maybe you're both right. I agree the normal term is "closed" meaning "not broadcast" but maybe the company is deliberately using one of those trick phrases to hide the fact that their system is indeed not closed but open to anyone with a wireless receiver. You know, the sort of phrase which encourages you to read in meaning which isn't really there like "polite notice" intended to be misread as "police notice". The Data Commissioner has been issuing lots of guidance recently on CCTV so maybe there's been some on the form the notices should take.
(snip very tired old 'joke')
And you're still wrong on both counts.
Don't think so....
Never seen anything about notices in that lot.
And who's the 'Data Commissioner'? (I'm on a pedantry roll....!)
To my mind it is far more likely that it is someone who thinks he knows better and won't be told otherwise, like my newsagent, who excepts (sic) all major credit cards. It is unclear what he excepts them from though.
Colin Bignell
Aren't they? ;-)
It is closeD circuit, as in the circuit is closed to outside viewers.
sponix
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