newbie looking for a cheap e-bike for commuting. Any recommendation?

[flecc]

Flecc, That's true, but the meaning changes with the context. I don't believe that anyone for one moment thought that OP was looking for a poor quality or low value bike. I think that we all got the idea that he wanted something that was good value, low cost and adequate for his needs, so in that sense, I think that he used the correct word whatever meaning anyone else wants to make of it by taking it out of context.

I agree on the context and I wasn't challenging it's first use in this thread. It just seems to be a pointless word now though, if other words have to be added to define context. One might just as well say "good value" or similar in the first place, avoiding any possible unpleasant connotations.

The fact that we have such long established words as cheapjack and cheapskate shows just how widely the word "cheap" is associated with undesirable. There are no equivalent constructs indicating desirability.

 

[Mussels]

Lets ban all ambiguous words, starting with 'bike'.

 

[Scottyf]

If you use a word like "Value" it needs context to the user. Something that may be perceived as value to one customer might be expensive to another.

I like the word cheap. Its to the point and has a direct meaning.

I've never really said I brought something that was good value.

I work in the retail sector, in a buying and merchandising function and we sell products that are well based on "Wants" rather than needs. Business is drummed up by marketing. Anyway we have brought in a new designer who has worked at big bring names based in Italy. Now my job is the logical side of the office catering to the numbers and maximising profit.

This means when it comes to presenting I tend not to have enough words in my vocabulary to accurately push the boundaries with buzz words that the big CEO / Buying and design teams love to hear and get all excited and dizzy if I do manage to conjure up some word I'd never use in my regular verbal communication.

I see it at pointless dribble that items need to be "Retro" with a "Modern" flair that should incorporate the colour pallet of the "woodlands" its all ball crap.

personally I like the word cheap. Ok its not good for marketing but we know what we are dealing with.
In general language I think most of us will use the English language to cut down a sentence to make it to the point.

After all what's the point of beating round the bush.

 

[allen-uk]

And as Henry Reed wrote in another context:

A barn is not called a barn, to put it more plainly,
Or a field in the distance, where sheep may be safely grazing.
You must never be over-sure. You must say, when reporting:
At five o'clock in the central sector is a dozen
Of what appear to be animals; whatever you do,
Don't call the bleeders sheep.

Or was it 'don't call the bleeders cheap'?

A

 

[indalo]

I hadn't come across that one before so I looked up Reed's works and found "Judging distances."

His poetry is interesting if not entirely my taste. Well done for including it here Allen.

Regards,
Indalo

 

[allen-uk]

I hadn't come across that one before so I looked up Reed's works and found "Judging distances."

One of the few 2nd World War poets. I was searching my memory for poetry with 'cheap' (or 'added value'), but can't think of any yet. I feel that Larkin might be a good source, though.


A.

 

[Scottyf]

You lot are far to cultured in the arts for my liking.
Bring it down a few levels for the simpletons on the forum!

 

[flecc]

If you use a word like "Value" it needs context to the user. Something that may be perceived as value to one customer might be expensive to another.

I like the word cheap. Its to the point and has a direct meaning.

After all what's the point of beating round the bush.

Good value as I posted has the context built in, and inexpensive avoids all poor connotations. A word like cheap that has opposite meanings is anything but direct, it really is beating around the bush, neither indicating good nor bad.

 

[barrycoll]

just remember what happened to Mr Ratner................although his downfall wasn't 'cheap, though was it, it was crap...
.............on the other hand Evan Davies's BBC2 prog suggested that the quality wasn't bad at all

 

[allen-uk]

just remember what happened to Mr Ratner

That's a good point, Barry. Perhaps we should change the language so that it is 'Crap' vs. 'Expensive', as it would make it nice and clear to those still confused by 'cheap'.

(Might work. I wear crap clothes, drive a crap car; (just trying it on for size)).

A

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Lets ban all ambiguous words, starting with 'bike'.

Yes. These ambiguous words can be a bit confusing.
"I'm looking for a bike"
"Well I know where there's a bird going cheap"

 

[Scottyf]

I like crap ;-)
Doesn't work to well in that instance...

Makes it sound like I enjoy my own filth!

 

[JuicyBike]

Ok. Now I feel like I'm in some weird flock of baby starlings or fledgling swallows.

Actually, which do sound more like "cheep", fledgeling starlings or swallows? Which are the cheeperier?

We did think of marketing our bikes with bird names, a-la-FreeGo (Kingfisher, Eagle etc), and toyed with Merlin, Sparrow and Swallow for our range.

So, which sound the best value now eh? Kingfisher or Merlin? Which implies the cheeper, sorry cheaper?

 

[barrycoll]

that sort of confusion could lead to a super-injunction!

 

[JuicyBike]

Is that like a spilt infinitive?

 

[flecc]

My thanks to those ganging up who have resorted to sarcasm, a sure indication of their losing the argument.

 

[Scottyf]

I just gave my opinion on the word cheap.
Nothing more, nothing less.

An as we all know, opinions are like bum holes... Everyone has one.

I really didn't intend to poke the lions.

 

[flecc]

I really didn't intend to poke the lions.

You didn't Scotty, you weren't sarcastic, you just gave your point of view and that's fine. I appreciated your reaction to the "arts" postings, I'm still puzzled about the context of poetry in this discussion.

 

[JuicyBike]

Sorry Tony. Only trying to lighten things a little. Apologies all.

 

[indalo]

Perhaps we ought to change the name of the forum from Pedelecs to Semantics?

Regards,
Indalo