Origination of "thread"

Originally posted by Seitse
I am sure this discussion will change the destiny of humankind

It's hanging on a fine thread.

Originally posted by HandyAndy
Pay attention. PocketKings [b]knows what a thread is. He wants to know why it's called a thread.[/b]

You write a post. Someone answers. Then someone answers that.
Now you have a thread of posts all connected.

Originally posted by Seitse
I am sure this discussion will change the destiny of humankind

Yes, it will. Do not belittle the importance of why we call a thread of posts a
thread. It is insulting to the rest of us. 😠

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
Maybe you're all losing the thread here. 🙄

Your post is part of a thread now. Thank me. 🙂

Originally posted by HandyAndy
Pay attention. PocketKings [b]knows what a thread is. He wants to know why it's called a thread.[/b]

thanks 😀

Originally posted by HandyAndy
Pay attention. PocketKings [b]knows what a thread is. He wants to know why it's called a thread.[/b]

It's called a thread because it "threads" through the fabric of the topic.

In English, at least (and many other languages, I'm assuming), we call something after something else because it in some way resembles it.

Btw, what is called a "thread" here, is often called a "topic" on other forums on other sites. This is because Stocken was basically right. A true thread is a series of posts linked front to back by which post replies to which. So there are usually many threads in one topic, since not every post follows the one before it, in order. Threads split off from every reply that someone else also responds to. RHP is a little unusual, in that the topics here have way more threads per topic than is normal. On a lot of site forums, threads are encouraged to be sequential, where it all follows much like one conversation, instead of many conversations at once. This is why creating yet another thread in the same topic is often called posting "off-topic" in some of these other site forums. In a forum atmosphere like what exists here at RHP, all the many threads form the "fabric" of the topic. So, much like a real thread seems to weave in and out of the fabric it's in, one single thread seems to weave in and out of the fabric of the topic.

And that's "why" it's called a thread.

Originally posted by Suzianne
It's called a thread because it "threads" through the fabric of the topic.

In English, at least (and many other languages, I'm assuming), we call something after something else because it in some way resembles it.

Btw, what is called a "thread" here, is often called a "topic" on other forums on other sites. This is because Stocken was basically right ...[text shortened]... n and out of the fabric of the topic.

And that's "why" it's called a thread.

Yes, we told him that. Thread is defined as a continuous line (like a train of thought, for example) as well as the cotton strand used in sewing. The thread of a conversation is just as "real" as the thread used with a needle. PocketKings was confused because he thought the word thread as applied to forum topics was adapted from sewing, which it wasn't.