The word “mouse” was first used in 1853 according to the New
York Times database. The word was used as I thought it would be, to describe a
certain type of rodent. Similarly the word first appeared in JSTOR in 1670. The
article mentioned a mouse being used in a scientific experiment, again to talk
about an animal. It is clear that the use of the word “mouse” has changed
overtime even though it is still used in in the way it originated. As computers
became more popular and widely used the term “mouse” has become the word
describe the pointing device that controls the cursor on a computer screen. Although
the meaning of the word has not completely changed, it has adapted a new
meaning. The word is still used to talk about the little rodents that cats
chase around, yet it is even adapting to replace the word cursor. Now that
laptops have track pads they no longer need an actual mouse so people often
times call the cursor the mouse. The progression of the word helps to
illustrate the progression of technology and how society adapts along with
improvements. We cater our vocabulary and slang to the important things in our
lives. Due to touch screens, the word may soon regress back to only being used
as it originally was because touch screens do not require cursors or a mouse.
The pointing device that controls the cursor was called a mouse because it just looked like a mouse with a tail. Since then, they started calling it that.
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