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Mother Natures Son
05-11-2018, 19:21
I friend was telling me "how bad" this year's Bubble is. I shot back, each years Bubble has its bad Apples. When did the term, "The Bubble" come intro usage?

Traveler
05-12-2018, 07:49
I friend was telling me "how bad" this year's Bubble is. I shot back, each years Bubble has its bad Apples. When did the term, "The Bubble" come intro usage?

Interesting question, the etymology is really not too clear.

The term "Bubble" has been used metaphorically for a long time in the English language. There are writings dating back into the 1700's that use the word "bubble" to describe various short term circumstances, it's closest metaphoric neighbor "pig in a python". The definition of "bubble" is contextual and typically is used to define rapid growth and collapse of something, for example perishable economic boom/bust cycles like a "Housing Bubble". Bubble can also be used to describe someone with insular values being in a "personal bubble", being at risk of position loss "he's on the bubble", or a circle of friends or associates. Generally, the bubble metaphor is associated with events, actions, or creation by people.

Like many phrases the application of the term relative to the AT has drifted from defining only the significant number of northbound hikers that span several weeks to a month (when viewed from a set point). It is commonly used today to define both the large initial group of hikers Northbound on the AT and to define smaller hiker groups that develop over time as people leave the trail.

I could not find a reference when the "bubble" term originated with respect to the AT. Clearly it is an apt use of the term in describing a significant number of people moving in the same direction over a short period of time as opposed to "pig in the python".

Traillium
05-12-2018, 08:41
Interesting question, the etymology is really not too clear.

The term "Bubble" has been used metaphorically for a long time in the English language. There are writings dating back into the 1700's that use the word "bubble" to describe various short term circumstances, it's closest metaphoric neighbor "pig in a python". The definition of "bubble" is contextual and typically is used to define rapid growth and collapse of something, for example perishable economic boom/bust cycles like a "Housing Bubble". Bubble can also be used to describe someone with insular values being in a "personal bubble", being at risk of position loss "he's on the bubble", or a circle of friends or associates. Generally, the bubble metaphor is associated with events, actions, or creation by people.

Like many phrases the application of the term relative to the AT has drifted from defining only the significant number of northbound hikers that span several weeks to a month (when viewed from a set point). It is commonly used today to define both the large initial group of hikers Northbound on the AT and to define smaller hiker groups that develop over time as people leave the trail.

I could not find a reference when the "bubble" term originated with respect to the AT. Clearly it is an apt use of the term in describing a significant number of people moving in the same direction over a short period of time as opposed to "pig in the python".

What a great explanation!