What does Biro stand for?
"Biro" redirects here. For the surname, see Biro (surname). A ballpoint pen, also known as a biro ( British English ), ball pen ( Philippine English ), or dot pen ( Nepali) is a pen that dispenses ink (usually in paste form) over a metal ball at its point, i.e. over a "ball point".
Who is the inventor of Biro?
The inventor's name was László József Bíró (or, in his native Hungarian, Bíró László József); he lived from 1899 to 1985. You can learn more about Biro from many sources, including the link below. Q: What is the word Biro named after?
What is a Biro pen?
Their pen was sold in Argentina as the "Birome" from the names Bíró and Meyne, which is how ballpoint pens are still known in that country. This new design was licensed by the British engineer Frederick George Miles and manufactured by his company Miles Aircraft, to be used by Royal Air Force aircrew as the "Biro".
Do you know what happened to writing before the Biro?
Before the Biro, writing was a ritual. Go into any hotel more than a century old that hasn't been extensively renovated, and you're likely to see writing desks in the lobby and even in the rooms for the guests. If you wanted to write, you didn't just pull your pen out of your pocket and begin scribbling.
Why is a pen called a Biro?
'Biro' was the name of the inventor, Lazlo Biro, a Jewish Hungarian journalist. Frustrated by the inconvenience of fountain pens, he wanted to make a pen that used quick drying printers' ink. The ink would be delivered to a ball bearing point and would write dry without the need to blot.
What does Biro mean in British slang?
ballpoint pennounWord forms: plural ˈbiros. British, Informal. a ballpoint pen. Word origin. < Biro, a trademark for a kind of ballpoint pen.
Who made the word Biro?
The word 'biro' comes from the name of the inventor of the ballpoint pen, Lazlo Biro. In the USA he sold the rights to manufacture the pens to Eversharp. In the UK he partnered with Miles Martin to make pens under his own brand name 'Biro'. In America they became 'ball pens' or 'ballpoint pens'.
What do British call an umbrella?
brollyIn Britain, “brolly” is a popular alternative to the more staid “umbrella.” Sarah Gamp, a fictional nurse who toted a particularly large umbrella in Charles Dickens's novel Martin Chuzzlewit, has inspired some English speakers to dub oversize versions “gamps.” “Bumbershoot” is a predominantly American nickname, one ...
Which is correct biro or pen?
A ballpoint pen, also known as a biro (British English), ball pen (Hong Kong, Indian and Philippine English), or dot pen (Nepali) is a pen that dispenses ink (usually in paste form) over a metal ball at its point, i.e. over a "ball point". The metal commonly used is steel, brass, or tungsten carbide.
Is a Biro a ballpoint pen?
, still known in England as a "Biro." for ink delivery, solving the flow problems."
When was the first Biro invented?
László Bíró patented what is considered the first ballpoint pen in 1938, though he had been developing it for almost a decade beforehand with his brother György. Born to a Jewish family in Hungary, Laszlo was a newspaper man and journalist by trade, while György was a dentist.
What do the British call a ballpoint pen?
9 | biro (99% British / 17% American) The term for a ballpoint pen, named after one of its inventors, Laszlo Biro. As I researched it, it's possible that the U.S. is the only country that doesn't refer to ballpoint pens as biros.
Why is it called a bumbershoot?
As with most slang terms, the origins of bumbershoot are a bit foggy, but it appears that the bumber is a modification of the umbr- in umbrella and the shoot is an alteration of the -chute in parachute (since an open parachute looks a little like an umbrella).
Why do they call food grub?
The most interesting thing about this word is how it went from describing a squishy, arguably gross little beetle larva to an informal term for something delicious. Experts guess that it comes from birds gobbling grubs. This slang definition has been around since the 17th century.
Where does hoi polloi come from?
In Greek, hoi polloi means simply "the many". (Even though hoi itself means "the", in English we almost always say "the hoi polloi".) It comes originally from the famous Funeral Oration by Pericles, where it was actually used in a positive way.
History
At left, an authentic Birome made in Argentina by Bíró & Meyne. At right, Birome advertisement in Argentine magazine Leoplán, 1945.
Inks
Ballpoint pen ink is normally a paste containing around 25 to 40 percent dye. The dyes are suspended in a mixture of solvents and fatty acids. The most common of the solvents are benzyl alcohol or phenoxyethanol, which mix with the dyes and oils to create a smooth paste that dries quickly.
Types of ballpoint pens
Ballpoint pens are produced in both disposable and refillable models. Refills allow for the entire internal ink reservoir, including a ballpoint and socket, to be replaced. Such characteristics are usually associated with designer-type pens or those constructed of finer materials.
As art medium
Ballpoint pens have proven to be a versatile art medium for professional artists as well as amateur doodlers. Low cost, availability, and portability are cited by practitioners as qualities which make this common writing tool a convenient, alternative art supply.
Manufacturing
Although designs and construction vary between brands, basic components of all ballpoint pens are universal.
Standards
The International Organization for Standardization has published standards for ball point and roller ball pens:
László Bíró
Then, in the 1930s, László Bíró came along. When he wasn't working as a newspaper editor in his native Hungary, he was trying his hand as a hypnotist, race car driver, and surrealist painter, among many other things. Today, he's an inductee into the National Inventors Hall of Fame and his life makes for an intriguing story.
Argentina and the Second World War
Bíró's work came at a time of political turmoil in the days before the outbreak of the Second World War. The Hungarian government was growing openly fascist and, as Jews, Bíró's family was increasingly threatened.
Post-war
After the war, Bíró tweaked the design to make the ink flow more smoothly by making it flow by capillary action rather than gravity, so the pen could be held at different angles. Meanwhile, other companies became interested in ballpoint pens and either secured the rights to Bíró's design or found ways around his patents by reverse engineering.
The Biro Revolution
Before the Biro, writing was a ritual. Go into any hotel more than a century old that hasn't been extensively renovated, and you're likely to see writing desks in the lobby and even in the rooms for the guests.
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David Szondy is a freelance journalist, playwright, and general scribbler based in Seattle, Washington. A retired field archaeologist and university lecturer, he has a background in the history of science, technology, and medicine with a particular emphasis on aerospace, military, and cybernetic subjects.
