The term “telecommunication” was first used in a New York
Times article dating back to May 6, 1934. The article, titled “World Radio Code
Links 75 Nations” talks about an international treaty that was ratified by the
United States and 75 other nations and colonies. This treaty linked the United
States with these other countries in order to be able to send radio signals
across multiple nations. This treaty did not include communication rights via
the telephone or the telegraph.
The first scholarly article that the term “telecommunication”
came about was in The American Journal of International Law. In an issue
titled, “Chronicle of International Events” the term “telecommunication” was
documented a few times. A “Telecommunication Convention” was documented and
took place in Madrid, December 9, 1932.
The term “telecommunication” itself has not changed
definition over the years, but the technology behind it most definitely has.
When it was first used in 1934, telecommunication only involved radio,
telephone, telegraph, and possibly television. Over 80 years later, the term
still means the same thing- communication over long distances by the means of
electrical signals. The advancement of these radio signals, telephones,
televisions, telegraphs, and even computers is what has changed.
Chronicle of International Events
M. Alice Matthews
The American Journal of International Law, Vol. 28, No. 4 (Oct., 1934),
pp. 747-759
ORRIN E. DUNLAP JR.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New
York, N.Y] 06 May 1934: N1.
That is very interesting, I would not have guessed that the first telocommunications reference would have been referring to radio. You make a good point that you cannot simply say that it is exactly the same as it used to be becuase the word has encompassed so much more as time has progressed. That logic also applies to my word which was software. The meaning has generally stayed the same, but it encompasses much more now than it used to.
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