1. A common spoken name for "!" (ASCII 33), especially when
used in pronouncing a bang path in spoken hackish. In
elder days this was considered a CMUish usage, with MIT
and Stanford hackers preferring excl or shriek; but the
spread of Unix has carried "bang" with it (especially via
the term bang path) and it is now certainly the most common
spoken name for "!". Note that it is used exclusively for
non-emphatic written "!"; one would not say "Congratulations
bang" (except possibly for humorous purposes), but if one
wanted to specify the exact characters "foo!" one would speak
"Eff oh oh bang".
See pling, shriek, ASCII.
2. An exclamation signifying roughly "I have achieved
enlightenment!", or "The dynamite has cleared out my brain!"
Often used to acknowledge that one has perpetrated a thinko
immediately after one has been called on it.
[Jargon File]
(1995-01-31)
Nearby terms:
banana label « banana problem « bandwidth « bang » bang on » bang path » banner
