Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Neil Armstrong's Moon Quote Earns an 'A'
NewsMax ^ | 9/30/06 | AP

Posted on 09/30/2006 3:11:28 PM PDT by wagglebee

That's one small word for astronaut Neil Armstrong, one giant revision for grammar sticklers everywhere.

An Australian computer programmer says he found the missing "a" from Armstrong's famous first words from the moon in 1969, when the world heard the phrase, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

The story was reported in Saturday's editions of the Houston Chronicle.

Some historians and critics have dogged Armstrong for not saying the more dramatic and grammatically correct, "One small step for a man . . ." in the version he transmitted to NASA's Mission Control. Without the missing "a," Armstrong essentially said, "One small step for mankind, one giant leap for mankind."

The famous astronaut has maintained he intended to say it properly and believes he did. Thanks to some high-tech sound-editing software, computer programmer Peter Shann Ford might have proved Armstrong right.

Ford said he downloaded the audio recording of Armstrong's words from a NASA Web site and analyzed the statement with software that allows disabled people to communicate through computers using their nerve impulses.

In a graphical representation of the famous phrase, Ford said he found evidence that the missing "a" was spoken and transmitted to NASA.

"I have reviewed the data and Peter Ford's analysis of it, and I find the technology interesting and useful," Armstrong said in a statement. "I also find his conclusion persuasive. Persuasive is the appropriate word."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abigwhocaresbolded; aisforahole; apollo11; icare; moonwalk; nasa; neilarmstrong; nobodycares; slownewsday; thisissilly; whotruelycares
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-113 next last
To: NCC-1701
Apollo 18 got lost on the way...


81 posted on 09/30/2006 7:20:06 PM PDT by operation clinton cleanup
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee

It's hard to believe that this was over 37 years ago.


82 posted on 09/30/2006 7:31:41 PM PDT by exit82 (Clinton didn't try. He just failed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ALOHA RONNIE
"...bringing those still living in the 7th Century AD on the Earth...
...along for the ride...? "

No, Ronnie, out there is the future. We're leaving them here, in the past. (Where they freaking belong!)
83 posted on 09/30/2006 7:38:00 PM PDT by Old Student (We have a name for the people who think indiscriminate killing is fine. They're called "The Bad Guys)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: JohnnyZ
ONE SMALL STEP FOR [static/crackle] MAN -- the cadence clearly implies a swallowed and/or static-obscured 'a'.

I was about to say there was no "static" during "one small step for(a)man", but there is a little bit in the background. I don't think it obscures his voice, though. The audio is of reasonable quality, even if less than perfect. It's just that he races over it. It's an elision, really, but it's still there, like the grin of the Chesire Cat.

The article claims it's objectively decipherable from the audio, but words are subjective, after all is said and done.

When you say "man" it leads off with a "nasal stop" - a little grunt - like "(um)an". "a" is said "uh" - a "glottal stop" - so "fer uh man" is hard to discern from "fer (um)an".

84 posted on 09/30/2006 8:19:19 PM PDT by dr_lew
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: JohnnyZ

Blame it on Cronkite. Or anybody else in the media. They repeated it wrong!


85 posted on 09/30/2006 8:19:44 PM PDT by Tanniker Smith (I didn't know she was a liberal when I married her.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: operation clinton cleanup

Huzza for Buzz! First West Pointer on the Moon. Go Army, Beat Navy!


86 posted on 09/30/2006 8:19:52 PM PDT by donmeaker (If the sky don't say "Surrender Dorothy!" then my ex wife is out of town.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee

Can anyone please identify the make, model, and year of the lead car in that picture? It's a beauty.

87 posted on 09/30/2006 8:28:13 PM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: StACase

47 posts and no mention of Mr. Gorsky!
LOL
That's the first thing I thought of. I was beginning to think no one would mention it.


88 posted on 09/30/2006 9:13:26 PM PDT by Flash Bazbeaux
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: davisfh

That's how I always understood it. With the "a" the meaning is totally changed - less profound in my opinion.


89 posted on 10/01/2006 1:02:58 AM PDT by August West (To each according to his ability, from each according to his need...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee

I still think he should have sung the Purdue fight song. And I'm an IU grad.


90 posted on 10/01/2006 1:16:06 AM PDT by sphinx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee
F'n A!
91 posted on 10/01/2006 1:33:42 AM PDT by Erasmus (I invited Benoit Mandelbrot to the Shoreline Grill, but he never got there.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ronaldus Magnus

First guess: Desoto. Looks a bit old for the year 1969; I'd say about a '58.


92 posted on 10/01/2006 1:50:23 AM PDT by Erasmus (I invited Benoit Mandelbrot to the Shoreline Grill, but he never got there.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 87 | View Replies]

To: All; Old Student; Alamo-Girl

.

Besides permanently sending us back to Earth's Moon and then soon on to the Planet MARS,


President BUSH has promised:


Freedom's Return to...

Communist Vietnam
Communist North Korea &
Communist Cuba


as well as


Freedom's Arrival to...


All the Countries of the Middle East


...as America's own best self-proteciton against future terrorist attacks here at home.


Thus, EVERYONE really is coming along for the ride.


AR

.


93 posted on 10/01/2006 7:02:36 AM PDT by ALOHA RONNIE ("ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer/Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965 http://www.lzxray.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee

Heard it again last night. He had two awkward pauses right after he knew he blew his lines. His speaking coach submitted his resignation immediately rather than be associated with the controversy sure to follow. Armstrong would have been better off if he had stopped delivering momentous lines after 'The Eagle has landed.'


94 posted on 10/01/2006 7:40:19 AM PDT by RightWhale (Repeal the law of the excluded middle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: RightWhale; Brett66; xrp; gdc314; anymouse; NonZeroSum; jimkress; discostu; The_Victor; ...

95 posted on 10/01/2006 7:42:23 AM PDT by KevinDavis (Nancy you ignorant Slut!!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PatriotBill

Or "Deke".


96 posted on 10/01/2006 7:53:15 AM PDT by BenLurkin ("The entire remedy is with the people." - W. H. Harrison)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: Erasmus

Thanks for the educated guess. They sure made them pretty back then!


97 posted on 10/01/2006 9:19:31 AM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: Ronaldus Magnus

The "Chrysler Imperial Parade Phaeton"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Imperial_Parade_Phaeton


98 posted on 10/01/2006 9:45:22 AM PDT by wolficatZ ("..a creature from the prehistoric past. The terrible, fearsome, Croco-Stimpy! ")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 87 | View Replies]

To: wolficatZ

that thing HAS a Hemi


99 posted on 10/01/2006 9:49:39 AM PDT by Vaquero ("An armed society is a polite society" Robert A. Heinlein)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 98 | View Replies]

To: Ronaldus Magnus

Chrysler... Probably 58 or 59.


100 posted on 10/01/2006 9:54:57 AM PDT by Poser (Willing to fight for oil)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 87 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-113 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson