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Unfrosted light bulb

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Unfrosted light bulb

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3

1

In Catch-22 there is following passage (my emphasis):

The unfrosted light bulb overhead was swinging crazily on its loose wire, and the jumbled black shadows kept swirling and bobbing chaotically, so that the entire tent seemed to be reeling.

Why is the light bulb "unfrosted"? I understand the meaning of "unfrost", but I don't understand how a light bulb can be unfrosted. Is this some metaphor?

meaning meaning-in-context american-english

share|improve this question

asked 12 hours ago

Franz DrolligFranz Drollig

417311

• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It means a light bulb without a "frosted" surface, so that the glass bulb is clear and you can see the filament inside. images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/…
  
  – Hot Licks
  12 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Most of the old-style incandescent light bulbs were "frosted" (acid-etched or something) so they gave a more "diffuse" light source. Clear glass bulbs (where you'd actually be able to see the bright glowing filament clearly) were more common even earlier (they were also cheaper, once). Hence the cited usage is "atmospheric" (it's old spooky sort of place, with a correspondingly antiquated light source). Like ghost stories are usually set in old castles, not modern apartments.
  
  – FumbleFingers
  12 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @HotLicks: Snap2! Can't we measure "weight, mass, gravity/gravitas" here in terms of number of words, rather than speed of response? :)
  
  – FumbleFingers
  12 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Also, I think you'd almost certainly get sharper shadows in light from an unfrosted bulb. And I'm sure we all agree that "single point light sources + sharp shadows" are far more spooky than diffuse lights and softer shadows.
  
  – FumbleFingers
  11 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  If you believe you understand the meaning of "unfrost", you might be wrong. "Unfrost" isn't a valid English word. There is a word "defrost" which may be what you were thinking of, but "defrost-ed" doesn't have the same structure as "un-frosted".
  
  – Mark Beadles
  9 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 7 more comments

3

1

In Catch-22 there is following passage (my emphasis):

The unfrosted light bulb overhead was swinging crazily on its loose wire, and the jumbled black shadows kept swirling and bobbing chaotically, so that the entire tent seemed to be reeling.

Why is the light bulb "unfrosted"? I understand the meaning of "unfrost", but I don't understand how a light bulb can be unfrosted. Is this some metaphor?

meaning meaning-in-context american-english

share|improve this question

asked 12 hours ago

Franz DrolligFranz Drollig

417311

• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It means a light bulb without a "frosted" surface, so that the glass bulb is clear and you can see the filament inside. images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/…
  
  – Hot Licks
  12 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Most of the old-style incandescent light bulbs were "frosted" (acid-etched or something) so they gave a more "diffuse" light source. Clear glass bulbs (where you'd actually be able to see the bright glowing filament clearly) were more common even earlier (they were also cheaper, once). Hence the cited usage is "atmospheric" (it's old spooky sort of place, with a correspondingly antiquated light source). Like ghost stories are usually set in old castles, not modern apartments.
  
  – FumbleFingers
  12 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @HotLicks: Snap2! Can't we measure "weight, mass, gravity/gravitas" here in terms of number of words, rather than speed of response? :)
  
  – FumbleFingers
  12 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Also, I think you'd almost certainly get sharper shadows in light from an unfrosted bulb. And I'm sure we all agree that "single point light sources + sharp shadows" are far more spooky than diffuse lights and softer shadows.
  
  – FumbleFingers
  11 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  If you believe you understand the meaning of "unfrost", you might be wrong. "Unfrost" isn't a valid English word. There is a word "defrost" which may be what you were thinking of, but "defrost-ed" doesn't have the same structure as "un-frosted".
  
  – Mark Beadles
  9 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 7 more comments

In Catch-22 there is following passage (my emphasis):

The unfrosted light bulb overhead was swinging crazily on its loose wire, and the jumbled black shadows kept swirling and bobbing chaotically, so that the entire tent seemed to be reeling.

Why is the light bulb "unfrosted"? I understand the meaning of "unfrost", but I don't understand how a light bulb can be unfrosted. Is this some metaphor?

meaning meaning-in-context american-english

share|improve this question

asked 12 hours ago

Franz DrolligFranz Drollig

417311

share|improve this question

asked 12 hours ago

Franz DrolligFranz Drollig

417311

share|improve this question

asked 12 hours ago

Franz DrolligFranz Drollig

417311

asked 12 hours ago

Franz DrolligFranz Drollig

417311

asked 12 hours ago

Franz DrolligFranz Drollig

417311

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

3

It means the light bulb that is "not frosted"? Frosted glass is translucent(semi transparent).

So maybe it refers to a clear(transparent) glass bulb where you can see the filament.

share|improve this answer

answered 11 hours ago

yenkaykayyenkaykay

461

New contributor

yenkaykay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

19

Source

A frosted light bulb (l) is one with a translucent white coating sprayed on the interior surface which diffuses the light. Earlier incandescent bulbs were all made of clear glass, i.e. unfrosted (r). Frosted bulbs came on the American market in the 1920s.

share|improve this answer

answered 9 hours ago

KarlGKarlG

22.3k53161

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Unfrosted lights also cast "harsher" shadows with sharper edges. Frosted lights produce soft natural shadows more similar to those produced outdoors on a sunny day. Shadow softness is also a subconscious visual cue as to an object's distance, so a hard shadow in a small space creates cognitive dissonance, with at least one signal indicating the environment must be extremely large. These factors contribute to the mood of the scene referenced in the book.
  
  – MooseBoys
  24 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

3

Whilst we can agree about the literal meaning of frosted and unfrosted, the important part is what the significance would be in this context.

We need to look at the properties of these bulbs. Both lampshades and frosting made the light less harsh by making the shadows more diffuse. A lampshade would have given the most pleasant light, at the cost of (1) the lampshade, and (2) reduced efficiency as some light would be absorbed, leading to higher running costs. A frosted bulb would have had the same two effects, to a lesser extent.

This bulb (which clearly had no shade as it was just on a wire) was therefore the cheapest option, in terms of both capital and running costs. So we get a sense of cheapness.

But we also get a sense of atmosphere, as these moving shadows, caused by the swinging bulb would have been much more noticeable, detailed and distracting from this unshaded, unfrosted bulb. Even a small movement would lead to moving sharp patterns on the wall, that would not occur with a frosted bulb.

share|improve this answer

answered 7 hours ago

David RobinsonDavid Robinson

2,301215

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Note that this light bulb was in a tent - so it may even have been battery powered. Also, in a tent, any wind would cause the bulb to be "swinging crazily on its loose wire".
  
  – TrevorD
  6 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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3

It means the light bulb that is "not frosted"? Frosted glass is translucent(semi transparent).

So maybe it refers to a clear(transparent) glass bulb where you can see the filament.

share|improve this answer

answered 11 hours ago

yenkaykayyenkaykay

461

New contributor

yenkaykay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

3

It means the light bulb that is "not frosted"? Frosted glass is translucent(semi transparent).

So maybe it refers to a clear(transparent) glass bulb where you can see the filament.

share|improve this answer

answered 11 hours ago

yenkaykayyenkaykay

461

New contributor

yenkaykay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

It means the light bulb that is "not frosted"? Frosted glass is translucent(semi transparent).

So maybe it refers to a clear(transparent) glass bulb where you can see the filament.

share|improve this answer

answered 11 hours ago

yenkaykayyenkaykay

461

New contributor

yenkaykay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this answer

answered 11 hours ago

yenkaykayyenkaykay

461

New contributor

yenkaykay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

answered 11 hours ago

yenkaykayyenkaykay

461

New contributor

yenkaykay is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

answered 11 hours ago

yenkaykayyenkaykay

461

19

Source

A frosted light bulb (l) is one with a translucent white coating sprayed on the interior surface which diffuses the light. Earlier incandescent bulbs were all made of clear glass, i.e. unfrosted (r). Frosted bulbs came on the American market in the 1920s.

share|improve this answer

answered 9 hours ago

KarlGKarlG

22.3k53161

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Unfrosted lights also cast "harsher" shadows with sharper edges. Frosted lights produce soft natural shadows more similar to those produced outdoors on a sunny day. Shadow softness is also a subconscious visual cue as to an object's distance, so a hard shadow in a small space creates cognitive dissonance, with at least one signal indicating the environment must be extremely large. These factors contribute to the mood of the scene referenced in the book.
  
  – MooseBoys
  24 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

19

Source

A frosted light bulb (l) is one with a translucent white coating sprayed on the interior surface which diffuses the light. Earlier incandescent bulbs were all made of clear glass, i.e. unfrosted (r). Frosted bulbs came on the American market in the 1920s.

share|improve this answer

answered 9 hours ago

KarlGKarlG

22.3k53161

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Unfrosted lights also cast "harsher" shadows with sharper edges. Frosted lights produce soft natural shadows more similar to those produced outdoors on a sunny day. Shadow softness is also a subconscious visual cue as to an object's distance, so a hard shadow in a small space creates cognitive dissonance, with at least one signal indicating the environment must be extremely large. These factors contribute to the mood of the scene referenced in the book.
  
  – MooseBoys
  24 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

Source

A frosted light bulb (l) is one with a translucent white coating sprayed on the interior surface which diffuses the light. Earlier incandescent bulbs were all made of clear glass, i.e. unfrosted (r). Frosted bulbs came on the American market in the 1920s.

share|improve this answer

answered 9 hours ago

KarlGKarlG

22.3k53161

share|improve this answer

answered 9 hours ago

KarlGKarlG

22.3k53161

answered 9 hours ago

KarlGKarlG

22.3k53161

answered 9 hours ago

KarlGKarlG

22.3k53161

3

Whilst we can agree about the literal meaning of frosted and unfrosted, the important part is what the significance would be in this context.

We need to look at the properties of these bulbs. Both lampshades and frosting made the light less harsh by making the shadows more diffuse. A lampshade would have given the most pleasant light, at the cost of (1) the lampshade, and (2) reduced efficiency as some light would be absorbed, leading to higher running costs. A frosted bulb would have had the same two effects, to a lesser extent.

This bulb (which clearly had no shade as it was just on a wire) was therefore the cheapest option, in terms of both capital and running costs. So we get a sense of cheapness.

But we also get a sense of atmosphere, as these moving shadows, caused by the swinging bulb would have been much more noticeable, detailed and distracting from this unshaded, unfrosted bulb. Even a small movement would lead to moving sharp patterns on the wall, that would not occur with a frosted bulb.

share|improve this answer

answered 7 hours ago

David RobinsonDavid Robinson

2,301215

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Note that this light bulb was in a tent - so it may even have been battery powered. Also, in a tent, any wind would cause the bulb to be "swinging crazily on its loose wire".
  
  – TrevorD
  6 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

3

Whilst we can agree about the literal meaning of frosted and unfrosted, the important part is what the significance would be in this context.

We need to look at the properties of these bulbs. Both lampshades and frosting made the light less harsh by making the shadows more diffuse. A lampshade would have given the most pleasant light, at the cost of (1) the lampshade, and (2) reduced efficiency as some light would be absorbed, leading to higher running costs. A frosted bulb would have had the same two effects, to a lesser extent.

This bulb (which clearly had no shade as it was just on a wire) was therefore the cheapest option, in terms of both capital and running costs. So we get a sense of cheapness.

But we also get a sense of atmosphere, as these moving shadows, caused by the swinging bulb would have been much more noticeable, detailed and distracting from this unshaded, unfrosted bulb. Even a small movement would lead to moving sharp patterns on the wall, that would not occur with a frosted bulb.

share|improve this answer

answered 7 hours ago

David RobinsonDavid Robinson

2,301215

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Note that this light bulb was in a tent - so it may even have been battery powered. Also, in a tent, any wind would cause the bulb to be "swinging crazily on its loose wire".
  
  – TrevorD
  6 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

Whilst we can agree about the literal meaning of frosted and unfrosted, the important part is what the significance would be in this context.

We need to look at the properties of these bulbs. Both lampshades and frosting made the light less harsh by making the shadows more diffuse. A lampshade would have given the most pleasant light, at the cost of (1) the lampshade, and (2) reduced efficiency as some light would be absorbed, leading to higher running costs. A frosted bulb would have had the same two effects, to a lesser extent.

This bulb (which clearly had no shade as it was just on a wire) was therefore the cheapest option, in terms of both capital and running costs. So we get a sense of cheapness.

But we also get a sense of atmosphere, as these moving shadows, caused by the swinging bulb would have been much more noticeable, detailed and distracting from this unshaded, unfrosted bulb. Even a small movement would lead to moving sharp patterns on the wall, that would not occur with a frosted bulb.

share|improve this answer

answered 7 hours ago

David RobinsonDavid Robinson

2,301215

share|improve this answer

answered 7 hours ago

David RobinsonDavid Robinson

2,301215

answered 7 hours ago

David RobinsonDavid Robinson

2,301215

answered 7 hours ago

David RobinsonDavid Robinson

2,301215