[FPSPACE] Linguistic analysis: Armstrong on the moon

[Mark Kramer]

I was a researcher for CBS News in July, 1969, covering Apollo 11 at what was then the Manned Spacecraft Center. I was glued to the NASA TV feed and the CBS News broadcast for the entire period, and it is my very strong recollection that Walter said just what we all heard: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” And on replaying the audio at least a hundred times over the years, that’s still what he said. 

 

Anyone claiming otherwise is imagining it. 

 

There is a very clear recording available at http://www.nasa.gov/62284main_onesmall2.wav

 

As you can hear, there is no pause or beat for another syllable between “for” and “man.”

 

Case closed.

 

 

Mark Kramer

 

TV NEWS PRODUCER/CONSULTANT

914 238-8061

917 796-9567 mobile

markkramer1 at verizon.net

 

From: fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org [mailto:fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org] On Behalf Of Charles, John B. (JSC-SA211)
Sent: Monday, June 08, 09 09:03
To: 'jeoberg at comcast.net'; 'Kosmos327 at aol.com'; 'fpspace at friends-partners.org'
Subject: Re: [FPSPACE] Linguistic analysis: Armstrong on the moon

 

JimO, 

I too heard it, live, at age 15, and wrote down what I heard: "one small step for man, one (etc.)." It didn't make grammatical sense immediately, but the best explanation I have heard is that it was a typically clipped phrase from a native central Ohioan.

I wonder how did Walter Cronkite say it in his immediate reiteration of the historical statement?

Concur re: the small step not being the long fall from the ladder.

JBC

 

  _____  

From: fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org <fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org> 
To: Kosmos327 at aol.com <Kosmos327 at aol.com>; fpspace at friends-partners.org <fpspace at friends-partners.org> 
Sent: Mon Jun 08 06:28:25 2009
Subject: Re: [FPSPACE] Linguistic analysis: Armstrong on the moon 

 

Sorry, I don't weigh highly some whiny Brit intellectual's conclusions.

Never have -- and I've heard lots from that cultural quarter.

 

I heard the comment live. My brain parsed the audio quality compared

to my experience listening to pilot air-to-ground conversations in USAF work. 

 

When my future wife (with whom I'm soon to celebrate a 40th anniversary)

leaned over to me and asked, 'What did he say?', I repeated to her what 

I had heard him say: "Tha'ts one small step for a man...."

 

Far more significant an error -- common around the world -- is the mistaken

belief that this was said as Neil jumped down off the ladder and down onto the

surface of the moon, rather than when he smoothly moved his left foot 

off the footpad, where he stood, and pressed it in to the lunar soil.

 

Jim O

 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Kosmos327 at aol.com 

To: fpspace at friends-partners.org 

Sent: Sunday, June 07, 2009 1:48 PM

Subject: Re: [FPSPACE] Linguistic analysis: Armstrong on the moon

 

I have to agree with this. And I find it peculiar that anyone would seriously suggest the phrase as actually spoken to be improper. It was definitely proper enough (and quite moving) at the time.

 

Regards,

 

David L. Rickman

 

 

In a message dated 6/7/2009 2:23:00 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jrespler at superlink.net writes:

He listened repeatedly till he convinced himself that he heard what he 
wanted to hear.
It was quite clear that was actually said was
...step for man

No 'a'.

 

 


  _____  


An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See <http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222377042x1201454362/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26bcd=JuneExcfooterNO62>  Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps!


  _____  


_______________________________________________
FPSPACE mailing list
FPSPACE at friends-partners.org
http://www.friends-partners.org/mailman/listinfo/fpspace

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.friends-partners.org/pipermail/fpspace/attachments/20090608/eeec32d6/attachment.html