h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So, what's a Noodler? It says Ray Dolby is/was a "Noodler".
But wots one of them then?

Someone who noodles...

OK, this is where I got the word from - in case you are afraid: It seems 'noodler' one of James Burke's (a Brit who writes for Scientific American) favourite words to denote someone who comes up with a gizmo, or some piece of invention or theoretical brew-up. I liked the sound of the word in this context and now I find myself using the word too.

Dolby was a noodler. He invented a real nifty system that keeps noise at bay.

HELL

Excellent. So it's a bit like some (good) definitions of "Hacker" or "Geek" perhaps?

Think of undirected play leading to experimentation leading to development. Like noodling on the piano until a melody begins to emerge. Or doodling on a pad until an image begins to emerge.

the term noodling has long been applied to going thru old heaps of rock to find discarded opal.

that it has been used for messing about with musical instruments and tinkering with gizmos suggests a common origin along the lines of 'sifting thru things to find value', which distinguishes it from mere tinkering, which would not seem to necessarily imply a sorting process.

i'd be interested in the etymology of this word if anyone knows.

I always thought that it referred to someone producing noodles, which is why I thought it was so ingenious to use that word to denote someone inventing something, just as if he was producing a noodle... Also of course it also sounds nicely weird... like many words with 'oo'...

I have never cared too much about its etymology and proper usage, and relied completely on James Burke, who is a respected author of English language and - as I mentioned - uses this word often in this context or connotation.

Today, while trying to answer Ghingis' question I have also come across the word 'noodler' being some kind of fish-bait... What do I know. A kind of creature that fish like. Maybe a worm... that goes through heaps of mud, like in the picture of the opal mining?

What do I know?

HELL

Ah, but making noodles is a purposeful activity with a predetermined outcome. If a I make noodles I never wind up with a bowl of paintbrushes. I always get noodles.

And by the way, great article.

Maybe the original noodle maker was trying to make a loaf of bread and *ended* up with noodles?


HELL