The origin of the term forklift

Dumbwaiters, that is, small industrial forklifts, are today an almost ubiquitous sight in hotels, bars and restaurants. Often used to reduce travel and simplify daily tasks for kitchen and hotel staff, these devices are extremely popular for their compact size, versatility, ease of use and relative robustness.

However, while many people are familiar with the concept of a forklift, very few have likely stopped and thought about where that name came from and why it was adopted for that specific attachment in the first place. Aside from being common in hotel and restaurant kitchen areas, what other link is there between an industrial elevator and a waiter? Where does the ‘dumb’ part come from? Does he mean lack of intelligence or lack of ability to speak? All these questions and more will be addressed in the following lines.

The employee who does not speak

The exact origin of the term dumbwaiter is difficult to pinpoint, but its etymology is relatively uncontroversial. The expression derives from the fact that the small forklifts of the same name were often used as an inanimate stand-in for an actual member of staff; Thus, ‘the dumb waiter’ referred to the way in which these devices performed some of the tasks that the help would normally take care of, while at the same time being neither seen nor heard, or in other words, ‘dumb ‘.

The term is believed to have been first used sometime in the mid-19th century, on wealthy homes and estates in the United States. It seems agreed, however, that the term first rose to prominence in the public consciousness when it was used in a play, ‘The Silly Waiter’, by Harold Pinter. First introduced in 1957, the piece quickly achieved international fame and renown, and with it, the term ‘platform’ as a synonym for small-scale industrial forklifts. It is thanks to this work that the expression is believed to have entered the public consciousness once and for all, and therefore can be considered its true creator, or at least responsible for its spread in Western society.

campaign for change

Perhaps more surprising than the origin or meaning of the term dumbwaiter is the fact that, in recent years, various parties have been pushing for it to be changed. Today, the expression is considered mildly derogatory, and a number of replacement terms have slowly but surely taken its place in recent decades. Alternative names for these types of devices include microlift, lazy Susan, and serving tray, all of which are considered more acceptable and politically correct than the term defined above.

Regardless of these efforts, however, it seems unlikely that the term dumbwaiter will disappear from public consciousness any time soon. Even if these alternative names become popular with an increasingly socially conscious general public, the transition will not happen overnight; The process is likely to take several years, and until then these handy little implements will continue to be known by their current name.

However, whatever name they are known by, one thing seems clear: dumbwaiters should continue to play as important a role in the hotel and restaurant industry for decades to come as they do now. The versatile and user-friendly nature of these risers makes them an indispensable asset in any large, industrial-style kitchen or utility room, and this status looks set to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future. Whether known as dumbwaiters, microlifts, lazy Susans, serving trays, or any other name, these elevators should continue to be hotel and hospital staff’s best friend for as long as they’re in production.

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