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Bonjour à tous,
Does anyone know about the nickname "Galloping
Gertie" ?
Context :
"Suspension-bridge design the world over had taken fright
at the collapse of "Galloping Gertie," the nickname given to the first
Tacoma Narrows bridge in Washington State, which began to twist, sway, and finally collapse under a moderate wind of 40
m.p.h."
(This accident happened on 7th November 1940)
I understand *galloping* but *Gertie* does puzzle me...
- Is that the short for the name Gertrude ? In that case, what
has it to do with the Tacoma Bridge ?
or
- Does the whole expression "galloping Gertie" has a special
meaning or connotation ? (some sort of disease as we say for "phtisie
galopante" ?... An image relating to the swift way the bridge did collapse
...
Every interpretation welcome !...
Thanks in advance.
Lynn O'Leum
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