As a self-proclaimed seasoned traveler, I always assumed I knew the correct terminology for my wheeled suitcase. Growing up, my family consistently used the term "rollerboard" to describe this essential piece of travel gear, and I naturally adopted the same language. However, my confidence was shaken recently when a friend's text message referred to it as a "rollaboard," sparking a deep linguistic investigation into what I had always believed to be true.
The Great Luggage Debate: A Divided Public
Fortunately, I discovered that I am far from alone in my confusion. A notably unscientific online poll conducted back in 2010 revealed a fascinating split in public opinion. According to the survey results, 53% of respondents preferred the term "rollaboard," while 32% sided with "rollerboard." The remaining 15% admitted they had "no idea" which term was correct, highlighting the widespread uncertainty surrounding this common travel item.
Tracing the Origins: From Trademark to Common Usage
To settle this debate once and for all, I consulted linguistic experts and delved into historical archives. Linguist and lexicographer Ben Zimmer provided crucial insight, explaining that "'roll aboard' was the original term." He noted that "'Rollaboard' was trademarked by Robert Plath for his company Travelpro in 1991, though luggage appeared under the brand name 'Roll-Aboard' as early as 1985."
Indeed, historical evidence supports this timeline. A 1985 advertisement in the New Jersey newspaper the Daily Record featured a collection of bags described as the "U.S. Luggage Roll-Aboard Group," available at M. Epstein's department store in Morristown. Etymologist Barry Popik, who shared this advertisement with HuffPost, observed that while the ad claimed a trademark, "it does not look like luggage on wheels."
The Evolution of Terminology in the 1990s
The journey from trademarked term to common vocabulary involved several interesting developments. In the early 1990s, Travelpro's "rollabord" suitcase began appearing in various newspaper advertisements. By 1994, references to nonspecific "roll-aboard" luggage started cropping up, and from 1993 onward, ads for "rollerboard" suitcases also emerged. A 1999 clipping from a Canadian newspaper even included a reference to "roller board suitcases," demonstrating the term's growing acceptance.
Zimmer elaborated on this shift, stating that "'Rollerboard' began appearing as a more generic term in the 1990s. It may have started out as a misinterpretation of 'roll-aboard,' but it also avoided the trademarked term, as this 2003 USA Today article suggests."
Modern Usage and Literary References
Even in contemporary literature, the term "rollerboard" has found its place. Author Jonathan Franzen used the word in his 2018 book of essays "The End of the End of the Earth," much to the dismay of pilot and blogger Patrick Smith. Similarly, Gary Shteyngart employed that version of the term in his novel "Lake Success," published the same year. Interestingly, "rollerboard" appears to have been trademarked by a skateboard company called Rollerboard International, giving the term an entirely different meaning outside the travel context.
The Linguistic Phenomenon of Eggcorns
Zimmer identified "rollerboard" as a perfect example of an eggcorn—an alteration of a word or phrase resulting from the misinterpretation or mishearing of its elements. The term "eggcorn" itself is an eggcorn for "acorn." Unlike a malapropism, this reshaping of the original word or phrase still makes logical sense within the same context, just in a different way.
Lexicographer Jesse Sheidlower provided further clarification, explaining that "It's 'roll-aboard'—which could be written with a hyphen, a space, or as a closed compound—because it rolls aboard a plane." However, he acknowledged that the "rollerboard" eggcorn also possesses its own logic, as it evokes an object with wheels, similar to a skateboard or piece of luggage.
Folk Etymology and Common Replacements
Sheidlower noted that "Re-analyzing elements of words or compounds is known as 'folk etymology' among other names. Often this happens when less-common words or elements are replaced by more-common ones." He shared the example of "bridegroom," which historically was more like "bride-goom," with "goom" being Middle English for "man." As "goom" fell out of use, it was replaced with the more familiar "groom."
"Another example is 'wheelbarrel,' a common variant of 'wheelbarrow,' because the word 'barrow' is relatively uncommon, and a wheelbarrow does look like something that could be made from a half of a barrel," Sheidlower added. "In your example, neither 'roll' nor 'aboard' are particularly unusual, but 'roller' is very common, and 'rollerboard' is at least a plausible-sounding compound."
Conclusion: Both Terms Are Acceptable
While "rollaboard" may have historical precedence as the original term, the consensus among experts is that both "rollaboard" and "rollerboard" work perfectly fine in everyday conversation. This linguistic journey has provided me with valuable insight and reassurance—I no longer need to question the nature of my reality, at least not when it comes to luggage terminology. The evolution of language continues to demonstrate how common usage and interpretation shape our vocabulary over time.
