Operator=pretentious

[John Joseph]

I've seen the word 'operator" used for a shooter, a marksman. a soldier, a gunslinger, a pistolero, a sniper, and even as the model designation of a certain brand of pistol.
Does it seem a bit pretentious to you too?
I have a difficult time accepting the current hype that of a pistol as being a "machine" which is run by an "operator?"
Where did the term come from? And why?

[glock_this]

I haz official operator status

[John Joseph]

Motor Vehicle?

[AGFNTB]

[SoulStealer]

Jim Croce??

[Zartan]

CG is full of operators

[E.T.]

Sade?

[flodgodsetes]

yes,CG is full of operators.thanks

[singleTap]

he's a smooth operator

[zman]

Is "Smooth Operator" the highest distinction they give to top performing call center employees in India?

[CombsForce]

I have heard the term as well. It usually applies to those individuals who work in the "Special Operations" community of LE and DoD. Maybe it is because they are carrying out specific operations and this was the blanket term decided upon by these agencies? I admit I didn't bother to research this and it is only a guess.

[homechicken]

I believe the derivation is from "Special Ops". If you're a member of a Special Operations team, then (at least from a grammatical point of view) you're an "operator".

[-hanko]

It's the same stupidity as...

...platform

I rock with...I roll with...

Mission-critical

etc

etc.

[mikenewgun87]

I take it that you have never operated before???

[b1oodgroove]

Only an Operator would be able to handle this machine: