Is 'low speed' finally proving its merit?

Question

Technically, you should expect the term low speed, not slow speed (which is obviously illogical).

However, it seems the two phrases co-existed as long as one can look back: with low speed fighting a desperate battle to prove its merit.

It is only recently that English users seem to have seriously recognized the difference as this nGram shows.

How did this obvious error survive and even now continue to assert itself? Or is it that from the language point of view, there is an argument that both the phrases are correct, grammatically, especially, semantically?

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[Edit-1] Some backgrounder on slow and speed
slow /slō/
Adjective: Moving or operating, or designed to do so, only at a low speed.
Adverb: At a slow pace; slowly.
Verb: Reduce one's speed or the speed of a vehicle or process.

If slow = low speed
then slow speed = ?

Answer 1

If you look up this definition of the word speed, you will see that the first meaning attributed to the word is the rate at which someone or something moves or is able to move. So, it is perfectly logical to talk about both slow and fast speed, as the word is neutral in this sense and can be modified with these two adjectives.

I wouldn't call it an error, therefore. Both uses of slow speed and low speed are grammatical.

Answer 2

Such constructions are exceedingly common in English. You might want to examine your assumption that this is an "obvious error" or "obviously illogical".

• Short stature
• Narrow width
• Short length
• Slow acceleration
• Shallow depth
• Low altitude

Some people consider "slow speed" an oxymoron - but as is the case with most oxymora, the meaning is crystal clear. In language it's successful communication of meaning that matters, not logical correctness. Are you claiming that you don't understand what is being said, that its meaning is not clear? Or are you saying that redundancy shouldn't be used in language? That's incorrect, languages use redundancy all over place. Or do you just not like the construction? That's certainly your prerogative, you can speak that way if you like, but it's not generally correct at least according to other speakers' evidence.

Answer 3

Low speed is licensed by the UP/DOWN metaphor cluster, which, like all metaphors, allows us to symbolically project some feature or percept of the human body (in this case, our built-in gravitational perception) to other judgementally differential binary concepts, like GOOD/BAD, FAST/SLOW, MALE/FEMALE, and the like. E.g:

• UP is MORE (DOWN is LESS):
• • The stockmarket’s moving up/crashing.
• UP is HAPPY (DOWN is SAD):
• • He’s depressed. feeling up/down
• UP is POWERFUL (DOWN is WEAK):
• • upper/lower classes; superior/subordinate
• UP is ACTIVE (DOWN is PASSIVE - NB: Not grammatical Passive):
• • The computer is up/down again. Rise to the occasion. up for some handball
• UP is BETTER (DOWN is WORSE):
• • fall down on the midterm; rise/fall in performance; upwardly-mobile
• UP is ABSTRACT (DOWN is CONCRETE):
• • head in the clouds; feet on the ground; higher mathematics; down-to-earth solution

As for the presenting question, viz. "Is 'low speed' finally proving its merit?" ...
Sorry. Since The Academy isn't in session this year, I can't really answer that question as posed. The presuppositions required to make sense of it are fairly interesting, though.

Answer 4

You didn't ask:

Why did 'low speed' become dominant over 'slow speed' when it did?

I'm not one to let that stop me from answering the wrong question. I think the answer is that "low speed" was dragged along in the wake of "high speed", so to speak.  Since the antonym of "high" is "low", it became the more obvious word to use, especially when used in contrast. See this nGram. It suggests a related question, which may shed light on the original:

Why is "slow speed" used, but "fast speed" not?

It might be as simple as ease of pronunciation - "fast speed" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

Answer 5

Simply put: low speed is the more correct one.

English is based on conventional uses. If the majority of English speakers use a certain phrase that is incorrect, over time people get used to it and is then incorporated into the English standard.

"Slow speed" is redundant because slow implies speed, whilst "speed" is the noun being modified.

The same repetitive redundant phrase goes to the famous "The reason is because..." (redundancy intended)

Answer 6

If we are talking about the rate at which something moves or travels, we can say "low/high speed". On the other hand, some senses of "speed" may refer to "velocity", "rapidity, quickness", swiftness", "fastness", where the usage of adjective "slow" is needed. E.g:

Slow speed of light.

I think we can question languages as "sensible". Otherwise, you can not explain the sentence "The sun rises in the east and sets in the west." which is completely illogical as well as unreal.

Answer 7

One may say "a fast speeding car". And one can travel "faster than the speed of light". So, "fast" and "speed" do collocate. As has been discussed, speed simply indicates the rate of change resulting in a movement that may be relatively "fast" or "slow". Of course, one also says "a high speed chase". But here I'm inclined to surmise that "high" is used for effect, and not because the the noun "speed" requires it. In other words, the use of "high", "low", "fast" or "slow" is optional, depending on the intent of the author. One is therefore per se not "more correct" or "accurate" than the other. To paraphrase Einstein "it's all relative".

English it a tool of expression as much as it is a tool of communication. Thus, it must offer individuals latitude to articulate their thoughts in a manner they deem fitting. The only restriction is that these thoughts need to be comprehensible to others, if the purpose of communication is to be served.

This is why we have standards within which there is a rich vocabulary from which one can select. I'm advocating here that one simply respect that fact and conclude that slow speed can be no more correct than fast, high, or low speed.