Clarifying Terms: Are TV and Movie Previews Alternatively Called Trailers?

Introduction

It drives me crazy when people refer to TV and movie previews as trailers. Don’t they know that trailers come last? Eh. It irks me too. Do you know what I do about it? I say preview. Just like you know what people mean when they say trailer, they know what you mean when you say preview.

What Are Trailers?

I edit trailers. That’s what we call them ever since I started doing them in the 80s, and I know the term is way older than that. They used to be called previews or Coming Attractions.

Now we have teaser trailers that are usually 90 seconds or so, and full trailers that are around 2–4 minutes. I’m sure others will fill in terms I’ve missed.

Another odd term is “sizzle reel.” It used to be called a promo promotional reel. These often refer to sample videos to showcase the best parts of a TV program, very similar to trailers.

Understanding the Terminology

This is not something that should drive you crazy. That’s what they are called. This distinction is driven by both prescriptive grammar, because the dictionary says so, and descriptive grammar, because everyone uses the term that way.

And in fact, to your point, trailers were originally shown at the end of the movie. The word stuck and remained in use even after theaters switched to showing them at the beginning. This is a classic case of anachronistic language usage, which means the term has evolved but the people still understand its meaning.

Language Adaptation and Evolution

It’s weird that Americans call main courses ‘entrees.’ That’s literally the word for appetizers. Americans call back bacon ‘Canadian bacon’ when there’s nothing particularly Canadian about it and nobody here calls it that because our bacon is just like the kind people eat in America.

English is weird, particularly in America. Meanings change sometimes they even reverse. The word ‘effeminate’ for example, used to refer to a man’s man womanizer. It doesn’t anymore. Whatever the reason, it’s important to adapt and understand the evolving nature of language.

Think of “trailers” as more anachronistic than erroneous. Like calling a movie a film when everything is digital, and we don’t rewind anything anymore. But we still use the term. It’s grandfathered language. It doesn’t relate much to the original meaning anymore, but people still understand the terminology.

Conclusion

English, and all languages, evolve. While it may drive us crazy sometimes, it’s essential to recognize and adapt to these changes. Whether it’s trailers, entrees, or sizzle reels, the key is to understand and use the terms appropriately and adapt to the ongoing evolution of language.