"using ctrl+x as a prefix for file handling shortcuts in emacs, or just holding ctrl or meta is modal editing"<p>Jef Raskin coined the term "quasimode" to distinguish between vi-style modal interface and the emacs interface of holding ctrl or meta keys. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode_%28computer_interface%29#Quasimodes" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode_%28computer_interface%29#Q...</a> .<p>The original text is visible at <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=D39vjmLfO3kC&pg=PA55&lpg=PA55&dq=raskin+quasimodes&source=bl&ots=CQoD943VS3&sig=K-ngO6m5beIiWPkvrwzOHPu_BIY&hl=sv&sa=X&ei=YRX0VPuLOoLMyAO_poGoCQ&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=raskin%20quasimodes&f=false" rel="nofollow">https://books.google.com/books?id=D39vjmLfO3kC&pg=PA55&lpg=P...</a> . It mentions another's phrase to distinguish the "spring loaded" temporary modal of ctrl+x prefix in emacs vs. the "spring locked" modal of vi.