Why do they call them "Light" Machine Guns?

[Chrinik]

You call that a machine gun? THIS is a machine gun!

THIS would be the afforementioned GAU-8 Avenger...

 

[Caligulove]

Thought it was because of their portability compared to something like a .50Cal stationary gun. They can actually be used by someone band moved effectively

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

I am proud to say that my very first thread on the Escapist is search-bar approved! (To the 4th page, anyway) This is a semi-serious question. Isn't calling it a Light Machine Gun, or a Minigun an oxymoron? Shouldn't sub-machine guns be Light, and Light Machine Guns be Heavy Machine Guns, or something to that accord? It doesn't make much sense at all.

Light Machine Guns are light because you can actually carry them and are lighter than actual machine guns. Actual manchines need to be mounted and you can't carry them unless you're not in battle and they must be deployed. Light machine guns don't have to be deployed but thats what I think anyway.