Is anyone here from the UK?

Oct 28, 2003 2 Replies
S

This question is about the name of an automotive tool in British English dialects.



You guys use "ring spanner" to mean "wrench", right?



So, would these be appropriate equivalents between American English and British English:



American English --- British English



flare nut wrench --- flare nut ring spanner Allen wrench (hex key) --- Allen ring spanner impact wrench --- impact ring spanner ratcheting wrench --- ratcheting ring spanner air ratchet wrench -- air ratchet ring spanner



Also: do you guys call a "ratchet" a "ring spanner" as well? If not, what do you call them?



Thanks!



Stephanie


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G

Yeah, okay with your idea of everything in England called by it's "proper name". Had a '56 Triumph motorcycle and in the British owner's manual you didn't adjust the idle. You adjusted the "tick-over". And if the engine was missing, it was "dropping shots". You didn't ground an electrical circuit, you "earthed" it. Not necessarily wrong. But damn sure different. And quaint.

Garrett Fulton

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G

All those quaint expressions were directly out of the owner's manual. Printed and written in England. I don't doubt the author had dirty hands, though. Wouldn't have respected him much if he didn't.

Garrett

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