mispronounced DIY terminology

Just recalled. She also used to differentiate between natural timber & chipboard by calling the former 'tree wood'.

Me too. Noggin is actually a small quantity of spirits but if you pick up words from conversation rather than a dictionary final 'g's or indeed initial 'h's are often silent.

According to Collins Dictionary cill is a variant spelling used by the construction industry.

'x off' was traditional engineering practice (or should that be practise?) when I was a student apprentice back in the early 60s. I am sure there would have been a very good reason for it but all I can think of now is to avoid confusion say between twenty to and twenty two.

It wasn't here. :-)

My family moved to a new-built estate when I was a 3. An for the next few years there was a lot of DIY all around as proper fences and sheds were put up, garden paths set out etc. As I was learning to read I was always puzzled by the sign of the local builders' merchant's lorry "Wood for Timber". What was the difference? Why would they offer a swap? It was only years latter, passing that merchnts yard every day on the way to work, that I worked it out: name of company George Wood and Sons.

I've been in the US for a few years now, and I don't think I'll ever get used to that one. Ditto with they way they all pronounce chassis.

(I have just about got used to calling spanners wrenches and torches flashlights though ;-)

cheers

Jules

Interesting. I didn't know that.

When I was young, my grandmother *always* called it 'soddering'. (she didn't do any, just saw me doing it).

She was married to an expat Canadian; I wonder now if that's how she picked it up.

That's a new one on me.

A batten (roof in this context) and a baton (conducting an orchestra) are not (at least to me) synonyms.

Oh and... Sir Form was what my grandfather said. And I think he was older than the tool. And cill, not sill.

Yanks? Well, cart for trolley. (Trolley means tram). And bathroom. And don't ever ask for a rubber when you want to remove pencil marks...

Andy

Nor or they homonyms.

Someone once explained to me that it derives from manufacturing something from a specification or drawing - "2 off (that drawing/ specification)".

But I've never been convinced. To me, it makes sense to ask for "2 of those widgets" or even "widgets, 2 of".

-- Halmyre

I assumed it was like "2 off the production line". We have the verb "to pri= nt off" which could be similar. Also, gleaned from a web search, we have th= e expression "one-off" to mean something unique. Simon.

Ahh, and 'niche' (just saw it typed in a post in another thread). I've only ever heard it as 'neesh' in England, but it always seems to be 'nitch' in the US. It's not really a diy term, but it still grates whenever I hear it that way :-)

JGH

As far as I'm concerned, "nitch" is a perfectly good English word (possibly regional dialect) meaning essentially the same as "niche". However, Google hits are few, and mainly refer to as being a mispronunciation/misspelling of "niche". I think that this is one for alt.english.usage and alt.usage.english!

router (rowter) for wood working

router (rooter) for internet connection??

I'm afraid there's a tendency to say rowter [1] for internet connections to. Just as they say rowt instead of route.

I've always thought of it in those terms, too - that or "2 off the inventory".

cheers

Jules

I am so glad Cpt Picard was played by a British actor so we heard of Dayter plotting roots instead of Datta plotting rowts.

JGH

At primary school occasionally we had to go outside for something called a 'fire drill'.

I remember thinking 'Are they drilling holes somewhere to look for fire? Why can't I hear the noise of men working on that?'. Why are we outside? Is it dangerous to be inside while they are drilling?'