>If WE use the wrong term
>amongst ourselves, we'll certainly never show others that there's benefit in
>calling it a crescent wrench when, to some folks, "the silver-colored
>thingie," would do.
But, given the arguments that have been going on, you shouldn't call it a
Crescent wrench either. That is the name of the manufacturer of a
particular kind of wrench, and although generally accepted as meaning an
"adjustable wrench" is not any more technically correct than the
"Centronics" connector's name.
If you ask some mechanics for a crescent wrench, you might get locking
pliers... ones that are commonly called a "Vise Grip", which is ALSO
technically incorrect for the same reason Crescent is wrong.
But then, for the question of the century... if you strictly adhere to
calling an item by its name, and NOT by the commonly used term, which in
many cases is the manufacturer's or common usage name... what should you
call a Yo-Yo? (just seeing how many people know the answer to this one)
-chris
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Received on Tue Jan 01 2002 - 00:15:59 GMT