Same objects but different words
In space it is called a meteoroid; in the atmosphere, it is termed a meteor; and, once it reaches earth, we describe it as a meteorite.
In the North Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, it is called a hurricane; in the Northwest Pacific, it is termed a typhoon; and, in the Indian Ocean, it is described as a cyclone.
Do you know any other cases of the same object having different names in different circumstances?
August 21st, 2007 at 9:21 am
The hurricane/typhoon/cyclone nomenclature is typical of quite a few meteorological or geomorphological features which have been named locally before it was realised the same things occur elsewhere. It’s a long time since I’ve worked in that field so I’m afraid I can’t list them for you.
Of course, a person is the most multifaceted “object”, bearing many names according to relationships.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Zucchini/courgette
August 21st, 2007 at 3:52 pm
This doesn’t meet my criteria, Philip.
There are lots of words that describe the same thing but are different in British English and American English – for instance, pavement and sidewalk – but I’m looking for words which both the British and Americans would use but which are different words for the same things in different contexts.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:20 pm
OK. Not sure I understand the criteria as the terms hurricane/typhoon/cyclone are geographical variations in nomenclature of the same object (i.e. a typhoon is a hurricane is a cyclone).
If I watch the weather in New Orleans they will tell me a hurricane is on the way, but if I watch it in Mumbai they will tell me it is a cyclone. Similarly if I watch a cooking programme in Australia they will tell me to use a zucchini, but in New Zealand it would be a courgette. Same object, same (mother) tongue, different name.
Having said all that I have only had 4 hours sleep so may be missing the bleeding obvious!
August 21st, 2007 at 9:09 pm
This has been bugging me all evening (and did take my mind off the pain of my run).
‘Tropical Cyclone’ is the generic term for the weather event. ‘Hurricane’ and ‘typhoon’ are simply regional descriptions of a tropical cyclone.
The circumstances remain exactly the same, just the name changes (as per zucchini/courgette).
However, the meteoroid/meteor/meteorite issue refers to three different things: the object in space; the light phenomenon as the object travels through the atmosphere, and; an object which survives passage through the atmosphere and hits the ground.
Now that I have my pedantry out of the way does this work: ice/water/steam (the same object in different circumstances)?
Alternatively what about soccer and football?
August 21st, 2007 at 9:44 pm
Ice/water/steam is an interesting one, Philip. All are chemically the same: H20. However, they are physically very different.
Now returning to meteoroid/meteor/meteorite and hurricane/typhoon/cyclone, these are chemically and physically the same, but we chose to given them different names in different circumstances, not through a variation in linguistics but simply through convention.
I was wondering if there were any other such instances
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:36 am
My tenacity knows no bounds (until I’m on leave next week and don’t access the interweb).
A meteoroid/meteor/meteorite are not the same physically or chemically. A meteor refers to the light phenomenon of a meteoriod travelling through the atmosphere, not the meteoroid itself. A meteoroid undergoes significant changes as it passes through the atmosphere (heat, exposure to other elements) and if it survives and hits the earth is a meteorite. They are all quite different things.
A hurricane and typhoon are different names for a tropical cyclone, just as human being is the common name for homosapien. They are not different names for different circumstances – they are simply regional names as is zucchini/courgette.
For example in New Zealand a man could be hit by ‘a flying courgette during a cyclone’, but in New Orleans it would be a ‘flying zucchini in a hurricane’.
But if I was talking to poorly educated people in New Orleans about my being hit by a courgette in New Zealand during a cyclone, I may change my statement to make it clear for them, i.e ‘I was hit by a zucchini during a hurricane in New Zealand’.
It is convention but about peoples knowledge about regional distinctions.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:43 am
Well, I think that settles that, Philip.
Thanks for your diligence and erudition and enjoy your leave.