Tyre vs tire
Tube vs subway
Boot vs trunk
Hood vs roof
It goes on. Not right or wrong just east or west of the Atlantic.
Hood vs Bonnet
is it a WRENCH or a SPANNER
- Thread starter jaye944
- Start date
Hood vs Bonnet
devoncoolman
Well-known member
In america its a wrench. Pretty much everywhere else its a spanner.
Here in Australia it's generally spanner, but some specific types of spanners are called wrenches. So almost exactly the opposite of the America where it's generally wrench but some specific wrenches are called spanners.
The most common types and their common abbreviations (in brackets) here are:
Open Ended Spanner (open ender)
Ring Spanner
Shifting Spanner (shifter)
Pipe Wrench
Pipe wrenches are sometimes still called "Stilson's" here, but it's getting fairly uncommon these days. I've never been a fan of calling them that name, kind of like calling all adjustable wrenches as "Crescent wrenches".
The most common types and their common abbreviations (in brackets) here are:
Open Ended Spanner (open ender)
Ring Spanner
Shifting Spanner (shifter)
Pipe Wrench
Pipe wrenches are sometimes still called "Stilson's" here, but it's getting fairly uncommon these days. I've never been a fan of calling them that name, kind of like calling all adjustable wrenches as "Crescent wrenches".
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PCO6
Well-known member
Not just in Europe ... it's a "vice" pretty much every where in the world except the US.
i think we(in the USA) know what anyone means when someone says spanner, but its a wrench.
the pic Jdon showed is what we call spanners. and WE use them to adjust the shocks on motorcycles or micrometers
as others have pointed theres a lot of words that get mixed up between us and the queens english like....
gas-petrol
snap ring-circlip
tire-tyre
lug nut-wheel nut
muffler-silencer
viva la difference i say
the pic Jdon showed is what we call spanners. and WE use them to adjust the shocks on motorcycles or micrometers
as others have pointed theres a lot of words that get mixed up between us and the queens english like....
gas-petrol
snap ring-circlip
tire-tyre
lug nut-wheel nut
muffler-silencer
viva la difference i say
side walk - foot path.
The one that I love that seems to be fairly specific to the UK, is that the main street in any town is called the "high street", irrespective of it's actual elevation.
David Jackson
Well-known member
They are related to Truimph Daytimers.
PKile
Well-known member
When I'm working on British cars, my wrenches morph into spanners. The only ones that remain spanners at all times are my Whitworth ones.
Agreed.
Yeah but this thread is mostly just for fun.
Here's my analysis based on the two words and their origins.
1. Word Origin.
- Spanner comes from the German word "spannen" meaning to tighten.
- Wrench obviously comes from the existing English word "wrench" meaning "a sudden violent twist or pull".
So here I've got to give a point to "spanner", as a violent twist or pull is generally a poor technique for using a spanner/wrench. So that's Spanner 1 and Wrench 0 at this point.
Also pertaining to word origin we have to give "wrench" a bonus point here for using an existing English word instead of a foreign import. So that ties it up at one point each.
Unfortunately however we have to deduct a point from wrench for that same reason, the use of an existing word could cause confusion in some sentences: For example:
"It was a gut wrenching experience to have my wrenches wrenched away from me like that. Particularly as they were in my tool belt which was around my gut in at the time."
So that's another point to "spanner", making it two points to the wrenches one.
2. Syllabic efficiency.
Here the word "wrench" is the clear winner with a single syllable as opposed to the spanner's two.
So that takes the final score to two points each. No clear winner.
Major Ramifications
Well-known member
It's a locale thing. Here in New Orleans, what you guys call a median, we call a neutral ground. Also, we don't have counties, we have parishes.
I've heard some people call a sidewalk a banquet(?) and a garden hose a hose pipe.
I've heard some people call a sidewalk a banquet(?) and a garden hose a hose pipe.
FireTurtle
Well-known member
Everyone I know here says they are "wrenching" on their cars.
Just out of curiosity, do they say they are "spanning" their cars on the other side of the great pond?
Just out of curiosity, do they say they are "spanning" their cars on the other side of the great pond?
My wife is from Beaumont & I'm from North Texas. They call the service road along the side of the highway a "feeder" road. When I was in college, most people either called it a service road or access road. So I always poke fun at my wife when she says "feeder road". I tell her if it's a feeder, then it dang sure better feed me a sandwich or something.
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Nope. I've never heard that said, not even once.
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Dust Devil
Well-known member
But is it a "Bitchen Camaro" ?
Or like calling every brand of adjustable wrench a "Crescent wrench".
Over here calling them "Stilsons" is pretty uncommon now days. I think it used to be more common in the past.
neonlazer
Well-known member
Is it a hurricane or a typhoon?
woody 73
Well-known member
With my two brother-in-laws you better call it a spanner...Me I just call it a wrench.
Elvenhome21
Well-known member
a wrench is a useful good quality tool. A spanner is something you use to jump a starter solenoid
ZRX61
Well-known member
ZRX61
Well-known member
No, we say fettlin'Everyone I know here says they are "wrenching" on their cars.
Just out of curiosity, do they say they are "spanning" their cars on the other side of the great pond?
Fretters
Well-known member
Even though this is a yonks old thread, we just "work" on our vehicles. We don't "spanner" or "wrench" on them.
Plus, as someone mentioned, "British English" is just English. It's only Americans who ever refer to it as "British English". The language of England is obviously going to be just English. Great Britain, (British), & United Kingdom aren't technically the same thing as England, btw. England is a country alone, and both GB & UK are an amalgamation of several countries, including Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland, (plus one includes the outer islands, if I recall correctly. Even my memory is a bit shonky as to the specifics of each ). Other terms for English are: Queen's, (currently, until a male heir takes to the throne), English, else International English.
we just "work" on our vehicles. We don't "spanner" or "wrench" on them. Plus, as someone mentioned, "British English" is just English. It's only Americans who ever refer to it as "British English".
The language of England is obviously going to be just English. Great Britain, (British), & United Kingdom aren't technically the same thing as England, btw. England is a country alone, and both GB & UK are an amalgamation of several countries, including Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland, (plus one includes the outer islands, if I recall correctly. Even my memory is a bit shonky as to the specifics of each ). Other terms for English are: Queen's, (currently, until a male heir takes to the throne), English, else International English.
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turnthewrench
Banned
monkeyspanners
Well-known member
It was Leyland that made the Martian,
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=leyland+martian&FORM=HDRSC2
dutchgray
Well-known member
Apart from Parkinson's who used the vise spelling and were British.
rockinacummins
Well-known member
Well... what if it's a spanner wrench?
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isb cornbinder
Well-known member
I think you are asking for too much consideration when you say "we". (we're)
I have never experienced a tradesman fussing over what his wrenches were called. My friend is from Sheffield, GB and he says spanners. The company had about 125 mechanics and many were from the British Isles. This is an unbelievably silly topic.
Empty Pockets
Well-known member
For all I care, call it a bologna sandwich. As long as it turns the nut or bolt, I don't care
I am going to twist this thread a little. 
If you want genuine authority on English you have to go to Iceland.
Here is the proof.
Raise your hand if you understand this Lord Prayer in "old English" spoken from approximately AD 450 to about 1100
http://www.lords-prayer-words.com/lord_old_english_medieval.html
I can actually read this text, first time I saw it I just shook my head and then suddenly a light bulb went off and I realized this is the same language we refer to as old Icelandic. Turns out in the isolation in the North Atlantic - we preserved the language that was probably common for Northern Europe. More or less at least.
Unfortunately the industrial revolution with it's wrenches and spanners happened much later so I can't rule on this one.
It's funny though how languages evolve and change.
In my neck of the woods we use the word "lykill" it means "key" Turns out, according to earlier post in this thread the word for wrench/spanner in Romania translates also to "key". Same idea in Iceland and Romania!
We use the word skiptilykill for adjustable wrench, It means the same thing (shift-key). According to member UART from Australia they use the word "shifter" - we use for short "skiptari" same meaning and the words has the same origin way back.
Spanner comes from the German word "Spannen" in Icelandic it's Spenna, meaning to pry something (or tension). Spenni-járn is pry bar. Direct translation Pry-Iron.
If you want genuine authority on English you have to go to Iceland.
Here is the proof.
Raise your hand if you understand this Lord Prayer in "old English" spoken from approximately AD 450 to about 1100
http://www.lords-prayer-words.com/lord_old_english_medieval.html
I can actually read this text, first time I saw it I just shook my head and then suddenly a light bulb went off and I realized this is the same language we refer to as old Icelandic. Turns out in the isolation in the North Atlantic - we preserved the language that was probably common for Northern Europe. More or less at least.
Unfortunately the industrial revolution with it's wrenches and spanners happened much later so I can't rule on this one.
It's funny though how languages evolve and change.
In my neck of the woods we use the word "lykill" it means "key" Turns out, according to earlier post in this thread the word for wrench/spanner in Romania translates also to "key". Same idea in Iceland and Romania!
We use the word skiptilykill for adjustable wrench, It means the same thing (shift-key). According to member UART from Australia they use the word "shifter" - we use for short "skiptari" same meaning and the words has the same origin way back.
Spanner comes from the German word "Spannen" in Icelandic it's Spenna, meaning to pry something (or tension). Spenni-járn is pry bar. Direct translation Pry-Iron.
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Fretters
Well-known member
The problem with English is that it isn't based on just one or two languages. It's a mix and bastardisation of several languages.
Wamsutta
Well-known member
A wrench is a spanner if you were born and raised in England.
In Spanish, as well, "llave" translates as both key and wrench.