It's an Engine!

The word Engine is taken from the term "Heat Engine" which is used to describe a device that converts Thermo Chemical Energy or Heat Energy into Mechanical Work. Hence you can say that Jet Turbines, Steam Power and Internal Combustion devices are in fact "Engines".

Whereas...

The word "Motor" was shortened from the original term "Electric Motor" which is used to describe devices that convert "Electrical Energy" into "Mechanical Work". Hence you can say that Drills, Winches, Saws and some newer Electric Cars have "Motors".

But most Engines rely heavily on motors, as just one example the 1970 Hemi Cuda may have a Hemi Engine, but that engine has an electric motor as its "starter" without which it cannot be started.

Although it is a pet peeve of mine I do agree with it's misuse in certain cases. Example: "What did you do this weekend?" Well, we loaded up the kids, hooked up the Bayliner, went to Lanier and did some motor boatin'. Now, that would just sound wrong if they said ".......and did some engine boatin". Or if my Grandmother said "you're Grandfather has been engineing all over town looking for a lawn mower blade". Hell I been know to motor about. Without it's misuse we would never have had the awesome line from wedding crashers "you motor boatin' son of a bitch".

On the other hand I have never heard anyone say " Wow, is that the 18 or 20 amp engine in that saw?". "Honey can you look at the vacuum, it smells like the engine is on fire".

Scott- you got way to much free time on your hands....I'm sure your wife could find something for ya to do.... Or else you been on the bottle too long and found a book ---By the way I just got home from SCOOTEN' around town......

1.Comb ---- Bomb...... Said different
2.Horse-----Coarse......Said the same
3.Home----Comb
4.No-----Know
5.Whore----Door

Tomato-Tomoto
Potato-Pototo
That's what makes it interesting....When my daughter was still little we went to see some people up north....one day we were sittin' around and someone asked her if she wanted a pop...she looked at me as if to say ' what the hell '.....I had to explain that they wanted to know if she wanted a Coke....

Since we're on the subject of mispronounced words.......................PICTURE has a C in it. "Wow, I love your pitchers" "Can you take a pitcher of me and my wife?". It's piCture [pic-ture] or [pik-chur]. You frame a piCture and drink your beer from a piTcher.

Ok- try this one. In all my years teaching art NO ONE gets this one on the first try!

gouache

(say- gwash)

Water color paint?

I'm going to build me a sweet baja and put a 2000 lb wench on the front.

Clyde wrote:I'm going to build me a sweet baja and put a 2000 lb wench on the front.

You will need her to offset the weight of that V-8 motor in the back.

69panel- you're the winner

Announcer:

"So, Don tell the audience what 69panel has won"

Don:

"69panel will receive a mint, dayglow orange Unical antenna ball or a bright yellow smiley face ball.
his choice"

my dad says "ahm goin ta chainch da ol."

in english, thats "im going to change the oil."

tito wrote:my dad says "ahm goin ta chainch da ol."

in english, thats "im going to change the oil."

U-uns need some hep Dittey?

Why do they call Detroit, Michigan the "Motor City?"
And then there's "Motown"

I think that's probably just old timer lingo?

I do typically think of a "motor" as an electrical thing though.

everytime i say motor (when i'm reffering to cars), i always think to myself "its an engine!!!". its one of those things that i say knowing full well its wrong, but it doesn't really bother me. Now i gotta go. im going to tune the carb on my motor. hahaha,

Beetle=Beatle=Bettle (Commonly mispelled)

Idea=Idill....................(My idill car is...)

Then=Than................. (Than I went home....)

You're=Your................ (Your so right....)

To=Too....................... (I want some to....)

69panel wrote:Beetle=Beatle=Bettle (Commonly mispelled)

Idea=Idill....................(My idill car is...)

Then=Than................. (Than I went home....)

You're=Your................ (Your so right....)

To=Too....................... (I want some to....)

I think you mean Ideal...
See, even you messed it up!

69panel wrote:Beetle=Beatle=Bettle (Commonly mispelled)

Idea=Idill....................(My idill car is...)

Then=Than................. (Than I went home....)

You're=Your................ (Your so right....)

To=Too....................... (I want some to....)

I hate loose-lose, I hate it even more when I read it in an online news article.

I'll jump in... I agree with Scott's engine/motor explanation. It's just hard to throw out some of the long accepted phrases that we're so used to, like "motoring around in the bus". It sounds so normal. I "tool" around in the bus, 'cause I have to carry a bunch of tools. I guess that's where that came from.

My weird word is "lightning". Lightning is the streak you see in the sky in a thunderstorm. It's a noun, like rain or hail or sleet. So when lightning is ocurring, is it "lightning" or "lightning-ing"?

Bugman114 wrote:everytime i say motor (when i'm reffering to cars), i always think to myself "its an engine!!!". its one of those things that i say knowing full well its wrong, but it doesn't really bother me. Now i gotta go. im going to tune the carb on my motor. hahaha,

I had this same converstion about internal combustion engines and electric motors with some friends a few months back. Just when we thought we had everyone one in the group convinced to quit using "motor" when talking about their cars, one of the group politely reminded us that it is a boat motor, not a boat engine...
KC

ASBug wrote:reminded us that it is a boat motor, not a boat engine...
KC

What's weird is that they call it an inboard or outboard motor but what it bolts to is a transom engine mount, jack plate engine mount, etc.

So why do we put "Motor oil" in our "Engines"

It is obviously made for Motors............

Why does Royal Purple sell an Engine break in oil but a 20w50 Motor oil?

Why do you drive on a park way and park on a drive way? And why is it that level is spelled the same way backwards and forwards?