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What's a "lorry" ?

Originally posted by Maciamo
No, just the normal English word for "truck"

I couldn't find it in my dictionary, but I searched for it online and came up with that's it's cheifly british.
 
Yes, it's London Cockney Slang if I'm not mistaken, the word is used in London Cockney, but lately, other cities have been using truck more often, I guess, but that's my very limited number of British English. :/
 
Maciamo feels different about the word and thinks it's not slang. I really don't know as it is quite new to me, but brings me to the point what makes a word slang and what makes a word part of the proper vocabulary? What came first? Lorry or Truck? If truck was introduced before lorry, then lorry would be slang or vice versa.
 
Originally posted by Hanada Tattsu
Yes, it's London Cockney Slang if I'm not mistaken, the word is used in London Cockney, but lately, other cities have been using truck more often, I guess, but that's my very limited number of British English. :/

Sorry to disagree, but "lorry" is NOT cockney, and it's NOT slang at all. If you say "truck" in Britain, you might not be understood. People say "lorry".

You (North) Americans have really no clue of how British and American nglish differ, do you ?

Have a look at this site for more British words you are not likely to understand (it's a really funny site). You'll see that slang and cockney only make a small part of it : Welcome / Howdy - The Best of British
 
I haven't heard it so much in NZ but when I lived in Australia I heard it occasionally - so it's spread to the English colonies a bit too.
Definately not slang.
but, I guess English people understand both lorry and truck (my parents are English and use the word truck more often, but perhaps that's because they've been living in NZ for 40 odd years) ;)
 
Originally posted by Erik
What is a lorry? English slang?

Right ! A truck is a transporter with a cargo space fixed to the frame of the vehicle. A lorry is a transporter with a detachable cargo space pulled by a independent rig.

I hope this helps ?
Huggy Love, Rachel.
 
Originally posted by nzueda

but, I guess English people understand both lorry and truck (my parents are English and use the word truck more often, but perhaps that's because they've been living in NZ for 40 odd years) ;)

I also use both. But in Britain, truck can also refer to a railway vehicle carrying freight.
 
I've heard lorry used many times. My best friend is English(from Reading), and I'm very used to her English by now--and vice versa. We always have the best time laughing at each other when we talk. It's funny, because when she comes here to visit, no one in the stores can understand her, and I have to "translate"... :D
 
Originally posted by Rachel
Right ! A truck is a transporter with a cargo space fixed to the frame of the vehicle. A lorry is a transporter with a detachable cargo space pulled by a independent rig.

I hope this helps ?
Huggy Love, Rachel.

ic. A lorry is a specific kind of truck. =) That would make more sense. So properly, shouldn't it just be called a "lorry-truck" just like you would specify other types of trucks? Dump Truck?
 
Originally posted by Erik
ic. A lorry is a specific kind of truck. =) That would make more sense. So properly, shouldn't it just be called a "lorry-truck" just like you would specify other types of trucks? Dump Truck?

Err.. no erik. My point is a lorry isn't any kind of truck, because IT'S A LORRY !!! We don't class it as being anything else.
 
Originally posted by Rachel
Err.. no erik. My point is a lorry isn't any kind of truck, because IT'S A LORRY !!! We don't class it as being anything else.

So the root word is still truck, and lorry is just another way to describe truck! Sounds like it was slang at one point!
 
Originally posted by Erik
So the root word is still truck, and lorry is just another way to describe truck! Sounds like it was slang at one point!

(Sound of head beating against a brick wall)

NO !
That's not it. It is NOT another way to describe a truck because there both SEPERATE ! A truck is a TRUCK and a lorry is a LORRY !! :mad:

look at my original definition : A truck is a transporter with a cargo space fixed to the frame of the vehicle.
A lorry is a transporter with a detachable cargo space pulled by a independent rig.

there both different.
 
In my dictionary(Webster's New World Dictionary), "lorry" is defined as such:

1 a low, flat wagon without sides 2 any of various trucks fitted to run on rails 3 [Brit.] a motor truck
 
Originally posted by Rachel
(Sound of head beating against a brick wall)

NO !
That's not it. It is NOT another way to describe a truck because there both SEPERATE ! A truck is a TRUCK and a lorry is a LORRY !! :mad:

look at my original definition : A truck is a transporter with a cargo space fixed to the frame of the vehicle.
A lorry is a transporter with a detachable cargo space pulled by a independent rig.

there both different.

A rig is a form of a truck or tractor . =D

Definition of rig | Dictionary.com
 
The word "truck" is an evolution from "truckle", which means a "solid wooden wheel".

My Oxford dictionary has all the following meanings for truck :

1) large road vehicle used for carrying goods, material, troops. > (Brit.) a railway vehicle for carrying freight, especially small open ones.
> a low flat-topped trolley used for moving heavy items
2) a railway bogie
> each of two axle units on a skateboard, to which the wheels are attached
3) a wooden disc at the top of a ship's mat or flagstaff, with holes for halyards to slide through

Anyway, "lorry" is used in British English and not US English, and gives an additional nuance. There are other nuances that don't exist in American English :

- "queue" : American just say "line" or "stand in a line". "Queue" is both a noun and a verb. It only means to stand in a line when you are waiting for something, for instance, to buy a ticket, queue for a bus, queue at the cashier, etc. In British English, people can also be in a line but that doesn't mean they are waiting for sth. Schoolchildren run in line around the football pitch or go back to their class in line. If you are queuing, you aren't walking or running. That nuance doesn't exist in the US and it's a pity as it's a very useful word.

- "aerial" : US = antenna (TV, radio...). British English use both words. "aerial" is for electronic equipment, while "antenna" is for insects.

- "rubber" : American say "eraser". For me, an eraser is a kind of pen that erase blue (cartridge) ink with one end and rewrite with the other end (never found any in Japan, BTW). Americans use "rubber" for condom, but not Brits.

- "purse". In the Statesit means "handbag", but for Brits it's a small wallet only for coins (usually a leather pouch).

There are other examples, but I can't remember them now.
 
Originally posted by Maciamo
- "rubber" : American say "eraser". For me, an eraser is a kind of pen that erase blue (cartridge) ink with one end and rewrite with the other end (never found any in Japan, BTW). Americans use "rubber" for condom, but not Brits.

That was always a fun one. Another one being "fag" for cigarette. Hmmm...there are many more, but it's late and I can't think(yeah, I know, what's new?! :p ).
 
another one i can think of is capsicum for pepper in most instances, eg capsicum spray, red/green capsicum (bell peppers) though the spice remains the same. dunno about britain on this one but in australia when you 'shout' someone it means you pay for them. theres also lift / elevator and trolly / shopping cart.
 
Silly me.

For some strange reason, when I received an e-mail informing me of this topic, I assumed that it would have something to do with Japan. Specifically, with just what a "lorry" is in Japan.

Just for fun, and since it looks like we have a good cast of pedants assembled in the thread so it really should be fun, do any of you know what what "lorry" refers to in Japan?


Michael Cash
Kiryu, Japan
 
I assume you're referring to lorikon? That thought didn't even occur to me until you brought it up.
:-/
 
In Japan "lorry" refers to a specific type of truck. Tankers are referred to as a "tanku roori" (or "roori"). Other types of truck are referred to as trucks. Except tractor-trailers, which are also referred to as "tore-rasha" or "tore-ra". The trailer component of a "tore-ra" is never referred to as a "tore-ra", interestingly enough. The appellation refers to the combination of tractor and trailer.

Michael Cash
Kiryu, Japan
 
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