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OK — I have a dumb American question … everyone is using the word “torch”. When we think of torch we think of an open flame utilized in ancient times prior to the introduction of electricity or in modern terms a very hot flame used to cut or bend metal. Are we talking about what we refer to as a flashlight that is operated on batteries?
😆 well, – thats the european way, you know …
no, thank you for correcting, – being danish every time I wanted to use the term, I am thinking to myself … is it called a torch or is it called a flashlight, – and then I think to myself, no, but all the others call it a torch so its probably called a torch –
well its not …. I do mean a flashlight then.Now I don’t understand any longer. Obviously we have here a difference between Europe and America!
What we mean is an “electric torch” as the Britains call it (at least they did in former times, according to my dictionary and my student’s time at Oxford in the sixties). Is there any better word in Britain today?
But indeed: I learn that the Americans call that “flashlight”. What a strange use of that word!
In my view a flashlight produces a short flash only, for instance for photographing our fish with a camera. There is no use for this apparatus in observing the dark interior of a cave, if you won’t make a photograph. Instead, you need an equipment producing a contant small beam of light. Mostly this item could be rather small that it fits into one’s trouser pocket; so the Germans call it “Taschenlampe” = “pocket lamp”.
I don’t want to say that the Germans have the best word for it (they have not because there is no affinity to trousers and pockets) but I dare say: “flashlight” is not better either! Is there anybody able to help us linguistically?
Peter – google translate is translating the german taschenlampe into flashlight. I think that is the same instrument. Also the danish word which is ‘lommelygte’ meaning excatly taschenlampe is translated into flashlight. Its just that in german and danish flash is probably mostly used about flash used in cameraes. I would suggest though that we stay with with the english and american flashlight 🙂
Google also suggest the word small pocket torch 🙂We have started a little discussion about which word is the right word for the little instrument which we often use for looking into the dark tanks of the paros – in german taschen lamp – in english maybe flashlight … – but instead of continuing in another thread which was about something else … I have moved this particular discussion to a new thread 🙂
A Brit’s-eye view …!
A typical torch was/is a bundle of burning oil- or wax-soaked rags tied to a pole (enabling it to be portable) and set alight to be used for constant (if a bit smelly and smokey!) illumination. The modern portable equivalent, using batteries and an incandescent bulb, is therefore aptly described as a ‘torch’.
However, the battery-powered version also affords switching on and off the illumination in rapid succession – useful for signalling in Morse Code, say. So its description as ‘flashlight’ is equally as valid, irrespective of the duration of a ‘flash’.
The advent of LED versions with tiny round batteries, of course, means that they don’t even have to be torch-shaped any more, though the other properties remain!
‘Taschenlampe’? I really like that word – it sounds to English ears as though it defines a lantern powered by sneezing!
this is too funny, I knew what you meant all along!! lol
I’ll send a pic to Little ! or post one. .. just kidding
Congratulations on the spawning!! I hope all goes well.
Ok – I started this nonsense. Let me see if I can end this discussion and have everybody happy 🙂
The device shown below is described as a Turbo-Torch / Flashlight….
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