On Sat, 17 Jun 2000 21:17:40 +0800, J J Young wrote:
>>> I would not do half as well if I was writing in someone else's native
>>> language), but, I am wondering if "paraffin" is a correct translation.
>>> "Paraffin" as I know it is a hard, wax-like substance at room
> temperature,
>>> melts when heated, and the use that I am familiar with is to seal jars of
>>> home preserved fruits and vegetables.
> In the UK (and "Commonwealth", I guess), paraffin is the liquid fuel
> (kerosene) used in "hurricane" lamps and jet engines.
> The solid stuff is "paraffin wax", as used for candles.
> Jake
I knew this would happen... translating chemical substances especialy
the common household substances is very tricky.
Every language has its own words for the same substance...
The substance I meant is called in Holland: petroleum or terpentine but
should certainly not be confused with 'petrol' which is far more
explosive.
According to the Brittish English dictionary I translated it to
'paraffin' but better would have been 'paraffine oil'.
In Holland parafin also means a wax (candles are made from and the wood
of matches is soaked into the hot wax).
The paraffin oil I meant is indeed used for hurricane lamps (although
often with colored and smelly additives) and is closely related to
kerosine (probably exactly the same) and diesel fuel for cars.
The 'terpentine' I mean is a cleaner kind of paraffin oil and must not
been confused with 'turpentine' which is a vegetable oil 'artist'
painters use to delute their 'oil' paint.
A bit confusing...
My parents remember that right after WW-2 thre were many accidents with
cooking gear that did explode due to the confusing names.
Our liberators (mainly Americans, Canadians and Britts) did not even
use the same expressions for the same substances.
So 'petroleum' stoves were filled with 'petrol' and did explode because
they should have been filled with 'paraffine oil' instead.
The soldiers did not know, neither did the Dutch people... and if you
add other European languages... the case becomes even more complicated.
The best way to avoid accidents is to use your nose since all these
compounds have their own smell.
Gas, is that 'petrol' the Amarican way?
Gasoline (French) or gas-oil = diesel (Dutch, German, Brittisch?)
= kerosine (aviation) and closely related to paraffin oil, lamp oil and
domestic fuel. THIS IS THE CHEMICAL I MEANT FOR REINKING RIBBONS.
Choose the least smelling type.
The group NOT to use: Benzin(e) German and Dutch, petrol (Brittish?),
gas (American?), essence (French),.... the automotive fuel that has
become unlaeded these days.
I hope you will not explode after this explanation.... Bastiaan.
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