What do you call it?
What do you call it?
I have a colleague who works in the department of International Relations. She is a very communicative person, and she is from Scotland. Every time I meet her I take the opportunity to talk English with her in order to get some practise with the language.
Today she used the color printer in the room next to mine. She had to wait for the copies, so I said “hello” and we exchanged a few words. My eyes fell on the object displayed in the photo above, and I asked her “How would you call that in English?” She looked at it and shook her head. “I don’t know,” she said.
You must know then that she has been living for a long time in Germany. She communicates in German for most of the time. “Well, let’s have a look at the dictionary, then”, I said. “Hole puncher” was the result a few minutes later. “Hole puncher? I can’t imagine that it is called hole puncher.” We then went to Amazon.com together. The said object was called paper punch there. She was not very satisfied with that either and declared that she would do some research later on.
And now I ask you, my dear blogging friends from all over the world: what do you call it (How do you call it? – I am not sure here either)? I am looking forward to your answers!
12 Responses to “What do you call it?”
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- - March 11, 2010
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Hole puncher, definitely.
Maybe it has a different name in the US?
What do you call it in German by the way?
In German we call it “Locher” (something which makes holes in something).
Hole puncher! It punches holes in things! This is fun. I have two on my desk. A Two-hole puncher and a Three-hole Puncher.
Around here, it’s a hole punch. And I’ve never seen one that looks like that!
Looks like a hole punch to me! Try putting the web of your hand (the part between the thumb and forefinger) in it and see the pretty hole it’ll make…
[No, kidding - don't do it; you won't like it!]
Hole punch, like fellow Texan Robert says, or hole puncher is what I say.
I call it a hole puncher.
Me too, a hole puncher (although I probably usually refer to it as “the thingy, you know, that thingy over there …!”)
It’s always interesting to see that we can use the same language but have different words for something (not including”thingy” of course!)
:O)
Diannemer – my wife would call it a “doobie-thing”, so I know whereof you speak!
I’m glad I’m not the only one, Robert, thank you! :O)
We have always called it “the 2-hole puncher” because in the offices within which I used it, its purpose was very different from “the 3-hole puncher.”
I have both kinds (2 holes or 3) at home still, but I rarely use them anymore because I try to file as little paper as possible, opting for digitizing and shredding first, and filing as a last resort or necessary evil (legal or tax purposes usually… as I said, evil!