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Do British people often use the word lightning conductor?
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Do British people use the word lightning conductor more frequently than a lightning rod?
american-english british-english
New contributor
add a comment |
Do British people use the word lightning conductor more frequently than a lightning rod?
american-english british-english
New contributor
I've also heard "lightning attractor", I am not sure if it was a British person.
– Andrew Tobilko
2 hours ago
Andrew Tobiko - mainly US I think, and can be used about objects such as trees, masts of boats, tall buildings, etc, that are susceptible to being struck by lightning.
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
2
Angyang, your question sounds like you think that "lightning rod" is the right expression, and that British people are using a wrong or mistaken version.
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
@ Michael Harvey No wonder you had that kind of feeling, as I also felt my title is a bit ambiguous when I look at it hh.
– Angyang
55 mins ago
Angyang - I don't mean the title, but rather the text underneath, "when they are talking about a lightning rod?".
– Michael Harvey
50 mins ago
add a comment |
Do British people use the word lightning conductor more frequently than a lightning rod?
american-english british-english
New contributor
Do British people use the word lightning conductor more frequently than a lightning rod?
american-english british-english
american-english british-english
New contributor
New contributor
edited 47 mins ago
Angyang
New contributor
asked 3 hours ago
AngyangAngyang
264
264
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New contributor
I've also heard "lightning attractor", I am not sure if it was a British person.
– Andrew Tobilko
2 hours ago
Andrew Tobiko - mainly US I think, and can be used about objects such as trees, masts of boats, tall buildings, etc, that are susceptible to being struck by lightning.
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
2
Angyang, your question sounds like you think that "lightning rod" is the right expression, and that British people are using a wrong or mistaken version.
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
@ Michael Harvey No wonder you had that kind of feeling, as I also felt my title is a bit ambiguous when I look at it hh.
– Angyang
55 mins ago
Angyang - I don't mean the title, but rather the text underneath, "when they are talking about a lightning rod?".
– Michael Harvey
50 mins ago
add a comment |
I've also heard "lightning attractor", I am not sure if it was a British person.
– Andrew Tobilko
2 hours ago
Andrew Tobiko - mainly US I think, and can be used about objects such as trees, masts of boats, tall buildings, etc, that are susceptible to being struck by lightning.
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
2
Angyang, your question sounds like you think that "lightning rod" is the right expression, and that British people are using a wrong or mistaken version.
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
@ Michael Harvey No wonder you had that kind of feeling, as I also felt my title is a bit ambiguous when I look at it hh.
– Angyang
55 mins ago
Angyang - I don't mean the title, but rather the text underneath, "when they are talking about a lightning rod?".
– Michael Harvey
50 mins ago
I've also heard "lightning attractor", I am not sure if it was a British person.
– Andrew Tobilko
2 hours ago
I've also heard "lightning attractor", I am not sure if it was a British person.
– Andrew Tobilko
2 hours ago
Andrew Tobiko - mainly US I think, and can be used about objects such as trees, masts of boats, tall buildings, etc, that are susceptible to being struck by lightning.
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
Andrew Tobiko - mainly US I think, and can be used about objects such as trees, masts of boats, tall buildings, etc, that are susceptible to being struck by lightning.
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
2
2
Angyang, your question sounds like you think that "lightning rod" is the right expression, and that British people are using a wrong or mistaken version.
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
Angyang, your question sounds like you think that "lightning rod" is the right expression, and that British people are using a wrong or mistaken version.
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
@ Michael Harvey No wonder you had that kind of feeling, as I also felt my title is a bit ambiguous when I look at it hh.
– Angyang
55 mins ago
@ Michael Harvey No wonder you had that kind of feeling, as I also felt my title is a bit ambiguous when I look at it hh.
– Angyang
55 mins ago
Angyang - I don't mean the title, but rather the text underneath, "when they are talking about a lightning rod?".
– Michael Harvey
50 mins ago
Angyang - I don't mean the title, but rather the text underneath, "when they are talking about a lightning rod?".
– Michael Harvey
50 mins ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
As a British person, I would say that American people often use "lightning rod" when they are talking about a lightning conductor. This is usually mounted at the highest point of a building, and connected to the ground by an electrically conductive link of copper or other metal. UK and US building and safety professionals tend to talk about "lightning protection systems", of which the rod or conductor (often called the "air termination device") is one part. In figurative language, however, the term "lightning rod" meaning "someone who attracts criticism or anger that could be directed at someone else" is pretty common in the UK.
Michael, I was literally using it in a metaphorical way, like I was writing something like "Public are is indeed a lightning rod", as I want to use British English and I want to be consistent, thus I checked the word "lightning rod" and got that the British version is "lightning conductor', that's why I'm asking this here. Also as you said in your last sentence, I suppose you mean a "lightening conductor" is rather common in the UK, am I right?
– Angyang
49 mins ago
When I was a small (British) boy, my father, a professional electrical engineer with a passion for Norman churches, once told me that the thing atop a steeple, that I had noticed, was called a "lightning conductor".
– Michael Harvey
47 mins ago
Angyang, try hard not to write "lightening" when you mean "lightning".
– Michael Harvey
46 mins ago
"I was literally using it in a metaphorical way" - avoid saying, or writing, things like this.
– Michael Harvey
45 mins ago
The older "lightning rod" is the preferred metaphor in British English.
– Michael Harvey
44 mins ago
|
show 3 more comments
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As a British person, I would say that American people often use "lightning rod" when they are talking about a lightning conductor. This is usually mounted at the highest point of a building, and connected to the ground by an electrically conductive link of copper or other metal. UK and US building and safety professionals tend to talk about "lightning protection systems", of which the rod or conductor (often called the "air termination device") is one part. In figurative language, however, the term "lightning rod" meaning "someone who attracts criticism or anger that could be directed at someone else" is pretty common in the UK.
Michael, I was literally using it in a metaphorical way, like I was writing something like "Public are is indeed a lightning rod", as I want to use British English and I want to be consistent, thus I checked the word "lightning rod" and got that the British version is "lightning conductor', that's why I'm asking this here. Also as you said in your last sentence, I suppose you mean a "lightening conductor" is rather common in the UK, am I right?
– Angyang
49 mins ago
When I was a small (British) boy, my father, a professional electrical engineer with a passion for Norman churches, once told me that the thing atop a steeple, that I had noticed, was called a "lightning conductor".
– Michael Harvey
47 mins ago
Angyang, try hard not to write "lightening" when you mean "lightning".
– Michael Harvey
46 mins ago
"I was literally using it in a metaphorical way" - avoid saying, or writing, things like this.
– Michael Harvey
45 mins ago
The older "lightning rod" is the preferred metaphor in British English.
– Michael Harvey
44 mins ago
|
show 3 more comments
As a British person, I would say that American people often use "lightning rod" when they are talking about a lightning conductor. This is usually mounted at the highest point of a building, and connected to the ground by an electrically conductive link of copper or other metal. UK and US building and safety professionals tend to talk about "lightning protection systems", of which the rod or conductor (often called the "air termination device") is one part. In figurative language, however, the term "lightning rod" meaning "someone who attracts criticism or anger that could be directed at someone else" is pretty common in the UK.
Michael, I was literally using it in a metaphorical way, like I was writing something like "Public are is indeed a lightning rod", as I want to use British English and I want to be consistent, thus I checked the word "lightning rod" and got that the British version is "lightning conductor', that's why I'm asking this here. Also as you said in your last sentence, I suppose you mean a "lightening conductor" is rather common in the UK, am I right?
– Angyang
49 mins ago
When I was a small (British) boy, my father, a professional electrical engineer with a passion for Norman churches, once told me that the thing atop a steeple, that I had noticed, was called a "lightning conductor".
– Michael Harvey
47 mins ago
Angyang, try hard not to write "lightening" when you mean "lightning".
– Michael Harvey
46 mins ago
"I was literally using it in a metaphorical way" - avoid saying, or writing, things like this.
– Michael Harvey
45 mins ago
The older "lightning rod" is the preferred metaphor in British English.
– Michael Harvey
44 mins ago
|
show 3 more comments
As a British person, I would say that American people often use "lightning rod" when they are talking about a lightning conductor. This is usually mounted at the highest point of a building, and connected to the ground by an electrically conductive link of copper or other metal. UK and US building and safety professionals tend to talk about "lightning protection systems", of which the rod or conductor (often called the "air termination device") is one part. In figurative language, however, the term "lightning rod" meaning "someone who attracts criticism or anger that could be directed at someone else" is pretty common in the UK.
As a British person, I would say that American people often use "lightning rod" when they are talking about a lightning conductor. This is usually mounted at the highest point of a building, and connected to the ground by an electrically conductive link of copper or other metal. UK and US building and safety professionals tend to talk about "lightning protection systems", of which the rod or conductor (often called the "air termination device") is one part. In figurative language, however, the term "lightning rod" meaning "someone who attracts criticism or anger that could be directed at someone else" is pretty common in the UK.
edited 1 hour ago
answered 1 hour ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
19.4k12442
19.4k12442
Michael, I was literally using it in a metaphorical way, like I was writing something like "Public are is indeed a lightning rod", as I want to use British English and I want to be consistent, thus I checked the word "lightning rod" and got that the British version is "lightning conductor', that's why I'm asking this here. Also as you said in your last sentence, I suppose you mean a "lightening conductor" is rather common in the UK, am I right?
– Angyang
49 mins ago
When I was a small (British) boy, my father, a professional electrical engineer with a passion for Norman churches, once told me that the thing atop a steeple, that I had noticed, was called a "lightning conductor".
– Michael Harvey
47 mins ago
Angyang, try hard not to write "lightening" when you mean "lightning".
– Michael Harvey
46 mins ago
"I was literally using it in a metaphorical way" - avoid saying, or writing, things like this.
– Michael Harvey
45 mins ago
The older "lightning rod" is the preferred metaphor in British English.
– Michael Harvey
44 mins ago
|
show 3 more comments
Michael, I was literally using it in a metaphorical way, like I was writing something like "Public are is indeed a lightning rod", as I want to use British English and I want to be consistent, thus I checked the word "lightning rod" and got that the British version is "lightning conductor', that's why I'm asking this here. Also as you said in your last sentence, I suppose you mean a "lightening conductor" is rather common in the UK, am I right?
– Angyang
49 mins ago
When I was a small (British) boy, my father, a professional electrical engineer with a passion for Norman churches, once told me that the thing atop a steeple, that I had noticed, was called a "lightning conductor".
– Michael Harvey
47 mins ago
Angyang, try hard not to write "lightening" when you mean "lightning".
– Michael Harvey
46 mins ago
"I was literally using it in a metaphorical way" - avoid saying, or writing, things like this.
– Michael Harvey
45 mins ago
The older "lightning rod" is the preferred metaphor in British English.
– Michael Harvey
44 mins ago
Michael, I was literally using it in a metaphorical way, like I was writing something like "Public are is indeed a lightning rod", as I want to use British English and I want to be consistent, thus I checked the word "lightning rod" and got that the British version is "lightning conductor', that's why I'm asking this here. Also as you said in your last sentence, I suppose you mean a "lightening conductor" is rather common in the UK, am I right?
– Angyang
49 mins ago
Michael, I was literally using it in a metaphorical way, like I was writing something like "Public are is indeed a lightning rod", as I want to use British English and I want to be consistent, thus I checked the word "lightning rod" and got that the British version is "lightning conductor', that's why I'm asking this here. Also as you said in your last sentence, I suppose you mean a "lightening conductor" is rather common in the UK, am I right?
– Angyang
49 mins ago
When I was a small (British) boy, my father, a professional electrical engineer with a passion for Norman churches, once told me that the thing atop a steeple, that I had noticed, was called a "lightning conductor".
– Michael Harvey
47 mins ago
When I was a small (British) boy, my father, a professional electrical engineer with a passion for Norman churches, once told me that the thing atop a steeple, that I had noticed, was called a "lightning conductor".
– Michael Harvey
47 mins ago
Angyang, try hard not to write "lightening" when you mean "lightning".
– Michael Harvey
46 mins ago
Angyang, try hard not to write "lightening" when you mean "lightning".
– Michael Harvey
46 mins ago
"I was literally using it in a metaphorical way" - avoid saying, or writing, things like this.
– Michael Harvey
45 mins ago
"I was literally using it in a metaphorical way" - avoid saying, or writing, things like this.
– Michael Harvey
45 mins ago
The older "lightning rod" is the preferred metaphor in British English.
– Michael Harvey
44 mins ago
The older "lightning rod" is the preferred metaphor in British English.
– Michael Harvey
44 mins ago
|
show 3 more comments
Angyang is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Angyang is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Angyang is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Angyang is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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I've also heard "lightning attractor", I am not sure if it was a British person.
– Andrew Tobilko
2 hours ago
Andrew Tobiko - mainly US I think, and can be used about objects such as trees, masts of boats, tall buildings, etc, that are susceptible to being struck by lightning.
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
2
Angyang, your question sounds like you think that "lightning rod" is the right expression, and that British people are using a wrong or mistaken version.
– Michael Harvey
1 hour ago
@ Michael Harvey No wonder you had that kind of feeling, as I also felt my title is a bit ambiguous when I look at it hh.
– Angyang
55 mins ago
Angyang - I don't mean the title, but rather the text underneath, "when they are talking about a lightning rod?".
– Michael Harvey
50 mins ago