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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2007what is this lamp called in English?
What is/was this device called in English? Can I still buy it somewhere? Thanks. http://i11.tinypic.com/2e2jfwl.jpg In our last episode, <45993a76$0$14731$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com>, the lovely and talented cicada broadcast on alt.usage.english: > What is/was this device called in English? Can I still buy it > somewhere? Thanks. > http://i11.tinypic.com/2e2jfwl.jpg In American English is it a kerosene lamp. In British English it is probably a paraffin lamp. Such lamps are still available in the US, in this and in somewhat more decorative forms. I wrote much of my book by the light of three such lamps.  SignatureLars Eighner <http://larseighner.com/> <http://myspace.com/larseighner> War on Terrorism: The Difference Between Us and Them "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity." -- Ann Coulter > In our last episode, > <45993a76$0$14731$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com>, [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > and in somewhat more decorative forms. I wrote much of my book by the light > of three such lamps. AusE also says "kerosene", colloquially reduced to "kerro". There are three kinds. The one illustrated at the URL is just a "kerosene/paraffin/oil lamp": I suppose I'd distinguish it from the others by some expression such as ". . . with a wick". Another has an incandescent mantle heated by vaporised kerosene under pressure, and I suppose is properly "a pressure lamp", though I'd call it a "Tilley lamp", regardless of the make. The third has an incandescent mantle, but the fuel isn't pressurized: this I call "an Aladdin lamp", irrespective of make. SignatureMike. [snip] > > In American English is it a kerosene lamp. In British English it is > > probably a paraffin lamp. Such lamps are still available in the US, in this > > and in somewhat more decorative forms. I wrote much of my book by the light > > of three such lamps. > > AusE also says "kerosene", colloquially reduced to "kerro". [snip] The only reference to "kerosene lamp" in OED2 is from _Coast to Coast: Australian Stories_ 1944, ed. Vance Palmer, Sydner & London: Angus & Robertson 1944 -- but I agree that this would be the AmE term for it. Aloha ~~~ Ozzie Maland ~~~ San Diego On 01 Jan 2007, Mike Lyle wrote >> In our last episode, >> <45993a76$0$14731$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com>, [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > "kerosene/paraffin/oil lamp": I suppose I'd distinguish it from > the others by some expression such as ". . . with a wick". My usage would have been "oil lamp", which for me has a wick rather than a mantle. > Another has an incandescent mantle heated by vaporised kerosene > under pressure, and I suppose is properly "a pressure lamp", > though I'd call it a "Tilley lamp", regardless of the make. We called those a "Coleman lantern" -- again regardless of the make -- or a "camping lantern". SignatureCheers, Harvey Canadian and British English, indiscriminately mixed For e-mail, change harvey.news to harvey.van Mike Lyle (or somebody else of the same name) wrote thusly in message <1167672838.562483.114410@s34g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>: > Another has an > incandescent mantle heated by vaporised kerosene under pressure, and I > suppose is properly "a pressure lamp", though I'd call it a "Tilley > lamp", regardless of the make. Tilly was my childhood nickname, inspired more by my rather feminine looks as a kid - see http://alt-usage-english.org/AUE_gallery/paul_townsend.html - rather than any reference to providing "illumination", even under pressure :) Certain nasty people in work have revived this nickname because it's appropriate to the point-of-sale business - cash registers are known as tills in the UK. SignatureTerms and conditions apply. Batteries not included. Subject to status. Contains moderate language. Always read the label. Keep out of children. Interchange the alphabetic letter groups to reply On 01 Jan 2007, Lars Eighner wrote > In our last episode, ><45993a76$0$14731$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com>, [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > In American English is it a kerosene lamp. When I was growing up (Canada, 1950s/1960s) I'd have just called it an "oil lamp". (I know there are lots of kinds of oil lamps, but the generic kind for us were these ones -- with a wick, not a mantle.) SignatureCheers, Harvey Canadian and British English, indiscriminately mixed For e-mail, change harvey.news to harvey.van > In our last episode, > <45993a76$0$14731$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com>, [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > and in somewhat more decorative forms. I wrote much of my book by the light > of three such lamps. The typical portable paraffin lamp (the one with a glass container, and a mechanism for winding up the wick, as well as a wire handle for carrying or for suspending the unit) is known in Scotland and northern England (and maybe elsewhere) as a storm lamp. http://www.dkeith.clara.co.uk/campbeltownlife/part12.htm The Tilley company even used the phrase as a trade name. http://www.tilleylamp.co.uk/ [snip] > The typical portable paraffin lamp (the one with a > glass container, and a mechanism for winding up the > wick, as well as a wire handle for carrying or for > suspending the unit) is known in Scotland and northern > England (and maybe elsewhere) as a storm lamp. [snip] A cautionary note re "paraffin oil" from an FAQ: PARAFFIN OIL NOTICE!! NOTE: Paraffin Oil (Liquid Candle Wax,) in the UNITED STATES is mis-labeled for use in oil lamps, when in fact it is only suited for oil candles that use small diameter round wick. 99% or 100% Paraffin Oil (Lamp Light Farms Ultra-Pure, Northern Lights Lamp Fuel, Nowell's Lamp Oil, Oddity Lamp Oil, Tropical Lights, Weems & Plath, etc.) is NOT designed or suitable for use in tubular lanterns or oil lamps that use flat wick. Further, it burns only 1/2 as bright of any of the approved fuels listed above. Paraffin oil has a much higher viscosity and a flash point of 200 degrees or higher, as compared to the flash point of 150 degrees for kerosene. These differences inhibit the necessary capillary action of the wick, and will cause Lamps and Lanterns with 7/8" or larger wick to burner improperly and erratic. Once a wick is contaminated with paraffin oil, it must be replaced in order for the lantern to burner properly. If you must use paraffin oil, it may be mixed 1:10 to 2:10 (one to two parts to ten parts,) with standard lamp oil or kerosene so that it will burn satisfactorily. http://www.lanternnet.com/faqs.htm Aloha ~~~ Ozzie Maland ~~~ San Diego [...] > The typical portable paraffin lamp (the one with a > glass container, and a mechanism for winding up the > wick, as well as a wire handle for carrying or for > suspending the unit) is known in Scotland and northern > England (and maybe elsewhere) as a storm lamp. Ah, add that as a fourth type to my list. Those portable ones are called "hurricane lamps" in my vocab: I tried one in the tail-end of a hurricane once, and it blew out. > http://www.dkeith.clara.co.uk/campbeltownlife/part12.htm > > The Tilley company even used the phrase as a trade name. > > http://www.tilleylamp.co.uk/ Tilley ones don't like storms, either, IME. SignatureMike. > [...] > > The typical portable paraffin lamp (the one with a [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > called "hurricane lamps" in my vocab: I tried one in the tail-end of a > hurricane once, and it blew out. Hurricane lamps are frequently candle-powered. Brian SignatureIf televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who won't shut up. -- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com) >>> What is/was this device called in English? Can I still buy it >>> somewhere? Thanks. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > http://www.tilleylamp.co.uk/ <waves> I know nothing about paraffin lamps - I just wanted to say hello, Jim, good to see you. SignatureLaura (emulate St. George for email) >>>> What is/was this device called in English? Can I still buy it >>>> somewhere? Thanks. [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > <waves> I know nothing about paraffin lamps - I just wanted to say > hello, Jim, good to see you. Thanks, Laura. Happy New Year. > What is/was this device called in English? Can I still buy it > somewhere? Thanks. > > http://i11.tinypic.com/2e2jfwl.jpg In American, we would call that a "kerosene lamp" or "kerosene lantern". And yes, they're widely available and widely used, especially by hunters and fisherman in their cabins, which often do not have electricity. And, of course, by the Amish. There are hundreds of models available, from very basic to very elegant. Check out Google Images. There is an article about them on "Wikipedia": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene_lamp It says that British people would call it a "paraffin lamp". If you're interested in buying one, they would be available from practically every outdoor sporting goods store or wholesaler, at least in the States and Canada. By the way, there is a similar product called the "Coleman lamp" or "Coleman lantern". It works on a different principle, but depending on what you want to use it for, it may be more what you want. Kerosene lamps are not very bright (about the same as candles). Coleman lamps are technically superior and produce the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs. Check out the company website at: http://www.coleman.com/coleman/ColemanCom/category_main.asp?CategoryID=1000 Coleman lamps use a pressurized liquid fuel. There are also similar lamps that use bottled propane or butane. Dominic Bojarski >If you're interested in buying one, they would be available from >practically every outdoor sporting goods store or wholesaler, at least >in the States and Canada. Can you point me to some companies that have an online store but also local stores. I checked Sports Authorities http://www.sportsauthority.com . They don't have it. > >If you're interested in buying one, they would be available from > >practically every outdoor sporting goods store or wholesaler, at least [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > also local stores. I checked Sports Authorities > http://www.sportsauthority.com . They don't have it. In the States at least, "outdoor sports" can also mean hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, canoeing and the like. Stores that sell equipment for these activities may not sell equipment for sports like baseball, basketball and football. And vice versa, as is the case with the website you cite. In the States and Canada, I would expect most stores that sell hunting, fishing and camping equipment to either have some kerosene and Coleman lamps in stock, or at least have abundant wholesale catalogs on hand from which you would be able to select and order. I expect that the same would be true on the other side of the Pond and down under. For more decorative models, you may have to do a little more research, and you will probably have to order to get exactly what you want, either through a retailer, from a wholesaler, or from the supplier. Antique shops often have very nice ones for sale. I would also expect there to be a good choice on e-Bay. (I just checked, at yes, there are thousands of them. Type in all the permutations of kerosene/oil/coleman/gas and lamp/lantern to make sure you are covering all the bases. As you have noticed, the terminology is not uniform.) It would help a lot if you said where you live, and what it is exactly that you are looking for. Dominic Bojarski >> What is/was this device called in English? Can I still buy it >> somewhere? Thanks. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >electricity. And, of course, by the Amish. There are hundreds of models >available, from very basic to very elegant. Check out Google Images. Also found in many Florida homes, including this one. We do have electricity and all of the other mod cons, but in Florida the power goes out if one too many persons plug in their electric shaver at the same time. Sometimes, in the case of hurricanes, the power goes out for several days. We have a closet-full of flashlights and other battery-powered lighting devices, but we keep a kerosene lamp around because it never goes flat. SignatureTony Cooper Orlando, FL >>> What is/was this device called in English? Can I still buy it >>> somewhere? Thanks. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >>electricity. And, of course, by the Amish. There are hundreds of models >>available, from very basic to very elegant. Check out Google Images. Let me add 'oil lamp' to the other voices. >Also found in many Florida homes, including this one. We do have >electricity and all of the other mod cons, but in Florida the power >goes out if one too many persons plug in their electric shaver at the >same time. Sometimes, in the case of hurricanes, the power goes out >for several days. Which reminds me that no-one has mentioned 'hurricane' lamps, as shown at: http://www.trader-china.com/lamps-lighting/china-lamps-img/hurricane-lamp s-04.jpg >We have a closet-full of flashlights and other battery-powered >lighting devices, but we keep a kerosene lamp around because it never >goes flat. We have three of those hurricane lamps, to identical designs, for use during camping and power cuts. If we can find them in the dark, that is. SignaturePaul In bocca al Lupo! The Tony Cooper entity posted thusly: >>> What is/was this device called in English? Can I still buy it >>> somewhere? Thanks. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >lighting devices, but we keep a kerosene lamp around because it never >goes flat. The LED crank-type flashlights are getting rather good these days. 30 seconds of cranking the generator (BrE: dynamo?) will give you over 5 minutes of fairly bright light. I think ours cost about $15 Cdn. It's a 5 LED unit. >The Tony Cooper entity posted thusly: > [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >minutes of fairly bright light. I think ours cost about $15 Cdn. It's >a 5 LED unit. I rather like the kerosene lamp. With the lights off, the air conditioning off, and all forms of electronic entertainment unavailable, sitting on the front porch reading a book under the soft glow of the kerosene lamp is making the best of things. SignatureTony Cooper Orlando, FL [...] > I rather like the kerosene lamp. With the lights off, the air > conditioning off, and all forms of electronic entertainment > unavailable, sitting on the front porch reading a book under the soft > glow of the kerosene lamp is making the best of things. My kids used to love the blackouts we used to get in the country: the messing with candles and oil lamps, and I think also the new shape the house took on when lit that way. Brian: I don't think any kind of candle lantern would be called a "hurricane lamp" in my dialect. I suppose it isn't odd, but it's mildly notable that while we called the storms "cyclones" in Aus, the lamps were still called "hurricane lamps". Are those special outdoor matches with very big heads called "Bengal matches" in NAmE? The idea, of course, is that they'll strike even during the monsoon. SignatureMike. [...] > My kids used to love the blackouts we used to get in the country:[...] BrE says "power cut", not "blackout". BrE "blackout" means the intentional darkening imposed during a war. Black furnishing sateen is, I believe, still called "blackout fabric". SignatureMike. >[...] >> My kids used to love the blackouts we used to get in the country:[...] > >BrE says "power cut", not "blackout". BrE "blackout" means the >intentional darkening imposed during a war. Black furnishing sateen is, >I believe, still called "blackout fabric". The stuff I bought around 1970 for a darkroom blackout was called 'black Italian'. I didn't enquire further. SignaturePaul > Brian: I don't think any kind of candle lantern would be called a > "hurricane lamp" in my dialect. Quite possible. A google search on "hurricane lamp" does mostly turn up candle-based ones, which matches my childhood recollection. Brian SignatureIf televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who won't shut up. -- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com) > Brian: I don't think any kind of candle lantern would be called a > "hurricane lamp" in my dialect. I suppose it isn't odd, but it's mildly > notable that while we called the storms "cyclones" in Aus, the lamps > were still called "hurricane lamps". That's because the word "hurricane" therein refers to a wind force on the Beaufort scale, not the specific kind of rotating tropical storm. Hurricane force is 12 or more, >118 km/hr, but in reality I doubt that many of the designs work in such winds. SignatureRegards John for mail: my initials plus a u e at tpg dot com dot au > > Brian: I don't think any kind of candle lantern would be called a > > "hurricane lamp" in my dialect. I suppose it isn't odd, but it's mildly [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > force is 12 or more, >118 km/hr, but in reality I doubt that many of the > designs work in such winds. Ah, right. I'd assumed, if anything, that it was just that the name had been invented in the Atlantic, and travelled to the Pacific with the lamps. I think I mentioned that I'd tried a hurricane lamp in the tail end of a hurricane, and it had blown out. If one day I have the chance to strike a Bengal match in the monsoon, I'll report back with results on that, too. SignatureMike. -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com In alt.usage.english, cicada wrote: >What is/was this device called in English? Can I still buy it >somewhere? Thanks. > >http://i11.tinypic.com/2e2jfwl.jpg It's an oil lamp. I see that others have mentioned "Tilley lamp". To me that means something different: a portable lamp with a pump, vaporiser, and mantle. http://www.tilleylamp.co.uk/ SignatureMike Barnes Cheshire, England > What is/was this device called in English? Can I still buy it > somewhere? Thanks. > > http://i11.tinypic.com/2e2jfwl.jpg That looks like Orson Welles from "The Thin Man". "Hurricane lamps are for sale". Most of those I see here (and own) are for candles, as here: http://www.invitinghome.com/Hurricane_Lamps/Hurricane_Lamps.htm Chimney lamps and kerosene lamps were other names we used. http://www.onelook.com/?w=Hurricane+lamp&ls=a The blurb at the side of this page gives the simplest definition, including candles with chimneys. The metal wiring or cage connected the perforated metal or glass lid, and protected the lamp from colliding with obstacles while blowing in the wind, or swinging from someone's arm (as it was used to light a farmer's way to the barn). You can Google "hurricane lamp", if you like. There are a lot of home decorating sites that will sell you the oil version, or electrical or candle. This site sells "oil cartridges" for the new, safer oil lamps. http://tinyurl.com/yb4d8f The cartridges can be used in the hurricane lamps. { http://www.diningbycandlelight.com/department.cfm?id=943BFBF1-2A19-4EE2-89E48AFC 8E183418&killnav=1 ) > What is/was this device called in English? Can I still buy it > somewhere? Thanks. > > http://i11.tinypic.com/2e2jfwl.jpg A hurricane lamp (AmE) Gerry > > What is/was this device called in English? Can I still buy it > > somewhere? Thanks. > > > > http://i11.tinypic.com/2e2jfwl.jpg > > A hurricane lamp (AmE) Not in standard BrAusEtcE. The one in the picture is an ordinary indoor oil lamp, not the weather-resistant kind we properly call a "hurricane lamp". But I see that http://preview.tinyurl.com/ujhqo or http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&oe=ISO-8859-1&q=hurricane+ lamp&btnG=Search+Images does indeed suggest that some people are using the term for indoor lamps, even including candle shields. I find that utterly absurd -- like calling a shirt a raincoat -- and would use it only for the kind in the first three pictures, such as: http://www.shoplackawanna.com/ProductImages/hurricane_lamp.jpg SignatureMike. |
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