Reply to Thread

Message:: [QUOTE="Hobo, post: 324851, member: 11521"]I have been around construction (commercial and residential) for the past 35 years. Probably the most misused term in construction is "cement". Cement (aka Portland Cement) is an ingredient of concrete. (The other ingredients are course aggregate (gravel), fine aggregate (sand), and water.) However, most people use the term "cement" when they mean "concrete". Examples: "We are gonna pour cement this afternoon." "My cement driveway has cracked." "This house has a cement foundation." "This wall is made of cement block." Does this common misusage of the word "cement" when talking about concrete make it right? No, it does not. I know what people mean when they use the word "cement" when they mean concrete but that does not make their poor word choice correct. Sometimes, when a person who should know better calls concrete 'cement' I say, "Cement is an ingredient of concrete. You don't call bread "flour", do you?" We all know what people mean when they use the word "penny" in the US. Our cent coin has been called a "penny" ever since it was first minted. But its official name is the 'Cent'.  Our first cent was the Large Cent. Its size and composition was similar to the English Penny so people started calling it a 'penny'. The name stuck. Even Sheldon titled his book on Large Cents "Penny Whimsy". But the correct term for our (now) smallest denomination coin is 'cent'. Like the Nazis said, "Repeat a lie often enough and the people will believe it." Misuse a word often enough and people will believe it is correct.  Now excuse me while I go shovel snow off my concrete driveway and concrete sidewalks.[/QUOTE]

Create my FREE Account!

Log in or Sign up

Reply to Thread

Useful Searches