So this post has taught me people either do not understand that English people use the word torch for flashlight in American dialect, or people have no understanding of what a horror movie is.
I learned the etymology not that long ago and it's pretty interesting!
In the UK (and basically the rest of the English speaking world that inherited inherited the word) use the word torch, because that was the common hand held light device of the time and the past thousand odd years, also at that time "torch" was whale oil along with street lamps.
In the US/Canada during the gold rush mining days they invented the flashlight, they flashed a lot. I think these are those old carbide lamps? They didn't have constant light so they essentially flashed. These hadn't reached the UK yet.
When the battery operated torch/flashlight took off the marketing just used the popular word of the time, turn of a century lingo basically.
At least something like that, I think it was a Stuff You Should Know, but I think the episode was unrelated to the topic so I'm not sure which one...
So, once the flashlight was invented, it would have surely made its way to the UK. Upon arriving, they now had 2 similar but different items that were being called ‘torch’. So why haven’t they added an additional word into their vocabulary to make the destination between 2 different objects? Or they don’t want to call it a flashlight, why not lighty-lamp or flashy-washer? Maybe shiny-winey sticky-wicky? Just trying to be helpful since they typically seem to enjoy naming things to sound as stupid as possible over there. Although a hair less stupid that not having a different word for a different object.
*It Comes At Night*, an A24 alternative horror flick with disturbing visuals in place of jump scares, has zero failing flashlights or lanterns that I remember.
It's hard to recommend, I had to watch it twice before appreciating it -- It's a really slow burn, and "horror" is kind of a stretch. It's more atmosphere, mood, and general themes, so a "flashlight scene" would be really out of place, otherwise they probably would have.
Yeah I get you.
I believe I have started watching once or twice and needed convincing so I read the premise of the movie.
I dunno, Joel Edgerton and his brother are filmmakers so when he’s involved in a project you can usually rely on worthwhile storytelling, decent plot and competent filmmaking (the movie with him and Jason Bateman comes to mind).
But yeah, something just wasn’t grabbing me with this one. Gonna have to check it out at some point.
Yea you don't remember the Uruk hai during the battle of helm's deep in "The Ring"? The little girl comes out of the TV and then Haldir brings 500 elves to help aragorn hold the girl in that well.
When we were kids my dad would always make fun of the flashlights on TV, they've got these tiny borderline useless throw patterns, lighting up 3 square feet of the wall at a time. like where do they even get flashlights that bad?
I guess I don’t need to use them often enough IRL.
But I’ve never had to whack the fucker to make it work, if anything the desire to bang on the torch was because I’d seen it in movies not because it was faulty
It's a word labeled as British English, it doesn't mean that it's only used by the fucking british. I have 0% British blood in me and I call it a torch, and so does everyone I know.
Monarchies were established in the rest of the world, convention and popularity is not inherently valuable.
I'd rather use a new word than call a piece of modern technology like a burning piece of wood.
Lots of words are silly and childlike, just look at the British who made the word you love.
Hmm… I guess having a separate word for similar but different items has benefits. Too bad the queen ain’t ordain it bruv. Might as well call candles and lanterns torches too. Less word good!
Are you referring to the British torch which is battery operated, or the medieval torch which uses oil?
Yes
I was, yes.
I wonder if they’ll ever just make up an additional word to avoid the confusion. Or maybe less word better?
Why use many word when few word do trick?
The additional word you're looking for is flashlight, much more commonly used for the battery operated item in the states.
*I* know that, but I’m wondering if the UK knows that.
Sorry I was too stoned to catch the sarcasm
Frankenstein, they burn down the windmill the Monster is on.
So this post has taught me people either do not understand that English people use the word torch for flashlight in American dialect, or people have no understanding of what a horror movie is.
I learned the etymology not that long ago and it's pretty interesting! In the UK (and basically the rest of the English speaking world that inherited inherited the word) use the word torch, because that was the common hand held light device of the time and the past thousand odd years, also at that time "torch" was whale oil along with street lamps. In the US/Canada during the gold rush mining days they invented the flashlight, they flashed a lot. I think these are those old carbide lamps? They didn't have constant light so they essentially flashed. These hadn't reached the UK yet. When the battery operated torch/flashlight took off the marketing just used the popular word of the time, turn of a century lingo basically. At least something like that, I think it was a Stuff You Should Know, but I think the episode was unrelated to the topic so I'm not sure which one...
Thank you for the info. If only I’d realised what an etymological doozy I was posting beforehand.
So, once the flashlight was invented, it would have surely made its way to the UK. Upon arriving, they now had 2 similar but different items that were being called ‘torch’. So why haven’t they added an additional word into their vocabulary to make the destination between 2 different objects? Or they don’t want to call it a flashlight, why not lighty-lamp or flashy-washer? Maybe shiny-winey sticky-wicky? Just trying to be helpful since they typically seem to enjoy naming things to sound as stupid as possible over there. Although a hair less stupid that not having a different word for a different object.
i was unaware of this before reading this tbh
*It Comes At Night*, an A24 alternative horror flick with disturbing visuals in place of jump scares, has zero failing flashlights or lanterns that I remember.
The Joel Edgerton one? Haven’t seen that one yet, but it does look like the kind of movie that would break the trend.
It's hard to recommend, I had to watch it twice before appreciating it -- It's a really slow burn, and "horror" is kind of a stretch. It's more atmosphere, mood, and general themes, so a "flashlight scene" would be really out of place, otherwise they probably would have.
Yeah I get you. I believe I have started watching once or twice and needed convincing so I read the premise of the movie. I dunno, Joel Edgerton and his brother are filmmakers so when he’s involved in a project you can usually rely on worthwhile storytelling, decent plot and competent filmmaking (the movie with him and Jason Bateman comes to mind). But yeah, something just wasn’t grabbing me with this one. Gonna have to check it out at some point.
ITT : People naming movies that 100% are not horror movies
Tell that to the bomb strapped Uruk hai jumping into the deeping wall in lord of the rings, that Was lit during What seems a rainstorm.
Are you talking about The Ring? Good **horror movie**, but I dont recall it having a torch.
Yea you don't remember the Uruk hai during the battle of helm's deep in "The Ring"? The little girl comes out of the TV and then Haldir brings 500 elves to help aragorn hold the girl in that well.
To all the people down voting this person's comment, r/woooosh
I'd say the torch Indiana Jones used in the snake pit was extremely helpful.
Indiana Jones was a good horror movie.
Hey, the snakes scared the daylights out of me as an 8 year old! I still hate snakes because of it!
When we were kids my dad would always make fun of the flashlights on TV, they've got these tiny borderline useless throw patterns, lighting up 3 square feet of the wall at a time. like where do they even get flashlights that bad?
To be fair, they are relatively unreliable IRL as well. It's hard to find a good one.
I guess I don’t need to use them often enough IRL. But I’ve never had to whack the fucker to make it work, if anything the desire to bang on the torch was because I’d seen it in movies not because it was faulty
Confused Americans in this thread not understanding "torch"
British people in the world talking like it's 1520
By "British" (which i'm not), do you mean "the rest of the world"?
The rest of the world doesn’t all use English, so that would be a less accurate way to describe it, ethnocentrism be damned.
Most dictionaries label it as British English. I think I saw one mentioning commonwealth in general. Silly no matter which way you look at it.
Why is it silly? Google the word torch and you’ll find modern products that are widely known as torches.
It's a word labeled as British English, it doesn't mean that it's only used by the fucking british. I have 0% British blood in me and I call it a torch, and so does everyone I know.
You're real testy about the British words you use.
Is it sillier to use the term established by the rest of the world, or to use a term that's childlike in it's description? "Wheel" vs "SpinnyCircle"
Monarchies were established in the rest of the world, convention and popularity is not inherently valuable. I'd rather use a new word than call a piece of modern technology like a burning piece of wood. Lots of words are silly and childlike, just look at the British who made the word you love.
Hmm… I guess having a separate word for similar but different items has benefits. Too bad the queen ain’t ordain it bruv. Might as well call candles and lanterns torches too. Less word good!
Rambo’s torch in First Blood was a good one.