Rules or Rulers

[IDPParticipant @idp]

[IDPParticipant @idp]

Greetings all,

Is it just me or does anyone else become irritated by enginering writers using the word 'Ruler' when refering to a measuring device. I was bought up to know that 'Rulers' live in castles.

A Rule is a device which is used to measure.

Sorry about the rant but it does get my goat.

Regards,

IDP

[Nigel BennettParticipant @nigelbennett69913]

A ruler is a wooden or plastic thing you keep in your pencil box for ruling lines for the words to walk on. (Or a monarch, as you say.)

I know this because it's in Winnie-the-Pooh.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Oxford Dictionary has it as Ruler.

So long as we know what they mean does it really matter?

J

PS one more "e" in engineer

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

A ruler, sometimes called a rule or line gauge, is an instrument used in geometry, technical drawing, printing as well as engineering and building to measure distances or to rule straight lines. The ruler is a straightedge which may also contain calibrated lines to measure distances.

Now get your goat off its soapbox

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Would not trust the Oxford Dictionary, is that not where "selfie" appears?

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I recall reading here or on another forum that if there is the blank bit at the end before the actual length measuring bit starts (as on a wooden school one) then it is a ruler. But that might just have been somone's own personal or received wisdom and not a specific definition.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Selfies appear just about everywhere these days Kwil maybe you should take one and use it as an avitar.

J

PS See you Saturday.

[mickParticipant @mick65121]

A pattern makers ruler is 13'' long to allow for shrinkage, which doesn't have a thing to do with this post, but just thought I'd lob in it!

[NobbyParticipant @nobby]

As a rule
I would say a steel rule . Wooden ruler , also tape rule
Nobby

[MAX THE MILLERParticipant @maxthemiller]

When I was at school in the early 1960's any boy who referred to a rule as a ruler got a clip round the ear. Same applied if you called indentations dents or glass paper sand paper. We were told that if we wanted sandpaper we should make our own, using sand from the long jump pit, brown paper and animal glue.

I don't think they teach woodwork in schools any more, but if they did I doubt a glue boiler on a gas ring would be allowed.

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Jason,

I do not possess a camera phone nor need one.

Saturday it is

k

[MICHAEL WILLIAMSParticipant @michaelwilliams41215]

Rule and ruler have different origins .

Rule comes from Norman French/ English REULE (various spellings)meaning a straight piece of wood – basically a straightedge .

Ruler comes from the regal meaning of RULER as (ultimate) decision maker . So ruler in modern usage is ultimate decision maker about length – basically an accurate measuring stick .

Michael Williams .

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Max.

You must have been schooled by the same Teachers that ruled over my early life!

Edited By V8Eng on 27/03/2014 19:22:05

[RobboParticipant @robbo]

Max,

When I was at secondary school in the early fifties we weren't even allowed glasspaper (nor sandpaper) in the woodworking room. All finishing was done with scrapers.

A ruler was the newly crowned Elizabeth II. A rule was for measuring with. (And ending a sentence with a preposition was punishable).

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

Scale or scales?

[_Paul_Participant @_paul_]

Scale

[Rick Kirkland 1Participant @rickkirkland1]

Meanwhile. . . . back in the workshop. .. . . . .

Rick

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

My gosh, what a lot of tosh.

After actually consulting a (shorter) Oxford Dictionary:

A rule is a graduated thing for measuring c.f. a slide rule (who ever heard of a slide ruler?)

A ruler is a straight edge for drawing straight lines.

The fact that some things can be used for both purposescreates an ambiguity.

Anyway, if I was Britannia, I'd waive the rules.

Neil

[WALLACEParticipant @wallace]

I tend to think of a ‘ruler’ being a wooden thing but a ‘steel rule’ being ( obviously ! ) steel.

Why this should be so I don’t known. And to be honest, even less do I care !

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Well altogether an interesting discursion.

graham.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Well whatever you do don't put your rule or ruler on the vise or vice

Or perhaps a rule is concave and a ruler is convex ?

Whatever it should keep the flat earth society amused for a while………………

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 27/03/2014 22:11:46:

A ruler is a straight edge for drawing straight lines.

.

Very significant if you happen to be interested in Euclidean geometrical construction; where no markings are permitted on the ruler.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 27/03/2014 22:59:06

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

NOBBY As I understand A rule is steel a ruler is wooden a tape is a measure and a joiner uses a twofoot

Roy

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

Slide rule…mmm
The only slide rule I still keep is rotary….

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