Kooyeen  +  420716 Tue, 18 Sep 07 07:32 PM Hi, what do you commonly call this in the US? Loader? Front-loader? http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Wheel-loader02.jpg And this one? Excavator? Backhoe? http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Kettenbagger_CAT_325C_LN.jpeg Is there a word to refer to both of them? Thanks Kooyeen Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005 Italy Senior Member 4,969 Parental Advisory / Explicit Posts

	Grammar Geek  +  420746 Tue, 18 Sep 07 09:06 PM Kooyeen, I can't answer your question because I call just about everyting a "bulldozer" and when I need to show that type of equipment in the brochures I write, I call them (I'm not kidding) "some big yellow earth-moving equipment." But this site might help: http://www.bobthebuilder.com/usa/intro.html (Actually the first one is a front loader, I think, and the second one is an excavator. There was a video that mostly little boys watched that consisted of big trucks and such moving dirt around and had all those names. So any four-year-old boy who had that video could tell you. I had girls who were not interested in trucks.) Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Veteran Member 19,652 Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!

	Kooyeen  +  420791 Tue, 18 Sep 07 10:55 PM Thanks. LOL, what was that site? There were games for children... Anyway, I cheked in some dictionaries and on Wikipedia before asking here, but there are several names and I'm not sure all of them are commonly used and people know them. The first should be commonly called a "loader" or "front loader", the second a "digger" or "excavator", or "backhoe"... But since I'm not sure... By the way, you mentioned "earth" and "dirt". Are they synonyms? Talking about the stuff those vehicles move... I think "soil" cold be used too, but it's not so common in this context. Thanks Kooyeen Synonyms

	Clive  +  420795 Tue, 18 Sep 07 11:09 PM Hi, 'Frontloader' sounds about right to me, but I rarely speak of such things and would probably say something like 'They were digging up the parking lot at school today with machines'.  'Backhoe' is something I do say, perhaps because I know the wrod and it makes me feel masculine to say it. In Canada, we usually speak of 'earth', sometimes of 'soil'. I see 'dirt' as an Americanism. Best wishes, Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,585 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

	Grammar Geek  +  420806 Tue, 18 Sep 07 11:27 PM That was the site for "Bob the Builder," a popular children's character. That was just to make you laugh. But look at this site: http://www.cat.com/cda/layout?m=37840&x=7 This one is actually useful for your question. Grammar Geek

	Kooyeen  +  420835 Wed, 19 Sep 07 12:55 AM Thank you all! Yep Barb, that site was useful too, thanks. Kooyeen

	MrPedantic  +  420841 Wed, 19 Sep 07 01:08 AM I'm slightly concerned, Kooyeen. How do you intend to use this slightly recherché terminology? http://archive.oxfordmail.net/2002/11/27/30230.html MrP MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 12,592 ...opella forensis / adducit febris...

	Kooyeen  +  420844 Wed, 19 Sep 07 01:23 AM LOL, MrP, from that link: Mr Beesley -- known as `Digger' to his friends... I'm not known as Digger... I only wanted to know what those machines were called, I'm not going to use a bulldozer to demolish the bathroom wall of my neighbours' house so that I can watch my neighbour's wife and daughter when they... well I'm not going to do that. I already tried, but my mother told me off, so I'm not going to try again. Kooyeen