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Adjective usage
3

Adjective usage

Adjective usage

(OP)
Is there any explanation why we say "ELECTRIC machinery", but "ELECTRICAL engineering" and not vice versa?

RE: Adjective usage

Well, to start with, "engineering" is a verb, so in your example electrical would be an adverb, not an adjective.

The suffix "al" is used to convey "pertaining to", "like", or "of the kind".

Anyway, to answer your question:  Laziness, as "electric machinery" is incorrect.


RE: Adjective usage

"Engineering" is a noun or participle (verb-adjective), not a verb.

RE: Adjective usage

Both "electric" and "electrical" are listed as adjectives in Webster's.

RE: Adjective usage

I've heard electrical machinery

RE: Adjective usage

"Electric engineer" sounds like my robotic replacement, or describes a very dynamic engineer. "Electrical" conveys what the engineering subject matter consists of, while "electric" attaches more to the engineer himself. No such dichotomy with machinery, so either one works.

RE: Adjective usage

Its dog chasing the tail. Many words and expressions become accepted and then "dictionaries" are compelled to add to their "collections".

I have ranted on the subject before. While from a purist's point of view electrical machinary would be more accurate, terms like electric machine, electric motor, electric train etc. are very well accepted/understood terms, even purists will not notice it them using by themselves.
As for an engieer "electrical" is more accepted as it relates the type of field, as explained by others, but a term "electric" would suggest an "electric" or enegetic personality and not type his/her expertize.

However it is more common to hear and accept mechanical pump vs. a mechanic pump. But there can be a "mechanic" describing a person with type of expertize.

It is just the way it is. Languages are dynamic, constantly evolving and rules are sujject to change with time and they do. Dictionaries do not make rules, they just log them as they are made or broken.

RE: Adjective usage

Electric to me means running off electricity.
Electrical to me means  to do with electricity or electronics.

So an electric engineer would be an engineer that you could plug in and maybe recharge, or maybe somebody who rewired plugs.

Electric engineering would be for example engineering something to plug in and run off the mains.

An electrical machine would be a machine that did things with electricity like voltage regulation, or DC to AC conversion, or that had loads of wires all over the place.

Electric things would simply be things that ran off electricity, like kettles, a fan, etc.

Electrical engineering would be learning about resistors, transistors, logic gates, diodes, capacitors, etc.

You can see that even by my own definitions, which are clear to me, the actual boundaries between the two are fuzzy, as nothing is black and white, it's all shades of grey.

RE: Adjective usage

I always say "double E".

RE: Adjective usage

A very eclectic discussion to date!

RE: Adjective usage

Eclectical????

RE: Adjective usage

"Laziness, as 'electric machinery' is incorrect."

I love it when people make value judgements without bothering to do the eytmological research.  "Electric" as an adjective goes back to the first half of the 17th century.

I suppose all those people who are using French, Spanish, and Italian instead of proper Latin are just lazy too.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies:  FAQ731-376

RE: Adjective usage

crysta1c1ear: I always thought that Electronic Engineering encapsulated resistors, transistors, logic gates, diodes, capacitors, etc. and that Electrical Engineering required overalls. ;) Sort of like the difference between a 'pinkie' and a 'greenie' in the Royal Navy.

RE: Adjective usage

Electric and Electrical are all the adjectives, discribe all the things involve in electricity.
I study Electrical Engineering, and the major is Electric Power Systems. So I think both of them are acceptable. I use English in study as the Secondary language and dont know the essential differents in using between two words. All of you help me alot!

RE: Adjective usage

electic is used for something which is driven by electricity, but electrical is used for something or someone who have relation with electricity

RE: Adjective usage

Hmmm:

electrical engineer
electrician
electric motor mechanic (vs electrial motor mechanic)

Maybe it is just common usage over the years? And, not any one specific rule.

One of thee biggest oxymoronic phrase I can think of is:

"Rules of the English language."

rofl

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."   
Albert Einstein
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RE: Adjective usage

mizo:

But mechanic is someone with mechanical knowledge and mechanical is something driven/operated by mechanism with help of external/internal power.!!

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