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All
Thank you for your responses. I had consulted some dictionaries, and the
internet prior to writing. Thank you all for googling more furtively
than I. I was hoping that someone had a specific usage standard that was
used at a company that might help me perhaps change our standard.
These help to at least explain to the engineer that either one is okay,
unless he can find specific evidence as to WHY one MUST be used over the
other. The debate continues!
Thanks.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+jsamuelson=deltad -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+jsamuelson=deltad -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Nuckols, Kenneth M
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 10:20 AM
To: Jackie Samuelson
Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: Gage vs. Gauge
Jackie Samuelson asked...
>
> Does anyone have a very specific definition and set of examples that
> differentiate GAGE and GAUGE?
>
> We have a debate going on, whereas an engineer has found many examples
> of GAGE (in spec books about wire sizing, etc.) but no where can I
find
> a reference that explicity defines the use of one over the other. Our
> standard thus far has been to use "gauge"... But if we can find some
> resource that helps to draw the lines between the two, we can opt to
use
> gage when appropriate.
>
> A web search yielded results that explained that gage can be used to
> define metal/wire sizing, and gauge is for more abstract things (like
a
> measuring tool, or the act of measuring with said tool) but it was a
> style thing and not a standard...
>
>From Merriam-Webster (not the _most_ authoritative source, but still
_an_ authoritative source):
GAUGE - n.
1 a : a measurement (as of linear dimension) according to some standard
or system: as (1) : the distance between the rails of a railroad (2) :
the size of a shotgun barrel's inner diameter nominally expressed as the
number of lead balls each just fitting that diameter required to make a
pound <a 12-gauge shotgun> (3) : the thickness of a thin material (as
sheet metal or plastic film) (4) : the diameter of a slender object (as
wire or a hypodermic needle) (5) : the fineness of a knitted fabric
expressed by the number of loops per unit width b : DIMENSIONS, SIZE c :
MEASURE 1 <surveys are a gauge of public sentiment>
2 : an instrument for or a means of measuring or testing: as a : an
instrument for measuring a dimension or for testing mechanical accuracy
b : an instrument with a graduated scale or dial for measuring or
indicating quantity
3 : relative position of a ship with reference to another ship and the
wind
4 : a function introduced into a field equation to produce a convenient
form of the equation but having no observable physical consequences
GAGE - n.
1 : a token of defiance; specifically : a glove or cap cast on the
ground to be taken up by an opponent as a pledge of combat
2 : something deposited as a pledge of performance
Alt : a variant form of GAUGE
The "variant form" is the less preferred and/or less specific term;
therefore its use should be avoided (unless you need to clarify for an
audience who is not familiar with the more correct term). From the
definition given by Webster, the word "gage" in and of itself has
nothing to do with the diameter of wiring (GUAGE definition 1:4) except
as an alternate spelling of the correct term, which is "gauge."
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