This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
imagine
single and repeated muscle power

Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

Bonnet & boot (what countries use this?)

English answer:

The UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India and Hong Kong.

Added to glossary by Will Matter
Aug 1, 2006 04:16
18 yrs ago
3 viewers *
English term

Bonnet & boot (what countries use this?)

English Tech/Engineering Automotive / Cars & Trucks
Hello, all.

I remember when I went to Canada they referred to the hood as a "bonnet" and the trunk as a "boot." I was wondering what other countries use this terminology?

Also, is the US the only one that uses the hood/trunk terminology?

Thanks. :)
Responses
4 +12 British English
4 +1 Australians and New Zealanders use them

Discussion

juvera Aug 4, 2006:
The 'canucks' website fun, but aspirin and paracetamol are not the same! You can buy both in the UK.
María Teresa Taylor Oliver Aug 1, 2006:
I stumbled upon this question and I have absolutely NO clue as to the answer but I wanted to thank you guys for all the useful & interesting links! :D
Margaret Schroeder Aug 1, 2006:
So, to answer your query "is the US the only one using hood/trunk", I venture to say "no, Canada uses it too."
Margaret Schroeder Aug 1, 2006:
A comparison between these searches is telling: http://tinyurl.com/fzgl7 vs. http://tinyurl.com/zebx2 I don't mean just the numbers, also look at the contexts and authors of ".ca" sites using "bonnet" and "boot".
Margaret Schroeder Aug 1, 2006:
OK, one last word on the subject. (BTW, I'm from Ontario, too, also a couple of hours from Toronto.) Maybe "bonnet" and "boot" are used as inside jargon in the industry. That's just a guess... no idea if it's true.
conejo (asker) Aug 1, 2006:
To GoodWords Lol, that is a pretty funny site (canucks.co.uk)
conejo (asker) Aug 1, 2006:
Hmm To GoodWords: The person who said it was an engineer at an automotive plant in Ontario (a couple of hours drive from Toronto), and he was definitely a Canadian (not British). Hmm, makes me wonder what other Canadians have to say about 'bonnet' and 'boot'.
Will Matter Aug 1, 2006:
South African: http://web.sois.uwm.edu/AFR101/Document/index.asp?Parent=683... Seems like my somewhat educated guess might have some validity, let's hear it for historical linguistics.
Will Matter Aug 1, 2006:
Indian English: http://www.murthy.com/resource/iatransl.html contrasts American versus Indian usage and, once again, the British model is followed.
Will Matter Aug 1, 2006:
For New Zealand: http://www.richardseaman.com/USA/Life/Language/AmericanVersu... shows both 'boot' and 'bonnet'.
Margaret Schroeder Aug 1, 2006:
Forgive the hijack; I realize my comments are peripheral to your question. I just thought it worth noting... over and out.
Margaret Schroeder Aug 1, 2006:
Here is a site explaining British vocabulary to Canadians: http://www.canucks.co.uk/words.cfm See bonnet/hood and trunk/boot.
Margaret Schroeder Aug 1, 2006:
Perhaps it's a regional thing that varies in different parts of Canada, or you were in contact with ex-pat Britishers in Canada?
Margaret Schroeder Aug 1, 2006:
It sounds odd to me to hear that you heard "boot" and "bonnet" used in Canada. I am Canadian, and have always used "hood" and "trunk", as has every other Canadian I've known. I've never heard of the former words except in books or TV shows from the UK.
conejo (asker) Aug 1, 2006:
I'm wondering also, about Australia & NZ... do they use it?

Responses

+12
2 mins
Selected

British English

This is British English which is why the Canadians use it also.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 29 mins (2006-08-01 04:46:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Looks like Australia uses "bonnet" and "boot" also. http://away.com/features/australia-english-glossary-2.html As a **rough** guess, I think it's reasonable to suppose that any location that was originally or primarily influenced by British, rather than American, usage (places like India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, among other examples) will have a rather strong tendency to follow the British model. HTH.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2006-08-01 05:22:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In my experience, (unlike the other four countries that I named), Canadian usage can be 'mixed', the use of one term or another often depends on the background, education and major cultural "inputs" of the person speaking. I've heard both sets of terms used during the ten or so times i've been in Canada.
Peer comment(s):
agree sarahl (X)
42 mins
Merci. ;0)
agree Laura Fuhriman
1 hr
Merci.
agree Jack Doughty
3 hrs
Thank you.
agree Aisha Maniar
4 hrs
Thank you.
agree Dave Calderhead
4 hrs
Thank you.
agree Robert Fox
4 hrs
Thank you.
agree cmwilliams (X)
4 hrs
Thank you.
agree Angela Dickson (X)
4 hrs
Thank you.
agree Lubain Masum
5 hrs
Thank you.
agree Peter Shortall : And Ireland
5 hrs
Good one. Thank you.
agree vanesa medina
6 hrs
Gracias. Nice CV. Welcome to ProZ.
agree Alfa Trans (X)
11 hrs
Thank you.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks, everybody! Wow it was interesting to see all the answers. Per GoodWords' comments, it seems that the person I ran into in Canada using those terms may have been a fluke... Seems like US & Canada are the only ones using hood/trunk. Thanks, everyone!"
+1
32 mins

Australians and New Zealanders use them

AFAIK, both Australia and New Zealand use bonnet and boot.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2006-08-01 04:50:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I have been to both New Zealand and Australia for a long period.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 45 mins (2006-08-01 05:01:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Yet another example of their usage in NZ:
http://dandownunder.com/blog/
Reference:

http://www.rootsandwingsbooks.com/resources.html

http://www.goals.com/kyrnos/nz2.htm

Peer comment(s):
agree Mara Ballarini : In Australia for sure it's bonnet and boot
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search