Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

My friend from New Zeeland and I have been talking about "flashlights" for some time now. He is and awesome guy but always throws me off when he uses the word "torch" for what I call a "flashlight". In searching CPF and talking with him, I have learned that it is mostly us Yanks who use the term flashlight. So here is my question, If you live outside the US, when researching lights online, do you use the term "flashlight" or "torch"?

I have to laugh when I think about searching, "Surefire Torches".......LOL. But that is just because of where I am from- maybe searching "Flashlights" is just as weird to others.

Thanks for your input- trying to satisfy my curiosity......

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

I personally use the term flashlight simply because I m a non conformist from redneck country BUT depending on where you are getting the light from then you have to compromise and use the local language

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

Google will to some degree work it out with its mighty thesaurus. That said, a combination of both helps.

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

If you want the best result then you need to speak the language required as to where you are seqrching

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

I don't like it myself but it's a no brainer. I m old school!

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

Electric storm lantern!

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

Do you have one war raven???

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

lol sorry no, I'm just torn trying to get my mind to accept torch, as a flash light, which the first ones did just that, flashed and went out.

Torches, meant we needed light, Fire!

In my mind, might as well call headlights torches too.

If they're all torching torches, it's a head torch, handtorch, pocket torch, underwater torch etc... And that bothers my minds filling cabinets.

Proper schmopper lol

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

How bout stick with flashlight or light even!

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

cnanewman said:

I have learned that it is mostly us Yanks who use the term flashlight.

Click to expand...

"Flashlight" is the most common/neutral term around the world, I think. "Torch" is used primarily in the UK, and often in former British colonies or places where lots of UK-descendent people live. Interestingly, a Google search for "torch" returns about twice as many results as "flashlight", so I might be wrong. :thinking:

On typical Chinese gadget sites like DX.com, Banggood, FastTech etc, "flashlight" will return more useful results than "torch". Note that "torch" has an additional meaning of fire-on-a-stick (like Olympic torch, propane-powered soldering iron, etc), "flashlight" doesn't - it specifically refers to a lighting tool.

Pro tip: when searching for a flashlight, try searching for a LED type (XM-L2, XP-G2 etc), battery type (18650, 26650, ...) and other specific terms like a flashlight brand, model #, "headlamp", "bicycle light" and so on. Or even better: some combination thereof. That will produce much more useful results than just "torch" or "flashlight". Never mind something as generic as "light" or "LED"...

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

From CPF way back in Nov-10-2001:

... I watched the excellent TV series "Band of Brothers" a few days ago. There is a scene in the episode "Crossroads", with dialogue something like this:

British Paratrooper, excitedly - "(They were) signalling with a hand-held red torch !"

American Para coolly drawls - "That would be a hand-held red flashlight"

Click to expand...

Two cultures separated by the same language . . . .

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

RetroTechie said:

Pro tip: when searching for a flashlight, try searching for a LED type (XM-L2, XP-G2 etc), battery type (18650, 26650, ...) and other specific terms like a flashlight brand, model #, "headlamp", "bicycle light" and so on. Or even better: some combination thereof. That will produce much more useful results than just "torch" or "flashlight". Never mind something as generic as "light" or "LED"...

Click to expand...

Thanks for the "Pro tip", I am definitely a beginner and need all the help I can get!

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

I will never watch "Band of Brothers" the same!

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

Well I like flashlight... Light... Just like aluminum, color, honor, etc. I m American, U.S. Forces, old school and just don't give a damn how anybody else wants to spell these words. My way isn't wrong but many like to complain about us yanks "destroying" the language!

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

I die when my yank buddies say Roof, as in roof on your house.
To my Canadian dialect it sounds like wuff, or ruff.
Though I spell colour like velour, so they rib me back.

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

In Aus. most would probably search for torch, but flashlight is not a foreign concept to us. I guess its like car bonnet/hood, boot/trunk, glovebox/glove compartment, petrol/gas/fuel, everyone knows what it all means. As long as you end up with one of those things that puts out a heap of light from one end, then all's well.

Re: Outside the US: Do you search online for a "flashlight" or a "torch"?

In Singapore our education system is based on the British system hence I used to call them "torches" but now I refer to them as "flashlights" but occasionally still torches