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English verb question

KurnDerakKurnDerak Registered User regular
edited April 2010 in Help / Advice Forum
While the common phrases are "drive a car", "pilot a plane" and "captain a boat", is it still technically correct if not wonky looking to saw "drive a plane" or "drive a boat"? This came up because my friend was saying that drive only involves cars (and roads... for some reason she thinks you can't drive without roads). I say it involves any vehicle, possibly motor vehicle.

While searching on google for those phrases brings them up, doesn't saw if they are correct or not.

KurnDerak on

Posts

  • NoxyNoxy Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Yes, you can use drive for other vehicles. Just look up the definition of drive.

    Noxy on
  • KurnDerakKurnDerak Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Thanks. I did look it up on dictionary.com and they didn't seem to care. I should realize when showing them the definition doesn't work that I should give up.

    KurnDerak on
  • UrQuanLord88UrQuanLord88 Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    FYI it is not uncommon to 'pilot' boats either. I'm pretty sure most of the terminologies used for vehicles are interchangeable and are not exclusive to any one set of vehicles.

    Your friend doesn't saw that English can be rather flexible most of the time.

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  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    It's kind of cute, but there's nothing wrong with saying "drive a boat/plane."

    It's not like any english speaker is going to misunderstand you.

    To "drive" without specifying the vehicle would imply operating a wheeled vehicle, most likely one with more than one axle as if it were a bike/motorcycle one would think they'd use "ride."



    Your friend is being a pedant. One can also "drive" cattle.

    Djeet on
  • MetalbourneMetalbourne Inside a cluster b personalityRegistered User regular
    edited April 2010
    You can drive a desk!

    Metalbourne on
  • UncleSporkyUncleSporky Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    But can you pilot cattle?

    I don't know, I don't see anything wrong with considering some uses more acceptable than others. When I picture a person saying "Can I drive the plane?" I hear it coming from a small child or someone with english as their second language. It's awkward, and despite being a technically valid use of the word, it isn't "morally" valid.

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  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    When I was a ship-driver, I called myself a ship-driver. So yeah :)

    RUNN1NGMAN on
  • EggyToastEggyToast Jersey CityRegistered User regular
    edited April 2010
    You drive planes before they take off, right? They're on roads then ;D Plus there's that Soul Coughing song, that goes "A man drives a plane into the Chrysler building..."

    You can rebut your friend by asking her to define the word "well" or blow her mind by explaining how the phrase "She said 'English is a simple language'" can also be "She went 'English is a simple language" as well as "She was like 'English is a simple language." And then you can explain how by going backwards you're simply more specific in your terminology, rather than more correct.

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  • 3drage3drage Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Drive a golf ball is the most relevant.

    3drage on
  • MetalbourneMetalbourne Inside a cluster b personalityRegistered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Technically, you taxi an airplane before it takes off.

    Metalbourne on
  • JMcCoyJMcCoy Registered User new member
    edited April 2010
    You can also drive a person up a wall. hahahahahaha

    Driving a plane or a ship sounds kinda awkward but it is widely-used so it has become acceptable. I am not saying that the use of the word "drive" can only be used in connection with cars. It is just that it sounds more correct.

    I think with the times rules have become more lax than most hard-core editors wished. That's like driving a stake in their hearts.

    hehehehe.

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  • Baron DirigibleBaron Dirigible Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Your friend doesn't saw that English can be rather flexible most of the time.
    maybe he just doesn't have the drive to learn

    Baron Dirigible on
  • RuckusRuckus Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    FYI it is not uncommon to 'pilot' boats either. I'm pretty sure most of the terminologies used for vehicles are interchangeable and are not exclusive to any one set of vehicles.

    Your friend doesn't saw that English can be rather flexible most of the time.

    Don't forget about Harbour Pilots.

    Ruckus on
  • garroad_rangarroad_ran Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Your friend doesn't saw that English can be rather flexible most of the time.
    maybe he just doesn't have the drive to learn

    Let's not drive these puns into the ground.

    garroad_ran on
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