Posted by Mike F. on January 04, 2001 at 00:42:59 from 203.26.98.4:
In Reply to: Re: Oil Stoves posted by mike stevens on January 03, 2001 at 17:36:48:
Out here in Oz, we call it kerosene too (or kerosine.) White spirit is a refined petrol (US -- gas,) used for taking grease spots out of dirty clothes before washing them. Similar to Shellite, Essolite, and other brand names -- which can also be used as fuel in pressure stoves and lamps designed for them. Paraffin comes as a white wax which you use to seal up the tops of jars of home-made jam with, and paraffin oil is something you get from the chemist to drink to loosen the bowels.
We had a TV advertisement running out here for a while about motor oil, with a gangster type saying, "Oils ain't oils." Pretty clearly, English ain't English, either.