11 replies to this topic

[LucaP]

Am I right in thinking that the difference between the terms "turn", "corner" and "bend" is a bit arbitrary and confused?

I'm curious about this, to see if it's just a problem of mine with the English language

Perhaps a "bend" has a larger radius (faster)?

but the other two?


Thanks in advance

[Lights]

I don't think there's any difference.

They're just different words used for other purposes that are also acceptable to describe a circuit with.

[gordmac]

Probably geographic as much as anything. Turn is American, corner is British, bend is maybe not so common. Don't know about the rest of the world.

[Tony Matthews]

Probably geographic as much as anything. Turn is American, corner is British, bend is maybe not so common. Don't know about the rest of the world.

In the UK 'turn' is more of a direction, i.e "Take the next left turn." A 'bend' is normally anything of large to medium radius, probably tighter than a 'curve', but a 'corner' is more serious.

"Well, Your Honour, it was like this. I took the next left turn, saw that the right hand bend ahead was quite gentle, so I accelerated, only to come up to a sharp left-hand corner - that is when I lost it!" The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

[cheapracer]

In the UK 'turn' is more of a direction, i.e "Take the next left turn." A 'bend' is normally anything of large to medium radius, probably tighter than a 'curve', but a 'corner' is more serious.

+1 for Oz.

[threep]

Ignoring circuits for a second, on the normal public highway doing road rallies and other events which involve navigation, a turn indicates a change of direction from one road to another at a junction. So turn left means take the next road on the left. Corner/bend would be interchangeable and just means the road itself changes direction.

On a circuit I'd probably just go with gordmac's answer.

[imaginesix]

Am I right in thinking that the difference between the terms "turn", "corner" and "bend" is a bit arbitrary and confused?

I'm curious about this, to see if it's just a problem of mine with the English language

Perhaps a "bend" has a larger radius (faster)?

but the other two?


Thanks in advance

There are some subtle differences in meaning and a few very particular differences in usage. Note that they can all be used as either a noun or a verb, and your question is about the nouns but it's useful to look at the verbs first to get some perspective.

Turn as a verb would be used to describe any movement around an axis, either literally such as turn the wheel, turn the corner (noun), turn the car around, turn the volume down, turn a piece of wood (as in a lathe operation), or figuratively such as turn that piece of legislation around or turn his mind toward work. In none of these cases could you substitute the words corner or bend.

To corner is used in the sense of making a turn in a sporting manner (as well as backing someone into a corner). So you might hear it spoken when descibing cornering technique or ability such as "that car corners real flat" (doesn't lean a lot) or "he's cornering on two wheels". Technically you might substitute "turn" for "corner" in these cases but it is less precise and people won't immediately know what you are talking about.

The verb bend is used to describe the motion of something that is usually straight, such as bending your arm, or bending the road around a lake, or a tree trunk "bending but not breaking" in the wind. Or figuratively, to bend one's will (meaning getting them to concede something against their strongly held conviction). Again, none of these uses would allow the substitution of the words turn or corner.

As nouns the words follow some of the same notions, so a turn in the road is a place where a car would distinctly turn directions (giving rise to numbered turns on a race track) and is used when giving directions in the manner of "take that right turn". Corner can be used it's place but it also has broader useage as it can refer more precisely to the edges of the turn and the topography near a turn. So you can watch from the inside corner or outside corner, it is where the curb is, or where the gas station sits. This is how you get the term "corner store". You can't substitute the word turn in those cases.

Bends are just less sharp corners, and can be used interchangeably with the word curve except in particular expressions like "he's driving me around the bend" (about to trigger an angry reaction). There is no clear differentiation between bends and corners but when you describe a section of road as a bend one generally expects a longer gradual curve, basically not a perfectly straight road, whereas with a corner it is expected to be sharp and distinct.

[gruntguru]

There are some subtle differences in meaning and a few very particular differences in usage. Note that they can all be used as either a noun or a verb, and your question is about the nouns but it's useful to look at the verbs first to get some perspective.

Turn as a verb would be used to describe any movement around an axis, either literally such as turn the wheel, turn the corner (noun), turn the car around, turn the volume down, turn a piece of wood (as in a lathe operation), or figuratively such as turn that piece of legislation around or turn his mind toward work. In none of these cases could you substitute the words corner or bend.

To corner is used in the sense of making a turn in a sporting manner (as well as backing someone into a corner). So you might hear it spoken when descibing cornering technique or ability such as "that car corners real flat" (doesn't lean a lot) or "he's cornering on two wheels". Technically you might substitute "turn" for "corner" in these cases but it is less precise and people won't immediately know what you are talking about.

The verb bend is used to describe the motion of something that is usually straight, such as bending your arm, or bending the road around a lake, or a tree trunk "bending but not breaking" in the wind. Or figuratively, to bend one's will (meaning getting them to concede something against their strongly held conviction). Again, none of these uses would allow the substitution of the words turn or corner.

As nouns the words follow some of the same notions, so a turn in the road is a place where a car would distinctly turn directions (giving rise to numbered turns on a race track) and is used when giving directions in the manner of "take that right turn". Corner can be used it's place but it also has broader useage as it can refer more precisely to the edges of the turn and the topography near a turn. So you can watch from the inside corner or outside corner, it is where the curb is, or where the gas station sits. This is how you get the term "corner store". You can't substitute the word turn in those cases.

Bends are just less sharp corners, and can be used interchangeably with the word curve except in particular expressions like "he's driving me around the bend" (about to trigger an angry reaction). There is no clear differentiation between bends and corners but when you describe a section of road as a bend one generally expects a longer gradual curve, basically not a perfectly straight road, whereas with a corner it is expected to be sharp and distinct.

Nice post I6.

I might add regarding "corners" - these are generally sharp discontinuities where straight lines intersect eg corners of a rectangle or other polygon, street corners (usually 90*) or corners of a room or building.

[SteveCanyon]

I've often been amused by the term "90° corner".
Over what radius? It doesn't have a lot of meaning otherwise.

[pugfan]

I've often been amused by the term "90° corner".
Over what radius? It doesn't have a lot of meaning otherwise.

Ha, yes. Head south from the north pole, take a 90 degree turn of sufficient radius and you'd end up at the south pole anyway.

[gruntguru]

Ha, yes. Head south from the north pole, take a 90 degree turn of sufficient radius and you'd end up at the south pole anyway.

My brain is hurting.

[gruntguru]

Ha, yes. Head south from the north pole, take a 90 degree turn of sufficient radius and you'd end up at the south pole anyway.

You have to turn at least 180* to get from the North pole to the South pole.