Dirt or soil?

[Sheal]

I've been having a debate with my daughter who lives in Canada. In both Canada and America what we British refer to as soil (not to be confused with compost) is called dirt. She of course is adamant that it's dirt, but my argument is that dirt is something messy we get on hands or clothes for example. However, something that is soiled can be referred to the same way.

What are your thoughts on this? Should we give garden dirt/soil a completely different name to cover both ways of reference and use dirt/soil only for something that needs to be cleaned?

 

[Zigs]

It's one of those words that didn't cross the Atlantic or changed it's meaning when it got there.

Mind you, we use soil to mean dirty as well, as in soiling your underpants

We could use the word humus, although that's really the organic components that get mixed with soil (soil being broken down minerals/rocks.)

It's an interesting one as soils vary depending on what their origins are, clay soils, glacial soils, chalk and sand. Peat that forms in lowland bogs and in mountain lakes.

Those are just ones I thought of off the top of my head, I'm sure the members will come up with a few more too

 

[Sheal]

Peat that forms in lowland bogs and in mountain lakes.

I would class peat as more like compost because it rots down, where as dirt/soil doesn't rot but disintegrates/breaks down over a long time.

 

[Sandy Ground]

@Sheal I'm with you on this. When a child comes home, the parent says "You're dirty" and never "You're soily." Its the same ith other things as well. Unless of course they are called "mucky."

 

[Anniekay]

I call it soil if it came in a bag or if I've mixed compost or other amendments into it. But, it's dirt if it gets on me, under my nails, stained the knees of my pants or has gotten into my shoes. Soil is a good thing, dirt is not !!

 

[Tetters]

You make an interesting point about the distinction between "dirt" and "soil." In everyday language, "dirt" is often used to describe something unclean or messy, like the stuff we get on our clothes or hands. "Soil," on the other hand, is more specific and refers to the natural resource that supports plant life.

In gardening and agriculture, "soil" is the term most commonly used because it emphasizes its role in plant growth and its composition. In contrast, "dirt" can carry a negative connotation of being unwanted or out of place.

Spot on @EvaMorison, and welcome to the forum. It would be really useful if you could update your profile so that we can see where you are. It's a good easy way to understand your climate better for starters, and helps when we may want to answer a question. We are a bit multi-national.

 

[Zigs]

Welcome to the forum @EvaMorison

Not quite the same subject but many years ago I drew a cartoon called Underground Antelopes. Just the horns of the antelopes poking out of the ground with a trail of soil behind them.

The American cartoonist Gary Larson drew a similar cartoon at the same time called "Dirt Buffalos"

 

[Sheal]

Zigs that reminds me of the Kevin Bacon film 'Tremors'.

 

[Zigs]

Zigs that reminds me of the Kevin Bacon film 'Tremors'.

I know the one you mean Sheal