Because that's the proper name for them !
Metal roads are, strictly speaking, NOT covered in gravel. Roading metal is a different thing to gravel. The latter is smaller and more uniform in size. The rock (metal) for covering roads is quite a specific quarry item. Gravel is sometimes used for domestic driveways, often that brownish coloured rock. And the loose stuff thrown on the molten bitumen that oozes out of the sorry roads with which we are cursed is usually gravel rather than metal. Metal is larger stones, and a multiplicity of sizes, so that it "beds in"
Metal , in this context, defives from Old French metalier, ore or quarry rock, from Greek metallon "mine, quarry, pit,". It was in common use in this sense in 18C English ("roading metals" occurs frequently in the literature of the time ). Our use is probably a lexical survival. A very interesting one.
Originally Posted by skidmark
Originally Posted by Phil Vincent
They have always been loose metal roads to me too.
Maori Overdrive.
Sucked a kumara.
Karked it
Plus 10
Keep on chooglin'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_metal
They use the term metal in construction also as the base under concrete.
More toe than a roman sandal
Pulls like a schoolboy with a penthouse
Keep on chooglin'
A claytons [something]
Keep on chooglin'
Been here > 6 years as a fairly well travelled Brit. Lots of what has come up is pretty well used English as far as I can tell, but those mentioned above that were new on me in NZ include:
- Hoons & hooning generally
- Tiki tour
- Give it death / rings / aresholes
- Metal road
- Maori overdrive (a new one on me today, TBH)
- Sucked a kumara (likewise)
Cheers - Chasio
Also how about - "bro I binned it aw" or when your stuck somewhere (run out of gas etc) "bro I'm beached azz, can you come gizza lift au?"
Firestarter Racing on facebook http://www.facebook.com/FirestarterRacing
Racing thanks to:
www.fluidcoatings.co.nz
www.motostyle.co.nz
MAXIMA racing Oils
www.projectdigital.co.nz
METZELER Tires
New Plymouth Motorcycle Center
www.topstitch.co.nz/
She goes off like a belt fed mortar,
She could sucks a golf ball through a garden hose..
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