Help needed in identifying an English word

[olve]

Hi everyone!

I am new to this forum, so please let me know if this post is not the correct use of the forum, or if it is posted in the wrong section.

I teach English for students learning building and construction at a vocational school in Norway, and plan to do some work with words that they might encounter in their trade, mostly tools. Below is a picture of a tool that in Norwegian is called "grafse", but I can't find a good English translation anywhere. Are there any native speakers who can help me out there?

It is used for moving and distributing dirt or gravel, and is used extensively in Norwegian building and construction companies.

I hope there is someone who can help me out there!

Best regards,

Olve

 

[Tdol]

I'd call it a hoe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoe_(tool)

 

[olve]

I'd call it a hoe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoe_(tool)

Thank you!

I have come over that translation before, but I was not sure if it was the same thing. Now that I see the pictures with all the different heads, though, I think you are right.

If there are any other translations, I am happy to hear them!

 

[J&K Tutoring]

Did you try the reverse? My little search yielded 'Hakke' as the Norwegian word for what we call a hoe. Ask your students if that is a hakke and see what they say. Also, did you go to the website yourself?

Lots of different types of hoes, but I've never seen one with the convex-edged blade. I can't think of any reason it would be beneficial. Just a wild guess, but perhaps to strip bark from a felled tree?

 

[Tdol]

But this is to move gravel, which comes under the term hoe, and the shape is included in the pictures in the article.

 

[J&K Tutoring]

Well I actually went to the site. Took a little digging (no pun intended) but found this: http://toolfarm.no/?PageID=439&ItemID=1133

I think you have the spelling wrong. Page shows 'krafse'. Google Translate couldn't do anything with that word.

But Google did just fine! Here we are: http://theforeigner.no/pages/columns/krafse-the-did-you-know-ground-worker/

To answer the original question, there is no English word for this tool, as it's not an English tool. It's a Norwegian tool, so the Norwegian name would be used.

 

[J&K Tutoring]

Come to think about it, Google Translate did get it right- sort of. Translation from 'krafse' came back 'scratch'. From the theforeigner site, the translation is 'scratcher'.

I suggest you stick with krafse. 'Scratcher' isn't a very satisfactory translation, in my opinion.