Once in a while, the transatlantic language drift grates along its respective fault lines and induces a bit of a cross-cultural brain fart. For example, this weekend somebody suggested a game of Clue, which I assumed was the same as Cluedo. It is. Not only that, but for the sake of bragging rights, we invented it as Cluedo in 1948.

With that in mind, I’m wondering if we have a case of linguistic gymnastics going on with the following question somebody asked in the comments:

What is a true 45 degree elbow?

I’ve had a spell at a place selling industrial pipe fittings and the plastic variety and I don’t recall anybody asking for or referring to ‘true elbows’. The only distinction I remember is weld or threaded elbows(M/M,M/F,F/F).

So, are true elbows an American phenomenon, or does it refer to the angle?

Or, am I just a bit thick?