Can or Tin?

[Ian]

I posted this on Twitter earlier.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/859724384260567040

There has been a thrilling discussion on there between me, @davidm and @Martyn. Read the Twitter tread.

I'm throwing it open to CF to gain a wider response and settle this once and for all.

 

[Hixee]

I would say a can of coke, a tin of beans.

That said, now I think about it saying it the other way round doesn't really stand out as being wrong.

 

[jayjay]

For me, it's always a tin if it's soup/beans (paper sleeved, tin opener job). But now Hixee's mentioned drinks cans. Those are definitely cans.

 

[NeoXIII]

I'm German, I go "dose".
I was taught that it's always tin, except when it's a drink like a coke.

 

[GuyWithAStick]

Can for both. I really only use Tin when talking about Foil or the actual element.

Sent from my VS820 using Tapatalk

 

[Mysterious Sue]

A tin of beans or soup.
A can of coke.

 

[ATTACKHAMMER]

Tin of beans or soup!

 

[Hyde]

It is a can - we stopped using tin to make them a long time ago.

 

[Pink Cadillac]

You don't put food in tins! It's for paint!

Spoiler

Although "tin of beans" kinda works

 

[Mysterious Sue]

But they are 'tinned goods', no?

 

[davidm]

...but stuff is put into them on a canning line.

Spooky-proof from this tweet that popped up on my timeline a little earlier...

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/859778587335045123

 

[Thekingin64]

I generally use either for food but it's definitely a drinks can.

 

[Smithy]

I'm a can man.

Definitely use it with can of sweetcorn. Think I alternate between can and tin when it comes to beans.

 

[CoasterCrazy]

To me a can is anything with a ring pull....but I use them pretty much interchangeably.
But isn't the technical term a tin can? So surely both 'tin' and 'can' are just abbreviations of the same phrase?

 

[Ben]

Yh I was going to say, they're tin cans.

I would say a can for drinks, tins for food stuff.

 

[gavin]

To me a can is anything with a ring pull....but I use them pretty much interchangeably.
But isn't the technical term a tin can? So surely both 'tin' and 'can' are just abbreviations of the same phrase?

Technically, no because the "tin" in "tin can" is an adjective, not a noun. Through common usage "tin" used by itself in that context has become a noun, but if you're saying "tin can", it's the "can" that's actually holding something.

Plus, they're not made of tin these days anyway.

Anyway, it's an American VS UK thing. We would ordinary use "can" for soft drinks, but food comes in "tins". Americans have cans of food. If a Brit says, for example "a can of beans", it's yet another Americanism that is sneaking in.

 

[Gazza]

Tins for basically any context I reckon, except for worms.

 

[caffeine_demon]

if it's drink - it's a can.
if it's custard powder, biscuits or confectionary - it's a tin
if it's soup, veg, pasta, pet food, curry etc. - I'm not too bothered whcih one you use!

 

[Sandman]

Tin of soup, can of coke bandwagon

 

[Mack]

I'm American. So. A can is what holds things. A tin is a can that is being discussed by an Aussie/Brit. Also, Mysterious Sue, if you were wondering, in the States, no, they are "canned goods." "Tinned goods" is a phrase I've never heard before.

Anywayyyy, so you should probably say tin. Because we seem to like people who don't talk so good.
*Izzit. Sorry, forgot to put that there so you could understand me.

Not that it matters. Eventually you'll be skeduling your lunch breaks during which you will heat up soup from a can. We're just that nefarious.