"Rust" and "corrosion"

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - In a Vietnamese language quiz show on television, the judges asked contestants to identify the correct spelling of the two words "han rỉ" and "han gỉ". The contestant answered "han rỉ", but this was not accepted by the program. Therefore, according to the judges, the correct spelling should be "han gỉ".

However, this is a misspelled question, as both "han rỉ" and "han rỉ" are correct spellings.

"Rust" is a compound word, where "rust" means the state of being rusted/corroded; and "rust" also means the rusty substance formed by the reaction of metal with humid air (noun), or refers to the transformation into rust/corroded (verb). "Rust" refers to something in a rusty state (generally speaking).

The two spellings "rỉ" and "rỉ" are recorded in dozens of dictionaries we have at hand. For example:

- The Vietnamese Encyclopedia (National Council for the Compilation of the Vietnamese Encyclopedia - Encyclopedia Publishing House - 2005), under the entry “rust” explains: “rust • [chemical] (often written: rust) x. Rust”; under the entry “corrosion” explains: “corrosion • [chemical] (also written: rust), a product of oxidation that forms a film or layer on the surface of a metal or alloy product under the action of an atmosphere or environment containing oxygen or when heated in air. Corrosion is a metal oxide. Corrosion reduces surface quality and causes metal corrosion. Corrosion can be cleaned by mechanical and chemical methods.”

- The Vietnamese spelling dictionary (edited by Hoang Phe) notes in the entry for "rỉ" that it is usually written as "gỉ" (original text "thv. gỉ: rusty copper, rusty iron,...").

- In the Vietnamese Dictionary (edited by Nguyen Nhu Y), the entry for "rỉ" (rust) is defined as: "noun. Rỉ: rust of iron".

- Vietnamese Dictionary (Association for the Advancement of Knowledge and Virtue): “rust • Refers to iron that gets damp and deteriorates <> Iron rusts”.

- Vietnamese Dictionary (Le Van Duc: “rust • noun. Rust, iron that is damp or oxidized: rust, rusted iron”.

When observing rusted metal, we see reddish-brown or yellowish dirt often seeping out from the inside, accumulating as oxidized iron particles. Sometimes it spreads in clumps, or flows in streams and dries. Therefore, writing "rust" (as in nasal discharge, eye discharge) or "leak" (as in dripping water, dripping blood) both have their own logic.

The pronunciation of the Northern dialect doesn't distinguish between "giẻ" and "rỉ"; while most people from Thanh Hoa or Central Vietnam pronounce it as "rỉ". Therefore, in practice, besides "han gỉ/rỉ", there is also "hoen gỉ/rỉ" (hoen here refers to wetness or dirt spreading out, like staining; tears staining the eyelids, etc.).

When "rỉ" is recognized by both the community and dictionaries as another spelling of "gỉ," it means that "han rỉ" or "han rỉ," "gỉ sét" or "rỉ sét," "hoen rỉ" or "hoen rỉ" are all acceptable.

Thus, rust and corrosive are considered one of the "ambiguous" cases in spelling.

Hoang Trinh Son (Contributor)

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/han-gi-va-han-ri-244113.htm