Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[missdaredevil]

He sat on the couch, screwing on his *peg leg*.

Like "artificial leg"?

Thanks

[iitimone7]

yes...

[advoca]

Usually a peg leg is a wooden leg and is not in the shape of a leg at all. It is just a support rod made of wood. The stump of the apmputated leg has a fitting to which the wooden support is screwed.

The Pirate in Peter Pan had a peg leg. In some stories you will come across old cowboys called Peg-leg Pete because of the wooden peg-shaped support.

[missdaredevil]

What about *artificial hand*? Is that called *peg hand*?

Thanks

[toe]

no, not really.
you'd say "prosthetic hand."

^^toe

[advoca]

No missdaredevil, you are misunderstanding the use of the word peg in peg leg.

It is called peg leg beause the wooden piece is straight like a wooden peg. (It is not leg shaped. It is a straight peg.)

An artificial hand does not use a straight piece of wood and therefore cannot be called a peg hand.

[missdaredevil]

I've seen "artificial leg" with the shape of real-life leg.So is that called, "prosthetic leg" in this case?

tahnks

[bud]

Either is fine.