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English Language & Usage

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    Wait, what!? So what else would be included by the term sink here? Are you saying that the faucet, for example, is part of the sink? So sink would be the faucet, the pipes, the handles and everything? What is it you are quoting exactly, what's the source? And does this reflect common usage? Personally, I never use basin and would refer to the concave bowl the faucet's water flows into as a sink. Commented Jun 23, 2024 at 12:05
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    For regulatory compliance, if you purchase a compliant sink, the faucet is included with the sink. Otherwise, dimensional compliance can't be guaranteed. Backsplashes, if any, would be included because of dimensional requirements also. If you open the link in my answer, you will see how the regulations are structured; and manufacturers provide items that meet an entire section's worth of requirements. The wash station requirements are focused on useability and human interaction. It includes water temps, ergonomics for accessibility, cleanability, nonslip surfaces, wet area materials, etc. Commented Jun 23, 2024 at 12:54
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    @terdon - Being from the northeastern US, a sink has a bowl-shaped depression and a plumbed drain. A basin doesn't, and needs to be emptied at some point. The source of water is irrelevant. You could carry water to the sink or use the faucet. Commented Jun 24, 2024 at 0:48
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    Most people in the East (US), even very fussy ones, would not describe a basin that way. A pedant intent on inflicting humiliation ,or a plumber (not the same thing) might, though. Commented Jun 24, 2024 at 0:50
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    As a native speaker of American English, I would say that my intuition about "basin" matches this distinction though I wouldn't have articulated it as such. Generally, "sink" is more likely to be used in everyday contexts, whereas "basin" might be reserved for specific types or technical discussions of sinks, or for geographical features. Whether or not ordinary usage distinguishes the appliance vs. the receptacle, the key overall point is American English definitely does not make a distinction between "sink" and "basin" based on what it is used to wash. Commented Jun 25, 2024 at 0:58