Workers in NY begin to dismantle buried ship

Interesting

Why do Americans insist on calling soil 'dirt'?

Sounds like a totally useless venture and tremendous waste of time.

Why do Americans insist on calling soil 'dirt'?

Because it's dirt.

I once got a lecture for saying 'yard work'. "What is yard work?" this person screamed at me. It's 'work' you do in the 'yard', I replied.

"Why do Americans insist on calling soil 'dirt'?"

In America, we refer to bad people as dirt bags, and bags of dirt as garden soil. Comprende amigo?

Because it's dirt.

Nuances seem to be getting lost in American English...

Name one expression from OZ, NZ, or England that catches on like American lingo. The States rules linguistically in slang. Besides, this is an excellent article about an old ship, screw the doubting Thomas' !

I hope it's not the Ark.

The States rules linguistically in slang.

You've obviously never studied the origins of many the idioms and slang phrases in use in America then.

dirt or soil, I dont mind, but when will the USA go metric?