Sat-nav or GPS

Question

I just listened to an interview where a British guy said:" It was like I had an extremely menacing sat-nav that told me to go left in an angry voice."

He was talking about his wife who went into labour and as he drove her to the hospital, she navigated him.

Why didn't he just say 'GPS'.

These two terms confuse me a little bit. Which one should I use then?

Thank you.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Ann225Sat-nav or GPS.These two terms confuse me a little bit. Which one should I use then?

I have never heard the former, so I suggest the latter. However, the former may be more common parlance elsewhere. It appears that GPS is a poor man's sat-nav, according to text on TechRadar:

TechRadar's guide to the best sat nav systems on the market right now. These are the devices that rise above your phone's GPS and the free maps you have been using.

Anonymous · Answer

Ann225Why didn't he just say 'GPS'.

Because it's not generally used in British English. It would only be used when referring to the entirety of GPS. See http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/satnav

Ann225sat-nav

This is the term that is generally used in British English, when referring to such devices that people have in motor vehicles.

Ann225He was talking about his wife who went into labour and as he drove her to the hospital, she navigated ~~him~~.

In British English, "the" would not be included unless you refer to a particular hospital. The word "him" is superfluous.

Sat-nav or GPS

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