Is this correct?

[poli]

I think you wife is correct. They are interchangable, but I wouldn't generally use "what type of flower is that" either.

But then again...
What type of flower is that? It's the perennial type that blooms year after year.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by irmamar

So is it better to say "of the same type"?

Does it work with, for instance, with "a type of animal/plant/flower? Or would it be better "a kind of animal/plant/flower?

Originally Posted by Perikles

I'm not sure, to be honest. pjt would use type and I would use kind, but I'm not sure whether there is any meaningful difference. I would say

'What kind of animal is that?'
'What type of animal is that?'
'What sort of animal is that?'

'What sort of flower is that?'
'What type of flower is that?'
'What kind of flower is that?'

'What sort of tool would you use for that job?'
'What type of tool would you use for that job?'
'What kind of tool would you use for that job?'

'What sort of person would do that?'
'What kind of person would do that?'
'What type of person would do that?'

Maybe just habit or dialect. I've never thought about this before.

P.S. Wife asserts they are all interchangeable. Yet I would never say 'what type of flower'.

Originally Posted by poli

I think you wife is correct. They are interchangable, but I wouldn't generally use "what type of flower is that" either.

But then again...
What type of flower is that? It's the perennial type that blooms year after year.

I agree with Perikles' wife - I could say "type" in the two sentences I put in blue above...

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Perikles

I'm not sure, to be honest. pjt would use type and I would use kind, but I'm not sure whether there is any meaningful difference. I would say

'What kind of animal is that?'
'What type of animal is that?'
'What sort of animal is that?'

'What sort of flower is that?'
'What type of flower is that?'
'What kind of flower is that?'

'What sort of tool would you use for that job?'
'What type of tool would you use for that job?'
'What kind of tool would you use for that job?'

'What sort of person would do that?'
'What kind of person would do that?'
'What type of person would do that?'

Maybe just habit or dialect. I've never thought about this before.

P.S. Wife asserts they are all interchangeable. Yet I would never say 'what type of flower'.

PJT used "type of words" because type is what is used for printing words.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by chileno

PJT used "type of words" because type is what is used for printing words.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Perikles

[irmamar]

So, "kind" works with all the sentences, doesn't it?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

So, "kind" works with all the sentences, doesn't it?

I don't think so, but I'm outnumbered, so yes.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by Perikles

I don't think so, but I'm outnumbered, so yes.

¿No lo creo, pero como te superas en número, entonces sí?

I don't understand you even in Spanish

But thanks, I think kind is good enoug.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

¿No lo creo, pero como te superas en número, entonces sí?

I don't understand you even in Spanish

That's because 'I'm outnumbered' = me superan en número. I meant that everybody else thinks they are the same, so they are more likely to be correct.

[hermit]

Seems to me, generally, that the differences between "sort", "type"
and "kind" will be so slight that they are interchangeable.

"Sort" sounds to me more informal; "type", a bit more scientific. I don't
think you can go wrong with "kind".

"That's your sort."
"That's his personality type." (passive, agressive, etc).
"That kind of talk will get you nowhere."

[irmamar]

Thank you everybody.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by Perikles

P.S. Wife asserts they are all interchangeable. Yet I would never say 'what type of flower'.

I think there are subtle differences in the way I use them, but it's probably a question of idiolect. And my favouring of "type" may partly be because I'm a computer scientist.