Are both gasoline and mains gas called "gas" in the USA? [closed]

Solution 1:

Yes, American English uses gas for both meanings. In fact, you've hinted at another: In your example gas is being used not only for petrol but as a shorthand for "natural gas." We would also use gas for the broad physics meaning of a state of matter: "Oxygen is a gas at room temperature and atmospheric pressure." We would speak of nitrogen gas, neon gas, etc.

Confusingly, we also regularly refer to liquid propane as "gas": "The grill is out of gas. I'll have to go exchange the gas canister for a full one." —Which is, of course, a liquid, at least in the canister. I presume the British don't engage in this madness, but maybe someone can chime in to enlighten me whether they call it petrol as well.

DjinTonic's point stands: context is powerful. We have plenty of words that serve multiple meanings (consider poor multi-tasking on!), and context usually eliminates confusion. If you walk up to a blindfolded American stranger and blurt out "I got gas!" then yes, they won't know whether you mean that you topped up the car, got a canister of LP, or perhaps are suffering from indigestion. But if they can open their eyes and see the grill tank you're holding, the petrol pump and car beside you, or your roll of Tums (or better yet, if you have the common decency to establish some conversational context before diving in!)*, they're in the clear.

* I know someone who is terrible about this. The other day he launched a conversation by talking about his difficulty with his router, and was a few sentences in before I realized he was talking about woodworking rather than home wi-fi.

Solution 2:

I've called the gas company about these outrageous gas bills, oh, and Honey, will you please drive and fill up the car with gas?

Your understanding is correct: the gas station sells gas (petrol), and you might also have a gas stove or a gas dryer (meaning natural gas).

But notice that in your sentence above, even without the context, "the gas company" unambiguously means the natural-gas utility provider (Con Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, whatever). Exxon, Shell, Amoco, BP, and so on are known as oil companies, even though they run gas stations.

Also notice that the size of your gas bill (meaning the natural-gas part of your monthly utility bill) is only indirectly correlated with gas prices (meaning the price of petrol). :)