Differences between 'channel' and 'canal'

Question

Hello, I'd like to know if there is a difference between channel and canal. This because I've noticed that you say The British Channel - El Canal de la Mancha and the Panama Canal, or the Suez Canal - El Canal de Panamá o el Canal de Suez.

Right now we're building canals/channels to ensure roads' drain. What would be the most appropiate word to describe these kind of 'canales'

Please, correct any grammar mistake, too. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

A canal is always man-made. They are used as waterways for ships (Panama Canal, Suez Canal) or as aqueducts to bring water supply to a population.

A channel can either be natural: a geographic waterway (English Channel) or man-made: navigation channel in a harbor (dredged to make it deeper) or a long gutter, groove, or furrow.

In your example, it sounds like you are building a drainage channel.

Example of a drainage channel:

Thank you, Gintar. I think this is the best explanation. - nelson_rafael, Sep 11, 2011

Answer 2

I can see why you are finding this difficult.Try looking at the two links below to see if they can offer you a more detailed explanation of the differences.

Canal

Channel

Thank you Eddy, I'll check them. - nelson_rafael, Sep 11, 2011

Answer 3

l believe that both words have the same meaning in Spanish that's why you're confused.

• English: channel (on tv) = canal in Spanish

• English: Canal (something in the water) = canal in Spanish

I'm onlt guessing because l checked the dictionary a couple of times and that's what l understood.

Thank you, lovely x 2 - nelson_rafael, Sep 11, 2011

Answer 4

Maybe culvert? I'm not a native, so wait for confirmation

Culvert

Oooh, Culverts go trough and under the road and channels go along the road to a drain or culvert. That must be the difference between channel and culvert... Thank you, another new word to me. - nelson_rafael, Sep 11, 2011

:) - ianta, Sep 11, 2011

Culvert-like a highway box culvert is not the proper word for this context. Sounds more like a paved drainage ditch. - 0074b507, Sep 11, 2011

Roadways typically have underdrain stone/piping drainage systems. A draingae ditch is used when soil is impermiable or water volumes are so great that a (lined or not) ditch (of any size) is required to collect/convey the drainage/runoff water. - 0074b507, Sep 11, 2011

Higher volume requires catch basins in ditch and piping below. Even higher volumes require these drainage channels which are nothing more than large ditches or open pipes. - 0074b507, Sep 11, 2011

Thanks for the explanation Q. - ianta, Sep 11, 2011

Qfreed, you did it again, thank you. - nelson_rafael, Sep 11, 2011

Answer 5

A channel is something you would watch on Television. A canal is something that allows the river to flow.