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I've seen several answers now that refer to "pinking" in what can only be a detonation context. I've heard of knocking referred to as "pinging," but never "pinking." So is this a typo that should be corrected, or is it a valid term?

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  • The term bothers my American brain as well, but, just like putting a "u" into color to make it colour, there's no issue with it as long as it's basically English and people can understand what the OP means.
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 Mod
    Nov 28, 2015 at 13:58

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It is a perfectly valid and common term.

Perhaps this is a UK v US thing. Certainly over here, it has been called Pinking since time immemorial.

I had always taken it to be onomatopoeic. Pinking describes the sound much better than pinging.

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  • How could a color describe a sound? (o;
    – Paul
    Nov 17, 2015 at 11:43
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    @Paul, what makes you think it is a colour. It is a homophone not a metaphorical synasthaesia.
    – Chenmunka
    Nov 17, 2015 at 11:49
  • @Chenmunka - But it is a color ... Local Color ... :D
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 Mod
    Nov 28, 2015 at 13:55

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