Carousel vs. Merry-Go-Round

Martha Geiger of Sacramento, California, says her French teacher told her that the difference between a carousel and a merry-go-round is that one goes clockwise and the other counterclockwise. True? Actually, there’s really no difference between the names, although in England and much of Europe, these rides usually go clockwise; in the U.S., it’s the opposite. And to some Americans, a merry-go-round is simply that spinning playground fixture for kids. This is part of a complete episode.