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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Knitted garments
I haven't been around these parts for quite a while so I'll just introduce myself. I'm a Londoner but I've lived in Sardinia for twenty years, teaching English.
Anyway, what I'd like to know is this. How many words are acceptable in Amercan English to describe a knitted garment covering the top half of the body and arms? The only one I'm sure of is 'sweater'. For me British English accepts four words for this article: sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey. It was actually the last one, jersey, that started me thinking, as I listened to Sky News over breakfast this morning and noticed the use of 'yellow jersey' to translate the 'maillot jaune' worn by the leader in the Tour de France cycling race. This is obviously just a T-shirt and an abnormal use of 'jersey'.
It's interesting how sweaters have inspired mangled English in other languages: 'pull' in French and 'golf' in Italian. If an Italian asks you if you like his new red golf he may not be talking about his car but about his pullover.
Similarly, Germans use the English word 'handy' for a mobile phone. Are there any English-speaking countries where this is used or is it simply a product of the Teutonic imagination?
Anyway, what I'd like to know is this. How many words are acceptable in Amercan English to describe a knitted garment covering the top half of the body and arms? The only one I'm sure of is 'sweater'. For me British English accepts four words for this article: sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey. It was actually the last one, jersey, that started me thinking, as I listened to Sky News over breakfast this morning and noticed the use of 'yellow jersey' to translate the 'maillot jaune' worn by the leader in the Tour de France cycling race. This is obviously just a T-shirt and an abnormal use of 'jersey'.
It's interesting how sweaters have inspired mangled English in other languages: 'pull' in French and 'golf' in Italian. If an Italian asks you if you like his new red golf he may not be talking about his car but about his pullover.
Similarly, Germans use the English word 'handy' for a mobile phone. Are there any English-speaking countries where this is used or is it simply a product of the Teutonic imagination?
Top answer
[nq:1]I haven't been around these parts for quite a while so I'll just introduce myself. I'm a Londoner but I've ... I'm sure of is 'sweater'.
- [nq:1]I haven't been around these parts for quite a while so I'll just introduce myself.
- I'm a Londoner but I've ...
- I'm sure of is 'sweater'.
- [/nq] BrE also has cardigan, guernsey (gansey).
- [nq:1]It was actually the last one, jersey, that started me thinking, as I listened to Sky News over breakfast this ...
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57 Answers
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[nq:1]I haven't been around these parts for quite a while so I'll just introduce myself. I'm a Londoner but I've ... I'm sure of is 'sweater'. For me British English accepts four words for this article: sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey.[/nq]
BrE also has cardigan, guernsey (gansey).
[nq:1]It was actually the last one, jersey, that started me thinking, as I listened to Sky News
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"John Dean" (Email Removed) ha scritto nel messaggio
[nq:1]For[/nq]
[nq:2]me British English accepts four words for this article: sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey.[/nq]
[nq:1]BrE also has cardigan, guernsey (gansey). John Dean Oxford[/nq]
Yes, but a cardigan has buttons up the front, whereas sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey are basically the same thing. I've never heard of
[nq:1]For[/nq]
[nq:2]me British English accepts four words for this article: sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey.[/nq]
[nq:1]BrE also has cardigan, guernsey (gansey). John Dean Oxford[/nq]
Yes, but a cardigan has buttons up the front, whereas sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey are basically the same thing. I've never heard of
00
[nq:1]For[/nq]
[nq:2]BrE also has cardigan, guernsey (gansey). John Dean Oxford[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes, but a cardigan has buttons up the front, whereas sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey are basically the same thing. I've never heard of a guernsey. What is it?[/nq]
Just another island. See Jersey.
By the way, "pullover" is common in AmE. "Jersey"
is not unheard in AmE, but usually s
[nq:2]BrE also has cardigan, guernsey (gansey). John Dean Oxford[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes, but a cardigan has buttons up the front, whereas sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey are basically the same thing. I've never heard of a guernsey. What is it?[/nq]
Just another island. See Jersey.
By the way, "pullover" is common in AmE. "Jersey"
is not unheard in AmE, but usually s
00
[nq:1]For[/nq]
[nq:2]BrE also has cardigan, guernsey (gansey). John Dean Oxford[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes, but a cardigan has buttons up the front, whereas sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey are basically the same thing. I've never heard of a guernsey. What is it?[/nq]
I always assumed it was a jokey alternative to "jersey" - Jersey ang Guernsey are the two largest of the Channel Islands.
[nq:2]BrE also has cardigan, guernsey (gansey). John Dean Oxford[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes, but a cardigan has buttons up the front, whereas sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey are basically the same thing. I've never heard of a guernsey. What is it?[/nq]
I always assumed it was a jokey alternative to "jersey" - Jersey ang Guernsey are the two largest of the Channel Islands.
00
My father called any kind of knitted sweater, whether pullover or button-through, a cardigan. I think that was a personal idiosyncrasy though.
[nq:1]I always assumed it was a jokey alternative to "jersey" - Jersey ang Guernsey are the two largest of the Channel Islands.[/nq]
No, it's not a joke. There is a whole class of fishermen's shirts which are called jerseys, guernseys and so on. The
[nq:1]I always assumed it was a jokey alternative to "jersey" - Jersey ang Guernsey are the two largest of the Channel Islands.[/nq]
No, it's not a joke. There is a whole class of fishermen's shirts which are called jerseys, guernseys and so on. The
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"Mike Mooney" (Email Removed) ha scritto nel messaggio
[nq:1]I always assumed it was a jokey alternative to "jersey" - Jersey ang Guernsey are the two largest of the Channel Islands. Then of course, there's the sleeveless pullover, known as a "tank top". Perhaps this should be re-christened an "alderney"? (Just being Sark-astic).[/nq]
A garment for men, women and above all herm-aphrodites
[nq:1]I always assumed it was a jokey alternative to "jersey" - Jersey ang Guernsey are the two largest of the Channel Islands. Then of course, there's the sleeveless pullover, known as a "tank top". Perhaps this should be re-christened an "alderney"? (Just being Sark-astic).[/nq]
A garment for men, women and above all herm-aphrodites
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[nq:1]No, it's not a joke. There is a whole class of fishermen's shirts which are called jerseys, guernseys and so ... construction in guernseys, although I can't really remember what it is: something to do with how the shoulders are done.[/nq]
See http://www.jumper.guernsey.gg/
See http://www.jumper.guernsey.gg/
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[nq:1]For[/nq]
[nq:2]BrE also has cardigan, guernsey (gansey).[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes, but a cardigan has buttons up the front, whereas sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey are basically the same thing.[/nq]
You wanted words to describe "a knitted garment covering the top half of the
body and arms". If you had caveats about buttons, you shoulda said.
[nq:1]I've never heard of a guernse
[nq:2]BrE also has cardigan, guernsey (gansey).[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes, but a cardigan has buttons up the front, whereas sweater, pullover, jumper and jersey are basically the same thing.[/nq]
You wanted words to describe "a knitted garment covering the top half of the
body and arms". If you had caveats about buttons, you shoulda said.
[nq:1]I've never heard of a guernse
00
[nq:2]Yes, but a cardigan has buttons up the front, whereas ... same thing. I've neverheard of a guernsey. What is it?[/nq]
[nq:1]Just another island. See Jersey. By the way, "pullover" is common in AmE. "Jersey" is not unheard in AmE, but ... wool sweater but had to settle for a "greasy wool jumper" (which, I'm happy to say, worked just as well).[/nq]
In AmE we have a "jump suit" which is
[nq:1]Just another island. See Jersey. By the way, "pullover" is common in AmE. "Jersey" is not unheard in AmE, but ... wool sweater but had to settle for a "greasy wool jumper" (which, I'm happy to say, worked just as well).[/nq]
In AmE we have a "jump suit" which is
00
[nq:1]If an Italian asks you if you like his new red golf he may not be talking about his car but about his pullover.[/nq]
Yeah, that's true.
Yeah, that's true.
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