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- Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
- Path: sparky!uunet!uvaarpa!darwin.sura.net!paladin.american.edu!auvm!RA.MSSTATE.EDU!MAYNOR
- Message-ID: <9301271128.AA21974@Ra.MsState.Edu>
- Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
- Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 05:28:00 CST
- Sender: English Language Discussion Group <WORDS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
- From: Natalie Maynor <maynor@RA.MSSTATE.EDU>
- Subject: Re: Thanks for the words
- Comments: To: WORDS-L@uga.cc.uga.edu
- Lines: 13
-
- > (I think that's about 50 degrees F.) here on winter nights and it's been
- > years since I last wore a jumper during the day - cardigans are handy though
-
- In case we have any lurkers or newbies looking for discussion of words,
- here's one. It's well known that Brits and (apparently) Aussies think
- that jumpers are sweaters, whereas we in the U.S. know that jumpers are
- dresses worn over jerseys or blouses. (I'm not sure about Canadian use
- of the term. Tony? Peter?) My question is this. I understand how the
- Anglos who came to this country confused things by using existing words
- like "corn" and "robin" for slightly different flora and fauna, but how
- did "jumper" get changed? Is it because both are sort of outer-type
- garments? That seems a tenuous connection.
- --Natalie (maynor@ra.msstate.edu)
-