F.A.O. American Members

I appreciate we have lots of differences in our 'shared' language - but - two things in particular have always puzzled me. Listening to a Kathy Reichs story on audiobook this afternoon reminded me.

Why do you call what we know as a fringe - bangs? It is such a strange word for a hair cut.

and

Why do you refer to shoes as 'pumps'? The only footwear known as 'pumps' over here are plimsolls - especially the ones without laces.

It would be really interesting - to me anyway - to know how those came about?

Re: F.A.O. American Members

Tabby I am virtually half American myself as half of my family originated there. I have lived there twice. On the East and West coasts. I've also lived in England for short periods. Vernacular differs there depending on where you are. I have heard the word "fringe" used in the US but only in Boston and New York. Invariably it is "bangs" which I understand originated from the term used for trimming a horses tail. You can research this but I think that's right. I have heard women use the term "pumps" in the US, Britain and Australia. It originates from the French "Pompes"..in the 15th century. IN fact , men's shoes.

Re: F.A.O. American Members

Thank you, Keezoy, that is really interesting.

Re: F.A.O. American Members

My plesh Tabby.

Re: F.A.O. American Members

Plimsolls ... it's a long time since I heard that word.

This name arose, according to Nicholette Jones's book The Plimsoll Sensation, because the coloured horizontal band joining the upper to the sole resembled the Plimsoll line on a ship's hull, or because, just like the Plimsoll line on a ship, if water got above the line of the rubber sole, the wearer would get wet. Wiki

Re: F.A.O. American Members

I spent a lot of time working and then ollerdaying in the States, and I too wondered about many differences in the words used.

Some of them, such as "burglarise" just grates on my ears, but the the American expression for opposite corner/diagonally opposite corner is "catty-corner" which sounds delightful to me.
Apparently it comes from the French, quatre.


I never heard the word pumps used to describe plimsolls over here when I were a lad. They were either daps or sand-shoes, though I have no idea how the latter name came aboot.