Antje (dieastra) wrote in linguaphiles,
Antje
dieastra
linguaphiles

Odd words for clothes

I recently used the term "wifebeater" for that certain kind of shirt without sleeves. An American friend notified me that there is an argument trying to change it to "a-shirt" (as opposite to t-shirt).

Admittedly it is quite an odd word. And also probably not entirely true. Not all wifebeaters wear such shirts, and not everyone who wears such a shirt is a wifebeater! In German it is simply called "Unterhemd" (undershirt, as you wear it under the clothes).

Thinking further about it, I remembered that there is a special kind of collar on a shirt that is called "Vatermörder" in German. Father murderer. Not really better!

Do you have any other examples?
Tags: vocabulary
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  • The extended etymology for Ego, Εγώ ( I )

    The Oxford Etymologic Dictionary (OED) considers Ego / I as if it were a self-standing word developed within the Germanic and 'Indo-European'…

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    Words get their birth and die out. The life expectancy, the vitality of each word depends on the need for it and on its ease 'in circulation'. Words…

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