Today let's create and Irish American Clothing Dictionary since a significant naming difference for clothing items exists between Ireland and America.
It is something I didn't think twice about before packing my bags to come to America twenty something years ago.
As I threw vests and jumpers into a bag I had no idea I would need to relearn the nomenclature for my wardrobe.
Naming Girls Clothing In Ireland And America:
Now, as I dress my kids for school each morning it is clearly evident that Mom was not raised in America, and has not studied the Irish-American Clothing Dictionary satisfactorily.
For example, my little girl was looking for her "jumper". Now any American mom will immediately know this to be a sleeveless dress worn over a blouse. But alack and alas, nothing is that simple in our house. I started directing her to her sweater.
She called down the stairs in exasperation:
"I wasn't looking for my sweater, Mom. I want my jumper."
"Oh, you mean your pinafore," I replied trying to search the recesses of my foggy brain for the words in that illusive Irish-American clothing dictionary.
"What's a pinafore?" she questioned me. "I need my jumper. You live in America now, Mom."
So let me explain our dilemma as best I can.
In Ireland a jumper is a pinafore and a sweater is a jumper. A buttoned sweater is a cardigan, and overalls are dungarees.
Image Courtesy Of Ian Lamont - www.ilamont.com
Naming Boys Clothing In Ireland And America:
The confusion only gets worse when I try to help one of my boys get dressed. In the winter I tell him to put a vest under his jumper to keep warm, meaning to put an undershirt under his sweater for insulation.
You see, in Ireland a vest is a waistcoat and an undershirt is a vest. A jogging suit is a track suit, and sneakers are runners.
Are you as confused as I am at this stage of my story?
Names For Hair Accessories In Ireland And America:
Befuddlement deepens when I do my little girl's hair. I pin up her tresses with clips instead of barrettes, and try to hold her pony tail with a bobbin rather than a hair elastic.
I tell her to brush her fringe out of her eyes, as opposed to her bangs, and then, to add insult to injury, I try to plait her hair rather than braid it.
Luckily my little ones are learning to be bilingual when it comes to clothing talk. If they had not mastered the linguistics of both cultures, who knows what state they would be in when they walk out the door to school.
For anyone interested, here is my clothing dictionary in two columns. If you can think of any other clothing anomalies between both countries, please just let me know in the comments and I'll be sure to add them to the list.
American Word Irish Word
sneakers = runners
jumper = pinafore
sweater = jumper
overalls = dungarees
vest = waistcoat
undershirt = vest
pants = trousers
pants = slacks
skort = divided skirt
underpants = pants/knickers
knickers = bloomers
jogging suit = track suit
berrette = clip
hair tie or elastic = bobbin
bangs = fringe
braids = plaits
purse = handbag
wallet = purse
diaper = nappy
If you know of any other words which should be included in this list, do let us know in the comment section below.
These differences in expressions and language intrigue me and I hope you enjoyed this rambling post about the differences between American English and the Queen's English, which is sort of spoken in Ireland.
Thanks, as always, for stopping by and checking out this little corner of the internet. If you are interested in Irish and Irish American culture you please do check out our Irish American Mom Community.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Irish American Mom
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Theresa
nappy = diaper
purse in IRL = change purse (small wallet for coins) in USA
purse in USA = a woman's handbag in IRL
Oh I have so many more of these that have nothing to do with clothing...serviettes, biro's, craic.... I had 2 roommates from Dublin years ago and it took months for us to finally understand each other. 🙂
Irish American Mom
Theresa - Thanks for your great suggestions. When my eldest boy was in day care he kept calling his diaper a nappy, because that's what I called it. His teacher didn't know what he was talking about.
I'll have to do some more posts on the Irish-American Driving Dictionary or the School Dictionary. The possibilities are endless.
Theresa
The possibilities really are endless. My cousins and I continue to translate each other's slang... for 40 years now. 🙂
anne nolan
What about ' ride' & 'fanny'?
Irish American Mom
"Park & Ride" signs by the railway stations in New Jersey always make me laugh, as well as fanny packs and Fanny Farmer chocolates. Names you could never use in Ireland. I think these deserve a blog post all of their own. I'll have to work on it.
All the best,
Mairéad
Chris B
Love this! If I hadn't heard this when I was in Ireland and ASKED about some of these words when I heard them I never would have known what they were - Cool!
Irish American Mom
Thanks Chris. I had fun writing this post and racking my brain for all the different terms. There still are many more I forgot about. So glad you asked what people were talking about when you were in Ireland - it's the only way to get in touch with the lingo.
Best wishes,
Mairead
Catherine A Hazur
I wanted to point out that a hair clip is a barrette not a beret. A beret is a type of felt hat that originated in France, but made its way to America. A very different thing.
Sneakers are now more commonly known as tennis shoes here in the USA. When I was a child many years ago they were only called sneakers, but if I call them sneakers my grandchildren look at me funny.
When I was a kid a waistcoat meant a vest but was spelled westkit and referred specifically to a feminine vest worn over a blouse, shirt or sweater. A vest referred to a waistcoat worn by a man.
Very confusing, right?
This is a fun Blog, Mairead!!
CATHERINE
Irish American Mom
Hi Catherine - Thanks for pointing out my spelling error. I'll correct it. And thank you for adding to our little discussion about clothing nouns and the differences in words used between Ireland and America. It really is amusing. Vests, waistcoats, and now waistkits, makes it all very confusing. I never heard the term waistkit before. Thanks so much for stopping by.
All the best,
Mairéad
Vince
Pinafore ?, since when. Don't you mean smock.
Irish American Mom
Vince - So true - I got very fancy with my pinafore, and totally forgot about a smock, which got me thinking about a frock. Did you ever hear the saying "I wouldn't know you only for the frock". (A frock is another word for a dress). Also I forgot to include the term slacks for pants. I'll have many additions to this list.
All the best,
Mairead
Vince
Have you thrown strealish at them yet, as in bedraggled.
Irish American Mom
Vince - I often heard the word "strealish" as a teenager growing up in Ireland. I think I'll save that one for when my little girl is a teenager. When she tries to sneak out the door in some ridiculous outfit I'll sort her out: -
"Look at the cut of you in that strealish rig-out. You're not leaving this house looking like that."
That should send her straight back upstairs to change. Thanks for a good laugh, and reminding me of some good old Irish words I have hidden away in the recesses of my mind.
All the best,
Mairead
Catherine A Hazur
Another word for rig out is get-up. In some parts of USA a rig will refer to a truck, car, RV, car or truck towing a trailer.
I love the Irish desserts, I can remember how to make them with the great visuals
Irish American Mom
Oh yes, Catherine. I've heard the term "big rig" before referring to a very large truck. Another term we used was "glad rags" when referring to a fancy out. "Put on your glad rags and we'll go out on the town," is an example of how it would be used. I think that term is originally a London or Cockney term, but it made its way to Ireland.
All the best,
Mairéad
[email protected]
"Look at the pegs on that guy" should have known better to have worn shorts in cold weather.
Cheers,
brian.
Irish American Mom
Thanks Brian - once you mentioned the "pegs" I realized I had forgotten all about the "wellies". For American readers, wellies are rain boots. The term wellies is short for Wellington boots. I think the Duke of Wellington was one of the first to wear them, hence the name.
All the best,
Mairead
Mira
Hi! I'm from the PH and just moved to Ireland 3 weeks ago. I was so lost with their clothing. When someone would say get the "jumper", get the "vest", I'd give them the American version of clothing and they'd look at me as if I'm deaf or something or
I'd say "there's none here" and they'd point right at it and say "It's right in front of you"... This post helps a lot!
Irish American Mom
Hi Mira - Wishing you every success with your move to Ireland. Our words for clothing are very different to the United States. A vest is a waistcoat in Ireland and an undershirt is a vest. It can get very confusing, but before you know it, you'll pick up on all our Irish terminology.
Have a lovely Christmas.
Mairéad
Martina
Bloomers??? What century are we talking about here??? I was born in 1962 and they were always knickers, whereas boys underpants were called just that or eventually shortened to undies as 'pants' meant trousers/slacks...
We also had a different name for a sleeves jumper , they were 'tank tops' - a vest was the white thing you wore under any sort of tops next to the skin (as you point put, to keep you warm or I suspect you outer garments 'clean'), male & female.
Thanks for the laughs 🙂
Martina
Irish American Mom
Hi Martina - Glad you enjoyed my ramblings about Irish and American terminology for clothes. Knickers was definitely used a lot when I was young. I also remember my mother calling underpants a pair of "drawers." That's a term that's probably as old as "bloomers."
Thanks for stopping by,
Mairéad
Ceallach
Jumper for sweater must be used regionally in Ireland. My gran akways referred to them as jumpers. (We being in NI - she being in Connemara) Much like Where’s my Jumper?” by The Sultans of Ping FC.
Irish American Mom
Another word for sweater or jumper used by many Irish people is 'geansaí' or gansey in English spelling. I always remember my granny saying - 'don't forget your geansaí.' There are many regional differences with sayings and words all around Ireland. My husband is from Donegal and my family are all from Cork. I say many things he has never heard before and vice versa. For such a small country it's amazing how many different accents, idioms, words and favorite sayings we have.
All the best,
Mairéad
Kelsey S
I’ve been listening to books by Tana French set in Ireland and some of the words I didn’t know but just kinda guessed what they were. Finally decided to Google some of the words to truly understand and found your post. Didn’t realize there were soo many differences! Thanks for sharing!
Irish American Mom
Hi Kelsey - I'm so glad you found my corner of the internet and that this little article helped you understand some Irish terms. The number of differences is quite amazing. However, in recent years younger Irish people are beginning to use more and more American terms because of the influence of the internet. Thanks for stopping by.
All the best,
Mairéad