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Archiver > ABERDEEN > 2006-02 > 1140470797


From: "Trena" <>
Subject: Re: Re:[ABERDEEN] 19th Century Dress
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 16:26:37 -0500
References: <43F9B487.3080001@which.net>


----- Original Message -----
From: "Gavin Bell"
Subject: Re:[ABERDEEN] 19th Century Dress


>> Fair enough. As somebody once perceptively pointed out, one of the
> greatest barriers to comprehension between Britain and America is the
> English Language, and it looks as if the same applies to Canada!
>
> In Scottish usage, the noun 'trews' is generally coupled with the
> adjective 'tartan', and mostly refers, as I suggested, to military dress
> uniform.
>
> But in return for this clarification, I probably ought to post one of my
> own - in my remarks about old photos of my male ancestors, I referred to
> them wearing 'waistcoats'. I believe the equivalent term in N America
> would be 'vests'*.

> * which to us Brits means 'undershirts'! **** Happy to see you add that
> Gavin. "Tights" is another word which ....

... with the natter such as above, I've been chuckling to myself. I'm
Canadian born & bred, with a Glaswegian mother (you'd never know though;
she sounds too posh) and a Sussex born & bred husband. He had a somewhat
Cockney accent when we wed in 1966. I was in the RCN and he was in Canada
with the RN. We had to walk about 2 miles (4 total) each day to and fro the
base. It"s a bitterly cold wind that blows in Halifax during the winter
months and I often complained about it blowing up under my skirt. My
husband asked me why I wasn't wearing tights? To me that meant leotards (I
know, that means something else entirely to you!). I told him I wasn't
allowed to wear them with my uniform. One reason was because they made our
skirts to cling to our legs and with our winter uniforms were weren't
allowed to wear a slip either, for the same reason. Here in Canada back
then, we didn't have tights, instead wore stockings and garter belts. It
wasn't until I arrived in England that I discovered he meant what we now
call pantyhose. They'd been for sale in the UK for nearly 10 years before
we saw them in North America.

Several months after that, we found ourselves living in the Rosyth married
quarters. Soon I was close chums (& still am) with a Lancashire lass, a
Yorkshire lass, one from Cowdenbeath and lastly a Dumbarton girl. I'd grown
up using some "British" words and expressions, so it was natural to pick up
those of my friends. I'd not realised just how much I'd done so until two
things happened within a week of each other.

Our newborn son was in his pram in the front garden. My husband came
through the back garden door as I was hurrying down the hallway to the
front. He asked where I was going in such a rush. I said .. "I cannae stop
the noo, ma'bairn's agreetin'." He ~ rather loudly! What did you say?

A few days later my Mum came to visit .. her first trip home in 23 years.
She spent the next 3 weeks asking my husband to explain what I was saying.
We had a terrible time when he was at work and I often had to actually write
down what I was trying to say. She could barely understand a word I
uttered.

Now after 35+ years in Canada, my 'Cockney' husband is often asked if he's
Australian! (We can't figure that one out.) and he still has trouble with
folk not understanding what he means when he uses the word "walls". Also
took several years in Canada before our son was able to say "Mother" ...
instead of "Muvver."

Toni ~ Ontario

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