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Archiver > ABERDEEN > 2006-02 > 1140475855


From: "Mary Cubitt" <>
Subject: Re: Re:[ABERDEEN] 19th Century Dress
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2006 11:50:55 +1300
References: <43F9B487.3080001@which.net> <01fa01c63664$54c82470$6400a8c0@mycomputer>


Trena
Had a little laugh to myself over your "expressions" used, whilst under
duress! New baby's sure cause duress and distress.
I was born in New Zealand, but at the age of 10 months, my parents (returned
for my father) took me and my 2 brothers to Scotland to visit with
grandparents/aunties/cousins etc. I learnt to walk and talk in Scotland.
We lived in Scotland for approx. 4-5 yrs before returning to NZ.
When I started school in NZ, I had a Scottish accent, but lost it with the
years. However, whenever I visit Scotland, or converse with my cousins over
the phone, I slip back into the Scottish dialect so easily. My husband, who
is born and bred in New Zealand, just can't understand, how I can have two
accents.

Mary
New Zealand
----- Original Message -----
From: "Trena" <>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2006 10:26 AM
Subject: Re: Re:[ABERDEEN] 19th Century Dress


>
> ----- 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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