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#71112 05/24/02 12:51 PM
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boronia Offline OP
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... what do you call it?

I was talking to my Aussie/Ozzie/Aushtryan roommate last night (although we do not actually share a room, 'housemate' just hasn't caught on - but that could be a whole nother thread), and told her one of my fears about becoming a lawyer was having to wear pumps and carry a briefcase. Apparently, Down-Under, pumps are called court shoes (which sounds to me like what you wear to play squash). Is pumps a Canadianism? Or a North Americanism? What do other people call a simple, tongue-less, high-heeled shoe, with closed or open toe? Just curious.


#71113 05/24/02 02:03 PM
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jmh Offline
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>What do other people call a simple, tongue-less, high-heeled shoe, with closed or open toe? Just curious.

Court shoes.

You do see the word "pumps" used in catalogues but in the part of England where I grew up, pumps are tennis shoes and where my children go to school pumps are a source of great hilarity - of the gaseous sort.

#71114 05/24/02 02:21 PM
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addict
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I think we got ourselves a dyed-in-the-wool North Americanism - in the US I would have exactly the same read on it as our Canadian Boronian.

So is the Aussie version from the fact that you wear such shoes when appearing in a court of law? Seems their use is likely to be a little wider than that, but maybe you folks from Up Over are just a bit more casual than I've realized.


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Carpal Tunnel
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Uncomfortable?



TEd
#71116 05/24/02 05:14 PM
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Carpal Tunnel
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A pump..

and while we are on the subject--
what do you call the high heeled shoes so popular today, they are almost slippers, with open toes, and a strap or two over the instep, and open backed..but definately not slippers, with a heel from 1 to almost 3 inches high.

(i really have a problem seeing these shoes being worn to work.. but i seem to be alone in that opinion.)
i would call them a mule


#71117 05/24/02 06:45 PM
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What do other people call a simple, tongue-less, high-heeled shoe, with closed or open toe?

A pump here has always been considered closed toe...never open toe. I don't know what to call that shoe with an open toe.


#71118 05/24/02 10:41 PM
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wow Offline
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A pump here has always been considered closed toe

Yes, true here in NEW England! ; )
An open toe is an "open toed pump"
Then if there's just a strap instead of a closed heel it's
a "sling back"
The all-strap shoes are called "high heel sandals" *OR if they are very fancy "evening sandals"

At least that's the nomenclature around here.



#71119 05/26/02 11:49 AM
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in the part of England where I grew up, pumps are tennis shoes

- and when I were a lad, these "tennis shoes" were called "plimpsolls." I have always assumed that "pumps" is a contraction of the longer name.


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old hand
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Simple unintelligent tongue-less mute high-heeled dangerous weapon


#71121 05/26/02 02:26 PM
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- and when I were a lad, these "tennis shoes" were called "plimpsolls."

And in the case of my son, 6 foot 7 inches tall, and size 15 shoes, we call the shoes...expensive!


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