I have long noticed, and my interest was piqued again by what someone said in a recent post, that Americans and Brit-English speakers use different words to refer to footwear in general. Shakespeare referred to "hosen and shoon" and when Americans allude to what they wear on their feet, without intending anything special, they use the word "shoes", whereas Brits tend to say "boots". It even extends to related words; we use the term "shoe shine" rather than "bootblack" or "boot blacking".
Any ideas on how this comes about?
Americans never refer to their shoes as "boots", unless they actually *are* boots (they're gaining in popularity again, incidentally...)
We do call babies' shoes "booties", though, but only the soft-soled sock-like things; if they have soles, then they're called shoes. is it the same over there?
My dictionary says; Shoe
an outer covering for the human foot, made of leather, canvas, etc. and usually having a stiff or thick sole and a heel: sometimes restricted to footwear that does not cover the ankle, as distinguished from a BOOT
What do English dictionaries say?
My Oxford Dictionary for the Business World says: "1. protective foot-covering of leather etc., esp. one not reaching above the ankle." I suppose a hundred-odd years ago boots were more commonly worn by those who would use the services of a bootblack/shoe shine. I think I would normally use the expression shoe shine boy or shoe shine girl (although in my experience here in Indonesia they usually are boys; I've never used the services of either in the UK).
Bingley
> we use the term "shoe shine" rather than "bootblack" or "boot blacking".
I would have said 'shoe polish' or 'boot polish' for that stuff.
Before any one asks, yes Aussies call what the Brits know as flip-flops, ...thongs (a typ of loose sandal, or open slipper).
One of the most interesting names I've heard for footwear is the British 'FM boots', not to be confused with the ever popular 'DM boots'.
In England women wear shoes, and anything either sex wears that reaches the ankle is a boot. The men's ordinary leather footwear is everywhere else called a shoe, but tends to be a boot here, though I suspect this is slightly old-fashioned and might soon revert to 'shoe'. It can always be called a shoe: it doesn't sound odd to say so.
I am sure I have always worn shoes, never boots, except for wellies when it was raining or snowing.
Bingley
Yep, I concur with that - I would always says shoes, unless quite specifically meaning ankle-length, sports, or walking boots.
One of the most interesting names I've heard for footwear is the British 'FM boots', not to be confused with the ever popular 'DM boots'
Elucidate, please?
wow
British 'FM boots'They go in and out of fashion quite frequently. But the music's good.
Dear wow:
DM boots are Doc Martens. All tourists who come to London must go up to Camden Market
of a Sunday
and buy a pair of Doc Martens boots. Nobody knows why.
For FM boots, I'll give you a choice:
a) boots with an FM receptor radio included in the soles
b) F*** Me boots
And it's useless asking me what they are like, as I do NOT own a pair!
Outside of a stretch of wearing combat boots (though never in combat) the best boots I ever wore were L.L. Bean's marvelous hunting boots with the rubber bottom the size of a shoe that never leaks and are very comfortable.
Before any one asks, yes Aussies call what the Brits know as flip-flops, ...thongs (a typ of loose sandal, or open slipper)
around these parts, we've always called them thongs, flip-flops or zorries interchangeably, but only when they're the between-the-toe variety. any other kind of 'open slipper' would be called a sandal. i've noticed that lately the term "thongs" is dwindling in this capacity, and is more often used to describe swimsuits or underwear.
Dear maverick: let's be fair. That link barely mentioned shoes or footware, and discussed none of them.Not my idea of YART (which rhymes with a word for flatus).
Just how lazy are you Bill?
Scroll down the list and you will get to this (amidst a LOT of other stuff!)
Franky Francophone commented: One item that has a great quantity of names is the flic-flacs...those soft rubber/plastic floppy sandles that cost next to nothing.
Which are called "jandals" in Zild (a brand name, from memory) and "thongs" in Australia. "Thongs" is one of those words which has three meanings depending on how you use it. Singular use means g-string or laced leather vest pull-strings. Plural means "flip flops", "flic-flacs" or "jandals" (or a someone who wears two g-strings at once, I guess!).I only put the header from the search in before – if you want the whole thing in its monstrous glory, go here (but promise not to resurrect it,
please!)
http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=wordplay&Number=12402&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5
Dear maverick: Yes, I was lazy about scrolling down. After two full screens with no clue that footwear was mentioned, my enthusiasm for scrolling dropped to zero prematurely. I have had little luck picking up old threads, and prefer to let sleeping dogs lie.
In NY, F* Me's refers to 3+ inches high heels-- stilletoes, of course! and in last saturday's NY Times, (march 3, '01) there was an article about a New England puritan "law" that decreed any woman who used high heeled shoes to seduce a man, should be held to be a witch-- but it didn't define how high a heel was needed!
Doc Martins came and went as a fad in NY more than 10 years ago-- my daughter lived in them while in HS. when i was in high school, a low, suede boot- desert boots where all the rage. there is an ozzie shoe company that has gone international --(and right now for the life of me, i can't think of the name!) they make a very similar boot that is still sold.
> ozzie shoe company
YAKKA perhaps? They make alot of 'heavy-duty' footwear/clothing, a la Caterpillar. BTW 'YAKKA' (yacka) means hard work.
uggs, maybe? they're my very most favoritest cozy shoes in the whole world, much to my husband's chagrin.
We can wear mucklucks (or mucklek or muckluk) up here in the frozen north.
desert boots
Are they the ones Pat Boone used to wear?
Remember, this was the era of blue suede shoes, a la Elvis. I don't know of anybody else who wore blue suede shoes.
Then, also in that era, there were the highly polished black leather shoes with the pointy toes which were known as "nosepickers", or "cockroach killers" because it was said they were the best for getting the bugs which ran into the corner of the room.
black leather shoes with the pointy toesHah! That's good, Bob. In the UK they were known as
winklepickers for similar reasons.
Pat Boone wore Bucks-- a sueded (or nubuck) shoes-- and he wore saddle shoes-- which are kind of oxford shoe, with a saddle (a second piece of leather ) over the instep-- ususally in a contrasting color-- they also have wing tips (toe tips) in a contrasting color. Pat Boone wore biege and brown buck saddle shoes, and white and black (smooth) leather saddle shoes. (i still have a pair of saddle shoes-- but I have been called "Imelda"-- since i have a special cabinet (a shoe cubby) just for shoes-- it holds 72 pairs of shoes-- its not quite filled.)
the last time i was in London (mid '80's) i found beautiful suede shoes in Royal blue, Kelly green and Royal purple-- and bought a pair in each color-- I always got comments when i wore them! I was so sorry when they finally wore out!
And meanwhile -- why are oxfords so named and how about ghillies-- or broughs-- and whille many loafers are moc's (mocacins) not all are.. do recognize the difference? I know some of this is a YART from what are you wearing-- so feel free to ignore it...
when i was in high school, a low, suede boot- desert boots where all the rage.
Ye Gawds, Helen, I wore desert boots at college in 1948!
Now I have to wear "sensible" shoes because of back problems. I am saved by the ubiquitous running shoe which comes in nifty colors for daywear. All my pretty shoes can be worn only if I know I will not be standing for long.
Sigh.
Doc M shoes are still popular in New England, especially in winter. But for plowing around in the deep snow I love my Canadian made white Manitou Sorel boots.
wow
I'm with of Troy (no, I don't wear them - (for free)
) but those called "F*** Me Pumps" were the three inch heels (nothing to do with "pumps" as I have heard recently) and worn strictly by suburban girls who also had what we called "Big Hair" (hair sprayed to stick straight up at the top of their forehead)...
I still wear my latest pair of DMs, but they're shoes, not boots. They are the most comfortable creatures. I was wearing them yesterday when I first read this thread. They're getting to the point where I should buy another pair, though...
wow said: But for plowing around in the deep snow I love my Canadian made white Manitou Sorel boots.
Even here, Sorels are the boots to have if you go snowmobiling or snowshoeing or tobogganing - anything in deep snow or cold. I myself wear Caterpillar boots to school, and change when I get here. Those Sorels are just too big for wearing around the city, and I don't do enough outdoorsy-winter stuff to justify buying a pair.
However, in the oddball-shoes category, I do own broomball shoes which I used to wear to play sponge hockey (hockey with a sponge puck and shoes instead of skates). They have this foam stuff on the bottom to help you grip the ice - there's been many a day walking around town when I'd wished I was wearing them instead of my Caterpillars!
< ozzie shoe company>
The name, Helen, is Blundstone's and they're located here in Hobart! The locals call them "blunnies".
..answered with authority Paul! Come to think of it, I've heard of them too.
A fair few Oz labels enjoyed some popularity in Europe in recent years, though I think that's ios beginning to recede.
Pat Boone's bucks
Well, here's good news for the chronologically challenged. I just read in the newspaper that effective March 26 you will be able to buy genuine Pat Boone bucks for $59.95 from his website
http://www.patsgold.com. I'm getting myself a pair.
$59.95 for two bucks - seems expensive
Not if they're nu, mav...
As in Emperor's?