Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
In a novel I was reading yesterday I found the following: "He wore an English bespoke suit." The OED says that bespoken has a meaning of "ordered". Do I assume correctly that bespoke suit mean one that is tailored as opposed to off-the-rack?



TEd
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Yep, you got it in one. I bespeak my suits from a tailor in Singapore - cheaper and generally better quality than off-the-peg here in New Zealand and several miles cheaper than bespoke tailors here.



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
I like this citation, from Punch:
A ‘Special Collection’ which is, in harsh reality, a collection of bargain bespokes.


Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346
F
veteran
Offline
veteran
F
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346
Hi TEd,

I notice my English brethren and sistren (?) have deigned not to post on this one, probably because your question appeared to have been answered.

But I have to throw in that I've hardly ever heard of bespoke suits, even if I know what they are. You can get tailored suits, and that's it. I admit to the possibility that I may not be moving in the right circles.

However, we talk about bespoke software (meaning customised rather than shrink-wrapped), and I think I've heard talk of bespoke cars as an alternate term for kit cars - where you order in the bits you want and assemble a unique heap of junk that costs you a fortune.

Fisk

Oh yes Happy New Year everyone.



#16273 01/23/01 08:53 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
M
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
After a marathon period of piscine pedalling away from here, Shona returned with I notice my English brethren and sistren (?)

Can any of our phine philologists tell me if English ever had a word like the German Geschwister? I've always thought that it was particularly handy, not to mention that its close connexion with schwester over bruder intrigued me from an herstorical perspective.


#16274 01/23/01 08:54 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Shona wishes us "Happy New Year everyone"

Thank you and the same to you.


#16275 01/23/01 10:06 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
W
wow Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
To you all ... Happy New Year, Jan. 23, 4699
From my pal who is heavily into Chinese culture, comes the following for your interest: 4966, the year of the metal yin Snake. Yin means receptive, interior, female.
Snake compass point is South/SouthEast
Snake time of the day is 9 to 11 a.m.
Snake season is Spring to Summer.
Snake is inherently fire. Fire melts metal thus a controlling cycle governs this year.
In other cultures the years are :
Islamic 1421
Christian 2001
Hindu 2056,
Chinese 4699
Jewish 5761.
The Snake is a highly spiritual symbol, a symbol of renewal and rebirth and, some say, the soul of the dragon. Women born in Snake years are considered the most beautiful... a great compliment in Asian cultures is to say "You are a veritable Snake of a woman."
Guess who was born in the year of the Snake !
wow


#16276 01/23/01 10:11 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
isn't it amazing how millions and millions of people born in the same year will all have the same characteristics?



#16277 01/23/01 11:03 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 544
H
addict
Offline
addict
H
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 544
In other cultures the years are :
Islamic 1421
Christian 2001
Hindu 2056,
Chinese 4699
Jewish 5761.


Did the Chinese or Jewish cultures run into any problems with the Y2K bug a few thousand years ago, or did they find some way around it?


#16278 01/24/01 02:29 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Thank you for that, wow. I am a snake, too, and hadn't quite figured it was my year again (I'm a late-blooming-boomer-kinda-serpent).

(I just KNEW we had something in common!)

Tsuwm, read my lips:



Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 444 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5