ebay head-scratcher

[Chas]

For those of us that are language challenged. I understood the sporran was Scottish for purse. Is there a separate word for a lady's purse? If so what is a lay's purse called in Scottish?

I would call that a handbag.

The little matching thing inside, I would call a purse.

Regards

Chas

[Meggers]

The little matching thing inside, I would call a purse.

Regards

Chas

Oh yeah, Ive heard that before. So what we call a wallet.

[Chas]

Oh yeah, Ive heard that before. So what we call a wallet.

I suppose this is semantics and how we were taught from young. In general, I tend to think of a wallet holding paper and a purse holding coins.

Having said that, my sporran purse is like this one and has a place for notes as well.



Regards

Chas

[Meggers]

I suppose this is semantics and how we were taught from young. In general, I tend to think of a wallet holding paper and a purse holding coins.

Seriously? Ive never heard that one before.

I have a good group of friends in Glasgow and we have played the "what is this called in British/American English" game and its pretty fun. Ive never heard of a wallet holding paper, though. Thats new to me.

[Friday]

I suppose this is semantics and how we were taught from young. In general, I tend to think of a wallet holding paper and a purse holding coins.

Having said that, my sporran purse is like this one and has a place for notes as well.



Regards

Chas

Since I am married my wallets never has any of those little green pieces of paper with pictures of dead Presidents os I guess I carry a purse?

[rlloyd]

As an American, I call the thing I carry in my back pocket both a wallet and a billfold.

Since I am married my wallets never has any of those little green pieces of paper with pictures of dead Presidents os I guess I carry a purse?

So she limits you to tens and hundreds?

[ScotFree]

English is a funny language isn't it? But different regions use different words for the same thing. Here in Northern Illinois. A purse is carried by a woman ... or a rare alternative, prize money. A wallet hold money, credit cards, etc. A man's wallet usually goes into a pocket. A woman's in her purse. Other words like handbag for purse and billfold for wallet are used in the states in other regions, but nobody I grew up with uses those terms. For my locality, I would think the best translation of sporran would be pouch or perhaps more specifically a belt pouch, which in my mind conjures the image of a bag hanging from a belt or sash.

Meggers -- I gotta ask, you've never heard of paper money being carried in a wallet? You're in Wisconsin, not the Faroe Islands? I've spent plenty of time in Wisconsin and never had any confusion about what gets carried in a wallet.

[cruiser348]

English is a funny language isn't it? But different regions use different words for the same thing. Here in Northern Illinois. A purse is carried by a woman ... or a rare alternative, prize money. A wallet hold money, credit cards, etc. A man's wallet usually goes into a pocket. A woman's in her purse. Other words like handbag for purse and billfold for wallet are used in the states in other regions, but nobody I grew up with uses those terms. For my locality, I would think the best translation of sporran would be pouch or perhaps more specifically a belt pouch, which in my mind conjures the image of a bag hanging from a belt or sash.

Meggers -- I gotta ask, you've never heard of paper money being carried in a wallet? You're in Wisconsin, not the Faroe Islands? I've spent plenty of time in Wisconsin and never had any confusion about what gets carried in a wallet.

I believe she was referring to a change purse, not a wallet being used for paper money. Of course I've been known to misunderstand a woman in the past; just ask my ex-wife.

[Meggers]

Meggers -- I gotta ask, you've never heard of paper money being carried in a wallet? You're in Wisconsin, not the Faroe Islands? I've spent plenty of time in Wisconsin and never had any confusion about what gets carried in a wallet.

Whats paper money? Is that the thing that used to exist before the debit card? ;)

Actually I misunderstood the paper post. I thought he meant paper in general. Like paper paper. Not paper money. I was even thinking in my head "what the heck holds paper paper and could be called a wallet? a binder?" lol

Speaking of Brit/American slang, heres a funny little video of Hugh Laurie and Ellen testing each other on slang:

[Downunder Kilt]

What's this paper money, that's so old hat. If you want the readies, the folding, you should be talking polymer money