new thread
Hello everyone,
A recent exchange of posts (see nos. /122.html and /123.html) has highlighted the differences in terminology of hair-related things between us in the UK and you folks across the Atlantic.
As popular language and folklore is one of my interests, I would be pleased to see contributions from anyone on what they call various things we do to, or put in/on our hair (men and women)
Here's a few to start us off - UK term given first.
Fringe = Bangs (why 'bangs' for heaven's sake??)
Hairgrips (small tight haircoloured metal clips) = Bobby-pins (?)
Hair pins (as above but more open 'U' shape, generally used for holding buns in place) = ?
Hair slide (like hair grips, but larger and decorative) = barettes (?)
Plait (pronounced 'platt') = braid (we use this sometimes)
Elastic (thin cotton-covered rubber band to tie back hair) = ?
Scrunchie (as above but thicker and elaborately covered with decorative material) = ?
What do you call a decorative clip version of a scrunchie?
Curlers = rollers (we use this too)
Bunches (two short ponytails on each side of the head - little girlish) = ?
Pigtails (like bunches but two plaits) = ?
Any more ?
Cheers all,
Steve
Great thread. Any contributions to this thread will be compiled and added to the FAQ.
Cheers = Later (as in "see you later")
Doug (duh-g)
It's a pity you didn't find anything costructive to contribute
Humor is constructive (if not always funny).
Is this board starved for space or something?
I don't know why! ;)
Yes.
also "bobby-pins"
Yes, barettes
just "band" or "hairband"
We use "scrunchie" too.
Ummm. Just a barette if I am correct in assuming what you are talking about
pigtails
also "pigrails" - sometimes just "braids"
Hope this helps!
-Kari
Hello Kari,
Thanks for your contributions.
I sill am very curious about the derivation of 'bangs'
Bye for now,
Steve
I looked it up in the dictionary, and what I found was that bangs comes from bangtail, which is a race horse. Bangtail, in turn, probably comes from a nasalized version of bag tail.
This just piques my curiosity more.
Just some more information:
Bangtail is also a term used in envelope production, but I don't yet have a definition for this.
It is also used to describe a tail style for horses. Horses' tails can be left natural, pulled (hair removed from the base), plaited, docked (ouch), or banged. A tail whose hair is cut straight across is called a bangtail (although I suspect this comes from bangs, which in turn comes from bangtail, a racehorse).
Sometimes horses coupled to a carriage are equipped with a bag to catch the "horse biscuits". Sometimes the tail hair is cut straight across to keep it from getting soiled in the bag. Perhaps this has something to do with the origin.
Yet more information. Another dictionary says it is dialect for bangled, hanging loosely, flapping.
Hello Victor,
Thanks for all the info re 'bangs'. Very interesting.
I've been away for a while, so haven't had a chance to acknowledge before now.
PS - The board is brilliant!
Steve