I got a bit annoyed this week because the Fashion section in the Viva supplement of the NZ Herald was featuring sweaters for winter. They had photos of woolly jumpers and each one was described as a sweater. The article was titled 'Sweater Weather'.

The reason I got annoyed was because to me the word 'sweater' is an Americanism. It seemed like pretentious fashion journalism to use the word 'sweater' instead of jumper. Then I thought, maybe I'm being a bit ignorant and making a bit of an assumption and maybe sweater is a common term in NZ.

My question is, "Do you commonly use the word 'sweater' or hear the word commonly used in NZ?"

It's not a word that I use, but nothing surprises me when it comes to fashion writing. Or most writing in The Herald these days come to think of it.

TPANDAV Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's not a word that I use, but nothing surprises
> me when it comes to fashion writing. Or most
> writing in The Herald these days come to think of
> it.


Precisely - The Herald!

I'm with you DK. I think it is an American term and as such not used much here in NZ. I don't use the term myself. They're jumpers. Pullovers is the UK term.

What about "jersey"? That's what I call it.

I've always used the term 'jersey'.

I usually use the term jersey or jumper as well..
To me a sweater is a garment often made out of a cotton knit fabric.
Language certainly evolves or as in some cases, is thrust upon us.

I use the word jersey if it is wool and sweatshirt/jumper for anything that is long sleeved and a cotton knit as opposed to a woold knit.
Sweater and sweatshirt are funny words as they do implicate gym/sports activity as opposed to just keeping warm. But then again they are all odd words, a jumper is a weird word for a garment...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2018 01:54AM by helen.

Yes I use the word jersey too but as I was born and spent my early years in the South Island, I think you'll find that it is predominantly a South Island word.

I believe that the Herald journalist used the word sweater in this context to create a catchy headline - the words sweater and weather are very similar apart from a couple of letters. She probably doesn't use the word sweater either, but it was used conveniently for the purposes of the exercise.

Regards,

Barbara Anne

According to the Oxford English Dictionary '"jumper" in this context is derived from "jump" meaning 'short coat', perhaps from Scots "jupe", 'a man's (later also a woman's) loose jacket or tunic', via Old French from Arabic jubba.

In the US, a "jumper" is a girls/women's tunic/romper type garment, akin to TPANDAV's definition above. I use "jumper" for just about everything that is a pull on second layer.

Jersey for this ex South Islander

Jersey - North Island girl here. Pretty much never use the word jumper. I don't refer to anything as a sweater.

Interestingly I was recently watching the fairly awful "How Do I Look?" American TV programme where they take someone who dresses dreadfully every day and make them look like a transvestite instead (well, imho). In this episode, the dreadfully dressed female kept referring to her sweatshirts as sweaters and the host of the show became more and more upset and adamantly ordered her again and again to call them sweatshirts as they WERE NOT SWEATERS!!

Thanks for all the replies. I now feel vindicated and validated!

If I am looking on Ravelry for a knitting pattern then I have to use all three one by one in the search box as it seems any of them could mean what I am looking for.

Speaking of the Herald - I started to read an article by Elizabeth Easther and quickly realised they had the wrong author - “I was educated just north of Rome” or something like that - her father was my GP so I know their home base was Hamilton.

Lots of cut and paste methinks.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/2018 08:03AM by Ali W.

Jersey for this ex South Island girl too. We are finding a lot of our words are Americanised these days.

To me a jumper is a knitted woollen garment and a garment made from sweatshirt fabric is a sweatshirt. It could depend on a person's age and where they were brought up as to what reference they use?
Regards,
Dawn

Jersey or jumper here, for something made of wool. Sweater is for something made of material, like sweatshirt.

i substitute it with jersey, jumper etc