We need to talk about clothing, and we may as well get the potentially embarrassing items out of the way first: what the Americans call underpants, British people call pants; what the Americans call pants, the Brits call trousers; what the Americans call suspenders, Brits call braces; what the Brits call suspenders, Americans call garter belts. Asking a British man whether he holds up his pants with suspenders could lead to confusion or mirth at best and fear at worst. Let’s be careful out there.
There are many differences in American English and British English about clothing and footwear, starting from the place in which they are kept: in British English, “wardrobe”; in American English, “closet.”
For formal wear, the British say dinner jacket, waistcoat and tie and, if it’s cold, one might wear a vest under the shirt. The Americans say tuxedo, vest and necktie and, if it’s cold, an undershirt under the shirt.
Photo: AP
照片：美聯社
In sports, the British will talk of a tracksuit and trainers; Americans will talk of their sweats and sneakers (or tennis shoes). If it’s cold out, the Brits might wear a jumper or jersey; the Americans a sweater.
If it’s wet out, the British may put on their Wellington boots (or “wellies”); the Americans might put on their galoshes or rubber boots.
And at home in the evening, a Brit might get into their pyjamas and put on a dressing gown; Americans might get into their pajamas and put a robe over them.
(Paul Cooper, Taipei Times)
我們要介紹服裝，乾脆就先來談談那些可能會讓人不好意思說出口的東西：美國人稱為「underpants」（內褲）的，英國人稱做「pants」；美國人稱「pants」（長褲）的，英國人稱為「trousers」；美國人說的「suspenders」（吊帶），是英國人所說的「brace」；但英國人所說的「suspenders」，美國人則稱為「garter belts」（吊襪帶）。如果問一個英國人說，他是不是「holds up his pants with suspenders」（用吊襪帶夾住長褲），最多只會令人困惑或引人發噱，最糟是會讓人害怕。我們還是謹慎為妙。
美式英文和英式英文對服裝和鞋子的稱呼有很多不同，就從放衣服的地方說起吧：英式英文稱做「wardrobe」（衣櫃）的，在美式英文中叫做「closet」。
稱正式服裝，英國人說「dinner jacket」（晚禮服）、「waistcoat」（背心）和「tie」（領帶），如果天氣冷，可以在襯衫裡面穿一件「vest」（背心）。美國人則是說「tuxedo」（小晚禮服）、「vest」（背心）和「necktie」（領帶），如果天冷，襯衫裡便加一件「undershirt」（汗衫）。
運動服裝方面，英國人說「tracksuit」（運動服）和「trainers」（運動鞋）。美國人則是說「sweats」（運動褲∕服）和「sneakers」（運動鞋），或「tennis shoes」（網球鞋）。如果外面天冷，英國人可穿上「jumper」（套頭衫）或「jersey」（針織衣）；美國人則是穿「sweater」（毛衣）。
若外頭下雨，英國人可穿上「Wellington boots」（威靈頓靴，或稱「wellies」）；美國人則是穿「galoshes」（防水套鞋）或「rubber boots」（橡膠靴）。
晚上在家，英國人會穿「pyjamas」（睡衣）和「dressing gown」（睡袍）。美國人則是穿「pajamas」（睡衣）、披上「robe」（長袍）。
（台北時報林俐凱譯）
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