Not a teddy bear

[Lisa Galvin]

Just for the record, if anyone is counting, I am "definantly" in the "teddy-bear is a distinctive type of stuffed toy, and not the same as other types of stuffed bears" camp, agreeing with Jesse's definition.  A stuffed animal resembling an actual bear, let's say standing on all four legs, would not be a teddy bear, in my (Pacific Northwest USA) dialect either. A teddy bear is more doll-like than animal-like.
 
Lisa Galvin



                                                   


 

> Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2010 08:26:58 -0400
> From: jester at PANIX.COM
> Subject: Re: Not a teddy bear
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> 
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster: Jesse Sheidlower <jester at PANIX.COM>
> Subject: Re: Not a teddy bear
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> To me, a teddy bear is relatively stiff, with arms
> outstretched, and having darkish brown fur. If it is a very
> soft plush bear, like a Gund, I would consider it a stuffed
> bear, but not a teddy bear.
> 
> Jesse Sheidlower
> OED
> 
> On Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 07:18:58AM -0400, Barbara Need wrote:
> > Can you elaborate? Clearly I have a fairly broad understanding of what
> > fits in the category of teddy bear!
> >
> > Barbara
> >
> > On 13 Sep 2010, at 6:49 AM, Jesse Sheidlower wrote:
> >
> >> On Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 06:42:52AM -0400, Barbara Need wrote:
> >>> From a Freecycle posting for stuffed animals:
> >>>
> >>> "small brown bear (not a teddy bear, a plush bear)"
> >>>
> >>> What is a stuffed bear if not a teddy bear?
> >>
> >> A teddy bear is a pretty specific kind of stuffed bear, in my
> >> idiolect at least. A soft, floppy, plush bear would not be a
> >> teddy bear to me.
> >>
> >> Jesse Sheidlower
> >> OED
> >
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> 
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