[Ads-l] layer = "an insulating item of clothing"

[Dave Wilton]

I hear "dress in layers" and "extra layer of clothing" frequently, but I've never encountered "bring a layer." In my experience it's always accompanied by a contextual clue that indicates the subject is clothing.


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> On Behalf Of Mark Mandel
Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2019 5:10 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: [ADS-L] layer = "an insulating item of clothing"

Has anyone else encountered this usage?

An exchange with the writer of an announcement:

=====

Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 2:35 PM …

This is just a quick reminder that we're organizing … on Monday, October 21st, at 9:30am.
[The event] will go until ~1pm and be followed by a vegetarian potluck lunch.

Things to bring:
…
-A layer. We hope to be outside.

=====

Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 10:57 PM Mark Mandel … «-A layer. We hope to be outside.»

I'm sorry, that doesn't make any sense to me. A layer of what, for what? My only guess is that you mean something to sit or lie on, like a picnic blanket, to protect our clothes from getting stained by the grass.

=====

Tue, Oct 22, 2019, 1:50 PM…
Hi Mark-
By a layer, I meant a clothing layer. Like a jacket or sweater.

=====

MAM

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org


-- 
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org