Just wondering

Jim Parish jparish at SIUE.EDU
Fri Dec 29 19:59:43 UTC 2006


Wilson Gray asked:

> 2) Is there anyone for whom the words "pocketbook" and "purse"
> denote different objects? Not "can" or 'could," but _do_.

Scot LaFaive replied:

> For #2, I consider a pocketbook as a large wallet for women and a purse as a
> bag with a shoulder strap.

That's my understanding also. (My visualization of a pocketbook is
something that can be conveniently held in one hand; a purse is rather
larger than that, in my head.)

Jim Parish

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