Just wondering

[Victoria Neufeldt]

I lived in the U.S. for about 16 years (1984-2000), in Cleveland and in
Springfield, MA; I remember being struck by the use of _pocketbook_ for what
I would call a handbag or purse.  In my experience in the U.S., _pocketbook_
and _purse_ were synonymous.  _Pocketbook_ (an Americanism in this usage)
seemed the standard term, far more common than _purse_.  I don't recall a
distinction in usage based on age (i.e., I wasn't aware that _pocketbook_
was considered old-fashioned).  I think of _purse_ as being somewhat
old-fashioned in Canada (haven't done any research on this though); my own
general term is _handbag_ and that's probably the more common term in Canada
as a whole.  _Pocketbook_ for me is restricted to its extended meaning of
financial resources.  I agree with Wilson that _purse_ means _handbag_; if I
want to refer to a small container for money, etc. that you carry in your
pocket or purse/handbag, I would say _change purse_, never just _purse_.

Victoria

Victoria Neufeldt
Editor, DSNA Newsletter
727 9th Street East
Saskatoon, Sask.
S7H 0M6
Canada
Tel: (306) 955-8910




----- Original Message -----
From: "Wilson Gray" <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 8:00 PM
Subject: Re: Just wondering


> ---------------------- Information from the mail
header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Just wondering
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
>
> FWIW,my wife, who's from Wilkes-Barre, speaking of Pennsylavania.
> doesn't recognize any distinction between "purse" and "pocketbook."
>
> Also, FWIW, I don't consider what I call a "change purse" to be a
> purse in the sense meant here. If my wife asked me to get her purse,
> it would never occur to me to look inside her pocketbook for her
> change purse.
>
> IAC, I'd say that it's clear that, for some people, "pocketbook" and
> "purse" name distinct objects and cannot be interchanged. Whew! That's
> a load off my mind! ;-)
>
> -Wilson
>
> On 12/29/06, GSCole <gscole at ark.ship.edu> wrote:
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail
header -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       GSCole <gscole at ARK.SHIP.EDU>
> > Subject:      Re: Just wondering
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
> >
> > In my mind, a purse is smaller than a pocketbook; a purse may be carried
> > inside of a pocketbook.  A coin purse is the smallest purse of which I'm
> > aware; small enough to be carried in a trouser side pocket.
> >
> > George Cole
> > Shippensburg University
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Brenda Lester
> > Sent: Fri 29-Dec-06 17:19
> > Subject:      Re: [ADS-L] Just wondering
> >
> > 2) "Pocketbook" and "purse" are interchangeable.
> >   I've always considered a purse to be smaller than a pocketbook. A
> > pocketbook has all your work-a-day junk in it; a purse is for a few
> > necessary items.
> >
> > Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> > 2) Is there anyone for whom the words "pocketbook" and "purse" denote
> > different objects? Not "can" or 'could," but _do_.
> >
> > -Wilson
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