"(c)overalls" (was: "dungarees")

[Damien Hall]

>From Wilson, again with comments:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 10:39:09 -0500
Subject: Re: "dungarees"
From: Wilson Gray <hwgray at gmail.com>
To: djh514 at york.ac.uk

To me, BrE "overalls" sounds more similar to AmE "coveralls" that AmE
"overalls." For me, "overalls" is definitely always with final   -s.
I'm not sure whether it's "coverall" or "coveralls." IAC, it's a
one-piece, baggy garment with sleeves, collar, and buttons or a zipper
for closing it up to the neck. A  (male) person may wear only boxers
or briefs under overalls, but a person wearing a coverall / coveralls
is usually fully dressed under it / them, in my experience.

-Wilson
---
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
-Mark Twain

DAMIEN:  It sounds to me as if 'coverall(s)' is a more-or-less exact synonym of BrE 'overall(s)' - in any case, the form of the garment is the same, and not all BrE speakers may share my perception that BrE 'overall(s)' must be made of some stout material - the material may be underspecified in the general definition.  Also, I wouldn't swear that no BrE speakers used 'coverall(s)' - it's just that neither I nor my family does.

Damien

--
Damien Hall

University of York
Department of Language and Linguistic Science
Heslington
York YO10 5DD
UK

Tel. (office) 01904 432665
     (mobile) 0771 853 5634
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