sweater

[Ron Butters]

What is "annoying" about Old Navy clothing? It is just moderately priced clothing, no different from the clothing of many similarly priced stores.

For that matter, what is the basis for the implication that their commercials are especially annoying?



Sent from my Droid Charge on Verizon 4GLTE

------Original Message------
From: Victor Steinbok <aardvark66 at GMAIL.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Date: Saturday, December 17, 2011 10:13:40 AM GMT-0500
Subject: [ADS-L] sweater

Old Navy is usually a source of annoying commercials and even more
annoying clothing. But there is something interesting in their latest
piece of propaganda.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CinTc-8vdaQ
[Manually transcribed--some errors or omissions possible.]
> Hurry! Old Navy Funnovations Inc. is in sweater overdrive. Just look
> at all that sweater! There are sweater purses, sweater boots, sweater
> hats, sweater scarves, sweater hot dogs... Sweater what? Who's behind
> all this? Meet Grandmabot. "Hello there, dearie--give Grandmabot some
> sugar." [smooch] ... She's our [unclear: patented?], yarn-loving
> senior knittizen and she's got a gift for everyone. All sweaters are
> $15 and under... but not for long! Old Navy--Come fun, come all.

Aside from three portmanteaus (Funnovations, Grandmabot, knittizen) and
"Come fun, come all" ending, there is also a rather extensive use of
"sweater" to represent "sweater" fabric (basically, knitted-yarn "fabric").

Normally, "sweater fabric" refers to material from which a sweater is
made (not generalized material similar to what sweaters are made of).
For example,

http://goo.gl/RMhJo
The Nature And Nurture of Sweater Fabrics

Describes the care for different types of sweaters.

However, as fewer people knit these days, pre-knitted fabric can now be
purchased so that you can make your own sweater without knitting (or
make whatever other "sweater" product you wish).

OED has separate phrasal entries for sweater blouse, coat, dress, suit
and shirt. Not all of these are of the same stock--for example,
sweater-shirt is a combination sweater and shirt (not shirt made out of
sweater material). Sweater suit is a complete outfit that includes a
sweater. The other three are closer to the desired meaning and some
quotations go back to 1911. But the meaning could be something that is
cut in the style of a sweater, not just something that is specifically
made from "sweater fabric".

But there is no general entry for "sweater" that identifies a type of
knitted fabric. Nor is there an adjective entry for "sweater"
("attributive" does not sound quite right in this context, as it could
mean one of at least three different things--as in sweater-suit and
sweater-shirt above). AHD, Macmilan and MWOLD also have nothing beyond
"a knitter jacket or pullover" (MWOLD also lists hockey sweater).

Sweater fabric:
http://goo.gl/awCGQ
http://goo.gl/NVQtp
http://goo.gl/ZWrBl

Sweater knit fabric:
http://goo.gl/mcQlx
http://goo.gl/mgRmo
http://goo.gl/MtZLB

Sweater material:
http://goo.gl/hqzFB     (sweater pillow)
http://goo.gl/G5W1J     (tie)
http://goo.gl/s8Nmb     (dress)
http://goo.gl/qgEZV      (clogs)
http://goo.gl/6qy5L      (shirt)

Sweater bag/purse:
http://goo.gl/XLS8v    (hobo bag--actually "made from vintage sweaters")
http://goo.gl/sgyhn    (purse)

Sweater socks:
http://goo.gl/eKmcb
http://goo.gl/61Af4
http://goo.gl/cxEbz
http://goo.gl/bs5ba

     VS-)

PS: OED entry for "jersey" also leaves a lot to be desired. The original
"Jersey fabric" or "Jersey worsted" items were derived from the Jersey
(island) style (thus listed as attrib.). Second meaning given is of
"woolen tunic" (there is also additional stuff on Jersey wool or yarn).
But there is nothing contemporary at all, aside from a couple of
quotations in 1. (attrib.). Nothing concerning sports/team jerseys,
"training suits" of (cotton or synthetic) fabric, or jersey sheets, so
named because they are made from the same fabric as the sports clothes.
In a way, the derivation has gone from fabric to items of clothing, then
back to fabric--although the latter is a different kind of fabric from
the original.

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

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