|
|
#17 (permalink) Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:41 am Evening dress |
|
|
Hi Torsten,
You wrote:
| Quote: |
| Well, I think it's more a question of what native speakers associate with the term evening dress. Obviously it's what women wear when they dress up to go out. |
If an invitation states that you should wear a 'full evening dress' it does not mean that men should show up in dresses but in suits of a certain kind ('white tie' can also be used instead of 'full evening dress'). I think that the fact that Jamie does associate 'full evening dress' with something else has to do with the fact that it's very uncommon to dress up like that in the US (and in many other countries). |
|
Englishuser I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 806
|
|
#18 (permalink) Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:17 pm Evening dress |
|
|
| Englishuser wrote: |
| If an invitation states that you should wear a 'full evening dress' it does not mean that men should show up in dresses but in suits of a certain kind ('white tie' can also be used instead of 'full evening dress'). I think that the fact that Jamie does associate 'full evening dress' with something else has to do with the fact that it's very uncommon to dress up like that in the US (and in many other countries). |
Wrong. It's an indication that such an invitation would call for "full evening attire". At best, the expression "full evening dress" is confusing, as you can see if you search Google with it in quotation marks.
Besides this, you didn't write "full evening dress", but "a full evening dress", which indisputably means an evening gown, and not white tie. |
|
Jamie (K) I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 5334 Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
|
 |
#19 (permalink) Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:36 pm What kind of clothes do you wear? |
|
|
Ms Google finds approximately 25 instances (!) for "a full evening dress".
Looking at these massive results , just over a third refer to a woman's formal dress, about a third use the expression as an adjective (e.g., "a full evening dress sporran"), a few results were bad translations, a few were websites in non-English speaking countries and one website didn't actually use the article "a".
I'm starting to think "Englishuser" comes from another planet and that the name should be altered to "Englishabuser". |
|
Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
|
 |
|
Torsten Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 10060 Location: EU
|
 |
#21 (permalink) Mon Jul 10, 2006 13:28 pm What kind of clothes do you wear? |
|
|
Fighting as a way of existence…
Englishuser, let me make a note to your Gender speech, that sometimes you give classic examples of a teenage (unisex) behaviour.
Tamara _________________ It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water… |
|
Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
|
 |
#22 (permalink) Mon Jul 10, 2006 14:20 pm Full evening dress |
|
|
Hi,
Jamie, you wrote:
| Quote: |
At best, the expression "full evening dress" is confusing, as you can see if you search Google with it in quotation marks.
Besides this, you didn't write "full evening dress", but "a full evening dress", which indisputably means an evening gown, and not white tie. |
True. Indeed, in an invitation, you'd write 'full evening dress' without an article. Or, perhaps more commonly, you'd write 'white tie'.
| Quote: |
| I'm starting to think "Englishuser" comes from another planet and that the name should be altered to "Englishabuser". |
I really wouldn't think so. 'Full evening dress' is found in invitations as I've stated above. Please see the link Torsten gave.
| Quote: |
Englishuser, let me make a note to your Gender speech, that sometimes you give classic examples of a teenage (unisex) behaviour.
|
I'd rather not find comments like this on the site as I've stated in another thread. |
|
Englishuser I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 806
|
 |
#23 (permalink) Wed Jul 12, 2006 18:19 pm In my country |
|
|
Thanks for all the answers on this topic,to share your own experiences, In my country it is common to wear formal clothes,when we work,companies usually ask for that,but of course depends on each company,also in special ocassions,like a wedding ceremony,a woman 15 year old party,but when we are not working its common to wear jeans,a shirt and a jacket,or a blouse depends on you. I prefer colors like blue,brown,black, When Im at home I use whatever clothes that appear in front of my eyes. Cris. _________________ Brains like hearts go where they are appreciated. |
|
Cristina I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 19 May 2006 Posts: 135 Location: Lima Peru
|
 |
#24 (permalink) Wed Jul 12, 2006 19:57 pm Dress |
|
|
Hi,
On the lighter side I heard a wonderful comment from a real chappie (I mean OK ja and all that - straight out of P G Wodehouse) I met when we were in France recently. Just as the evening meal was approaching, he turned to his wife and said: Well, I suppose we'd better get togged up for dins. It made my day.
Alan _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Not Really |
|
Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 9209 Location: UK
|
 |
|
| Marketing language blunders... | English as a corporate language? |