Welcome to
ESL Printables, the website where English Language teachers exchange resources: worksheets, lesson plans,  activities, etc.
Our collection is growing every day with the help of many teachers. If you want to download you have to send your own contributions.

 


 

 

 

ESL Forum:

Techniques and methods in Language Teaching

Games, activities and teaching ideas

Grammar and Linguistics

Teaching material

Concerning worksheets

Concerning powerpoints

Concerning online exercises

Make suggestions, report errors

Ask for help

Message board

 

ESL forum > Ask for help > Handbags and Purses - UK and US differences - some questions    

Handbags and Purses - UK and US differences - some questions



Jayho
Australia

Handbags and Purses - UK and US differences - some questions
 
Hi all
 
For women
 
For holding personal items: In British English a handbag = in American English a purse
 
However
 
For holding coins and sometimes notes/plastic cards: In British English a purse = in American English ???
 
 
 
For men
 
Holding notes: In British English, a wallet = in American English ???
 
 
And, the little bags that men sometimes carry, what are they called in British and American English?
 
I sometimes hear a manbag but I tend to think this is being facetious as it is not at all common.
 
Cheers
 
Jayho

17 Nov 2015      





cunliffe
United Kingdom

Hi Jayho. It is �manbag �in England. Not that many fellers carry them. Well, in my neck of the woods (up North) anyway. They are regarded as a bit effeminate, for some reason. 

17 Nov 2015     



ninon100
Russian Federation

For men, BrE - wallet, AmE - billfold :)

17 Nov 2015     



kwsp
United States

Hi Jayho!
 
WOMEN:
In America there are several names for a handbag depending on the style, but for the most common usage nowdays people just call them �bags�. Purse is somewhat old fashioned although they do still call them that in advertising. There are handbags, totes, clutches, over the shoulder bags, crossbody bags -  all can fall under the category of purse or bag.
 
If the item is just used for holding coins it is a coin purse. If it is used for coins, bills, and cards it is a wallet or billfold. 
 
MEN:
For bills and cards men use a billfold or a wallet.
The �manbag � is usually a messenger or courier bag but there are feminine forms of these too.
 
Here are a couple of links for you to look at:
 
 
 
Best Regards,
 
kwsp

17 Nov 2015     



douglas
United States

purse (or handbag)
wallet ( I �ve rarely heard billfold in the USA except from advertisers)
coin purse
man bag, man purse, satchel (or bag for men)
 
 

18 Nov 2015     



Jayho
Australia

Hi all
 
Thanks for your posts. As a result of this and my research, I�m going to settle on Jayho�s international definitions for my students:
 
Ladies have a handbag/bag for their things and a purse for their money and cards.
 
Men, if they have one like we ladies, have a bag for their things and a wallet for their money.
 
Mmm ... manbag, and murse, not really a common occurrence in my neck of the woods.  But, I did stumble on an interesting read on man-bags here.
 
Cheers
 
Jayho

18 Nov 2015