[155/365] Braces

[cosmolinguist]

At some point when I was trying to get my uni group-project group to meet up, and organize our work, and try to get them to do things, diffrentcolours and I started calling me the Terry of the group, and called what I was doing Terrying, after the sergeant in Brooklyn 99. (I think it started soon after this conversation, although it was determined then that diffrentcolours himself is the most Terry of our friends group.)

And today he presented me with my very own pair of [British English "braces"/American English "suspenders"; both of these words mean different things in the other dialect so you have to be careful], because Terry wears them.

We put them on me and they're actually super comfy and great! I ended up wearing them the rest of the evening as I went to Biphoria, even though I might not have chosen this t-shirt and jeans outfit for their first outing. I really love them so I don't care. And who wouldn't want to be more like Terry...and one of my favorite Doctor Whos, because she wears them now too!

Comments

[ludy]

What does "braces" mean in US English then?


To me, they are a very Dyke-y style of clothing like dungarees and i used to enjoy wearing them in the 80/90's...

[theandrewhickey]

In the US it only refers to the things on your teeth.

[cosmolinguist]

Not only!

[cosmolinguist]

Braces are medical things in the U.S., like what gets put on teeth to straighten them (I think this is the first thing USians would think of when they hear the word), or something to support or immobilze a body part that needs it, like an elbow brace or a leg brace.

[ludy]

Thanks for explaining.
Obviously we have that meaning too so now i am trying to work out how much context i need to assume the teeth meaning not the trouser -holding one (because it needs slightly less context than for my wrist braces when it would be wierd not to use the words together or at least with the braced body part in the same sentence)