Playing Football With the English Language: “Costume”, “Swimsuit”

SA Loguers Ben and Trekker – respectively, an American in SA, and a South African in the US – are kicking the English language around.

Keeping with the theme of seasonal wardrobes, summer’s arrived here in the Northern Hemisphere and my friends and I are planning a trip to the coast. This, of course, requires an update of my beach wear.

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Strolling into the local department store I ask a clerk, “Excuse me, but where are your costumes?”

The conversation follows like this:

“Ummm, we only get those in September”

“September? But that’s moving into fall!!!!!”

“Well, Ma’am, Halloween is only at the end of October!”

“Halloween! Oh you think… no I am looking for swimming costumes, you know like bikinis and such”

“Oh! Why didn’t you say so? Those are over there next to the beach towels.”

I head that way with a very confused and rather bemused clerk looking on.

I have had this happen so many times, you would think I would remember to call them swimsuits by now.

Oh well, maybe I’ll remember after another 10 years here in the States!

Over to you Ben!

Till next time, keep trekkin’

Trekker