Shoes

<b>Forum for the discussion of Applied Linguistics </b>

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Metamorfose
Posts: 345
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2003 2:21 pm
Location: Brazil

Shoes

Post by Metamorfose » Fri Aug 05, 2005 11:45 am

One of my students said I am wearing shoes as I looked down I saw a pair of sneakers/trainers he asked me "Can I call them shoes?", I looked up in the dictionary (Cambridge) and found out that shoes are "one of a pair of coverings for your feet, usually made of a strong material such as leather, with a thick leather or plastic sole (= base), and usually a heel:" so shoes aren't slippers or flip flops, and according to the Cobuild "shoes cover most of your feet but not your ankles", so I guess I couldn't use shoes for boots, but can I use the word in a generic fashion, meaning trainers, shoes, dress shoes?

José

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Lorikeet
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Post by Lorikeet » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:41 pm

Yes. I wear shoes, and they are all sports shoes, since I threw out my other shoes (high-heeled shoes) when I got married 30 years ago. (My husband asked why I was wearing such ridiculous shoes, and I said, "For you" and he said "They look stupid." and I haven't had any trouble with my feet since, but that's another story. ;) )

metal56
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Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 4:30 am

Re: Shoes

Post by metal56 » Mon Aug 08, 2005 7:49 am

Metamorfose wrote:One of my students said I am wearing shoes as I looked down I saw a pair of sneakers/trainers he asked me "Can I call them shoes?", I looked up in the dictionary (Cambridge) and found out that shoes are "one of a pair of coverings for your feet, usually made of a strong material such as leather, with a thick leather or plastic sole (= base), and usually a heel:" so shoes aren't slippers or flip flops, and according to the Cobuild "shoes cover most of your feet but not your ankles", so I guess I couldn't use shoes for boots, but can I use the word in a generic fashion, meaning trainers, shoes, dress shoes?

José
I wonder if we should change the label "shoe shop" to "vendor of footwear".

:)

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