Napkin or Serviette in the UK

[purplebagladylovesgin]

I am in the south of England and say napkin for a pressed cloth ‘serviette’ which is usually made from the same fabric as the table cloth. I understood the thin paper ones, that often pop up from a dispenser in fast food places, which are often a single or double leaf of paper are called serviettes.

A heavy pressed cloth napkin in my book is never referred to as a serviette, this seems to me to be a modern interpretation by a younger generation.

A cloth napkin is also where our word for Nappy comes from.

But I've heard this now isn't the case. What do you say? Am I getting this wrong? And what are the heavy more expensive paper ones called? I'd also been calling them napkins as they felt more substantial.

Early Sunday pondering....

I'm in SE England too, I call them all napkins whether cloth or paper.

I thought serviettes were the flimsy paper ones (like you get with a take away coffee)

I'm SE but grew up SW and we called them napkins too

SE England and napkin for any sort of napkin, whatever it is made from, including paper ones.

But mainly because this is a pet peeve of DH. I grew up using serviette and napkin interchangeably.

napkin is the word regardless of material.

I’m from SE England and would use napkin for cloth and paper. But if I did use the word serviette it would just be for paper.

I think it's a class thing. I'm in Ireland and I say napkin because my parents' parents all considered themselves a cut above butter milk
It passes down.

Any word that was taken from the French in the Victorian era sounded a bit ....hmmmm to the the genteel ear during that period. Which is odd really because all things French are generally revered but not when their words are taken in isolation and used in place of an English word.

Is Toilet from toile in French, another example.

Scotland...napkin

i think you are right @SelkieIntegrated

I always thought serviette a bit naff, hyacinth bouquet etc and napkin the correct word. A bit like toilet v loo

South Coast - napkin for cloth, serviette for paper. We had napkin rings at school for cloth napkins, never heard anyone say 'serviette' ring!

Agree. I live in the south west and Napkin was always used at home. Didn't know that "toilet" originated from toile (love those designs) but that wasn't used either!

Neither.

In our house i get the kitchen roll out.

Similar to you, napkin for cloth, serviette for a flimsy bit of paper, but I would also use paper napkin or disposable napkin for the more substantial paper ones.

Napkin for cloth, serviette for paper here. Essex born & bred.

My Grandad says napkin for nappy. I also know that 'serviette' is the French word for towel, so wondering how that comes into it.

As pps have said, it’s a class marker. ‘Napkin’ is U, ‘serviette’ is non-U. Like sitting room/lounge, what/pardon etc.

Napkins and paper napkins.

I call them both kitchen roll

Napkins, paper napkins. Grew up in East London, live in Essex, so not sure it's a class marker 😁. Serviette is a bit like settee, just feels wrong. If I heard someone else say serviette I'd assume paper.

Raised outside UK in English speaking country and for me, napkin is made of cloth and serviette is made of paper

I agree with you. Napkin is made of cloth. A serviette is made of paper but I often call them 'paper napkins' instead.

I say napkin and paper napkin.

I say tissue

@Planttrees

I agree with you. Napkin is made of cloth. A serviette is made of paper but I often call them 'paper napkins' instead.

Yep, I've been known to do that too (now that you mention it).

South west here. I say napkin for fabric and serviette for paper

I'm in the Midlands & think the same napkin for cloth, serviette for paper.