To be shocked that not even one y4 child knew the meaning of the word velvet?

[Utterlybananas333]

My sister is a teacher in a South London primary school, she is a year four teacher of around 30 8 to 9-year-olds. She was recently describing her disbelief over the fact that not a single child knew what velvet meant? There were some crazy guesses, and lots of children who thought it was cake (probably relating to red velvet). Is it just the fact that children and adults don't talk anymore? That nobody reads anymore? Or even watches educational TV programs? Would your child know?

Yes this is really strange to me. I think people underestimate how much you pick up from reading.

I was curious enough to have a search for velvet in a handful of books I would have read at that age, and it's in:
Roald Dahl (e.g. Willy Wonka's coat)
Jacqueline Wilson (really common - it appears several times describing sofas and cushions in The Dare Game)
Brian Jacques' Redwall books (common - clothing, skies)
Frances Hodgeson Burnett - The Secret Garden (frequent)
Eva Ibbotson - Journey to the River Sea (frequent - clothing, darkness)
Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl (fabric)

As an aside, if you've ever seen this list of words that are most known by women and least by men, it's almost all fabrics!
today.yougov.com/society/articles/53790-words-that-men-or-women-are-more-likely-to-know

I think it’s an everyday word loads of seats in restaurants have it as a fabric covering

Ive also literally worn velvet every day of December

This shows the use of the word "velvet" in newly-books published over the past 100 years (well, Ngram only goes up to 2022).

It is a less commonly-encountered word than it once was.

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Imagine?? But no absolutely do not do this especially when the velvety fuzz has gone!!! I grew up very close to The Phoenix Park & there's a massive herd of deer within its 1700 odd acres so you'd see the odd ones here & there having been shed & then of course later while on school trips to either Dublin Zoo or various animal attractions Newbridge House, Tayto, Fota etc or a Santa expierence there'd inevitably be reindeer for the photo ops...

in closing I AM NOT A DEER PEST!! 😂

Weirdly it came up in my house today. I have two velvet sofas. My MIL was sitting on one and said “I love this couch, I just want to keep touching the seat. It’s so comforting.

Claudia was wearing a velvet jacket this evening …

Just reading this post reminded me of posing for photos at primary school in the early 80s in velvet smock dresses with pie-frill collars

Must ask my kid tomorrow (8)

Nope sorry you're wrong as velvet doesn't exist anymore . It's an ancient fabric from mythology now apparently

I’m a grown adult of 24 and have never thought about it, I knew vaguely it was a soft thing “velvety and soft”. I’ll have to ask my 8 year old in the morning.

I think there are more shocking words kids apparently don’t know, I once saw a teacher online say barely any of her year ones knew what a lighthouse was.

Shocked seems well over the top. Why should they know about it.

Yeah, I remember the word gabardine from reading The Scarlet Pimpernel. But I didn't read that at four.

Roald Dahl also describes Miss Trunchull’s clothes: a cotton smock, and breeches made from a course twill. I didn’t know most of those words as a child, I looked up breeches.

My tweenager does! And brocade, and tweed, and the difference between velvet and ‘velveteen’, and what actual silk and satin are! Because she hears me complain so much about modern clothes and the shoddy fabrics and tailoring used 😂

ill admit it can be a mix at times, even now i still google things or if theres a thread on here etc

Velvet is defined by its structure, not by its material. Polyester and nylon can still form legitimate velvet structurally. Silk was only used traditionally because it was the only material that could withstand the technique. As soon as materials improved, velvet diversified.

My 7 year old described it fairly well just now except she thinks it only exists in the colour red.

But what about “cat house”? Genuine question - a young colleague said they had a new one and didn’t understand why I burst out laughing! I don’t know if I’m just ancient or if it was maybe an American expression my granny picked up during the war, but I swear I didn’t make it up as an expression!

It is more American.

If I was a child today, I'd probably know what velvet was through going to Marks with my mum, or other shops. Lots of velvet clothes to touch, and/or scrunchies and bags. I'm sure Accessorize must have some velvet items. And Marks has velvet cushions.

In America, a cat house is a brothel!

🤣🤣🤣 I'm wondering if you protest too much!

Local deer be like "Quick! Hide! Here she comes again!" 🤣🤣🤣

I have a Y6, Y4 and Y2 and all know what velvet is (because we have books and conversations!)

I can't believe not 1 in 30 kids knew the word...

🤣🤣🤣🤣 Look, you stag-fanciers, I spent some of my youth near Windsor Great Park, which is full of deer, and not once did I chase them to try to cop a feel of their antlers! Christ, there are some real weirdos on this thread. 🤣