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?

WE KNOW NOT EVERYONE HAS IT IN THEIR HOUSE

but a child reads a book and thinks ' oh what's velvet ' amd then asks or looks it up

The link's dead, I'm afraid.

I think my first meaningful encounter with the word 'quilt' was in the phrase 'continental quilt', which was how duvets were first marketed in the UK. I suspect that they thought we were more likely to accept a foreign version of a thing we knew rather than something that just sounded entirely French.

I also remember being very anti-duvet, on the basis that with sheets and blankets you were properly tucked in, and with the duvet surely bits of you would stick out and what's to stop it just falling off the bed and next thing you know I'll be expected to eat avocado.

Within weeks of having a continental quilt I was a committed fan - a duvotee, if you like - but I have never come to terms with avocado. Disgusting stuff. I won't hear another word on the subject.

A swede is indeed a type of turnip but it is not every kind of turnip. It is large, with orange coloured flesh inside. Where I live, the term turnips was and is used describe the generally smaller, pale fleshed ones, big or small. (ancient Londoner).

PS (gave up reading thus thread at page 11). I would just like to say, The Velveteen Rabbit is a lovely book but a tearjerker and the illustrations are wonderful. It was definitely still in print a few years ago.

i was a high school teacher for many many years and this was almost a daily occurrence and not only with unusual words or objects. Before reading a story, for example, which had the phrase ‘black as ebony’ I would make sure they all Jew what ‘ebony’ was.
Although I still got a few surprises. I once asked a boy to run a little errand for me. He didn’t know what an errand was. Lol

I just asked my year 4 boy and he said it’s a bit like silk so I think that’s fair enough.

There’ll be words our parents and grandparents knew that we wouldn’t, language evolves.

I agree. My 7 year old has loads of velvet dresses, got loads of velvet cushions, a sofa in the playroom, hair bows and scrunchies. Teddies made from velvet. No idea why people are banging on about the 70s.

I did wonder if it was becoming less common in usage in written word as well as spoken but couldn't find stats.

Appparently narrow vocublary is hitting kids
BBC:Narrow vocabulary 'hits pupils' grades'

Apparently been a concern for a while - as lots of new articles come up.

The finger gets pointed to less reading. My DC found reading really hard but all now teens adults read for pleasure - but their vocb also came from TV and radio.

Surely this is context based.

In modern english conversation in a work place a cat house will be a cat accessory ie a house for a cat.

If you were talking about early 20 US literature I'd expect it to be a house of prostitutes.

When was the last time you saw velvet? I genuinely can't remember. Lots of materials I would t expect children of that age to be familiar with ... Jute? Tweed?

Most of the children I know still have party dresses or special outfits for Christmas, birthdays etc. I'm amazed none of 30 8-9 years olds had a velvet dress?

I was wearing my velvet top tying on this thread last night - only one I have though do have a velveteen jacket- both teen DDs have velvet in their wardrobes.

I don't think it's a unknown fabric though I think talk about fabrics is probably happening less in modern world.

I’m sitting on it at the moment.

My kids do. I make them watch Sewing Bee with me 😁 Also though, velvety is often used as a descriptive word. My ds would describe ddog's ears as velvety. It is worrying that our vocabulary is shrinking.

Literally one minute ago in the window of Next

We had some velvet chairs and cushions, hence they knew very young.

Me (unable to motivate myself to move from sitting room): "CHILD"

Child (8, upstairs, engrossed in the Beano): "WHAT"

Me: "DO YOU KNOW WHAT VELVET IS"

Child: "WHAT DO YOU MEAN"

Me: "HAVE YOU HEARD THE WORD VELVET"

Child: "YES"

Me: "DO YOU KNOW WHAT VELVET IS"

Child: "sigh IT IS A TYPE OF FABRIC"

Yes I agree. Had OP’s sister asked if they knew what ‘velour’ is, 30 hands would have shot up! It’s very similar to velvet and most kids own a velour tracksuit.

I’m another who wouldn’t have known the word ‘duvet’ at ten. Discovered continental quilts on the school exchange to Germany when I was 15 (mid-seventies) and immediately insisted on having one when I got home.

So sorry - the book was Elizabeth of the Garret Theatre by Gwendoline Courtney.

Yes tulle. My mother used to make my tutus, gathering the stitches by hand to create the frills and then using the sewing machine to attach them to a pair of knickers. I did the same for my daughter. Sounds like another world doesn't it.

My twins (age 9) both knew what it was. I just asked them and they said "yeh a really soft fabric, why?" - so that's put a smile on my face! I'm sure they know other things that I didn't know at 9 too...

We bought our first duvets in 1973 in the British Home Stores. 😂

Are you on about the fabric? I don't think me or my children have any clothes with that fabric anymore. I thought it was old-fashioned. Then again, the last time I was child free (I've a 1 & 4 year old) was 10 months ago so what do I know about what people wear on a night out. 🫣 And the only time the kids go to parties is at preschool or mums and tots and they wore Christmas clothes for that.

To be fair do children even wear velvet any more. In our day girls had a velvet dress or bow for special occasions. Also the dirt if tv watched now is more about what children do now and velvet doesn’t really come into it. I shall try it out on my 6 year old grandson when I see him. He’s very knowledgable about random things😂