How do you pronounce "plaid"?

anne

I have never hear the word said as we don't use it here in Australia. I imagine "plad" but it could equally be rhyming with said or splayed??

11 years ago

What I Wore

53 replies

Latest reply was from anne

bj1111

Veteran

Plad with a short 'a' like sad.

11 years ago

Susie

Veteran

You are correct that it is pronounced plad. What word do you use to describe a similar pattern?

11 years ago

Alassë

Veteran

Yep, like sad/bad/dad.

11 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

It's pronounced as "plad". Your first instinct is right.

Never heard of the word either Anne, until we came to the US. I use checks to describe plaid. And tartan, houndstooth and gingham are all different types of checks.

11 years ago

Neel

Veteran

And I always pronounced it 'played'?!" Thankfully I haven't embarrassed myself yet by uttering that word in public o_O

I thought it should sound like raid, laid since it is spelt that way? Ack!

11 years ago

anne

Veteran

Thanks everyone!! So plaid doesn't equal tartan - which is what I would have said to Susie's question if I hadn't read Angie's response. I didn't realise plaid could include houndstooth or gingham .
(Another word that stumped me today was Sioux!)

11 years ago

(website)

Veteran

Funny, I'd never heard tartan until I came to this forum. I just figured all plaids were, well, just plaid. lol

11 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

I don't think of houndstooth as plaid. I'd say it is definitely checks (a pattern of little squares or nearly-squares), but to me an essential element of plaid is that there are lines that intersect. So (1) houndstooth is checks but not plaid, (2) gingham is both checks and plaid, and to me, (3) tartan is sometimes but not always plaid but not checks (because no solid squares -- although this could go either way depending on the tartan). (In fact, I think in the U.S. when we say "plaid" we mostly are thinking of "tartan.")

It's funny how we have our own little unexamined definitions of these terms, that never really come to light until somebody asks a question like this! Fun!

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11 years ago

K. Period.

Veteran

It isn't uncommon, though, to hear folks in the shops in Scotland pronounce the word as "play-d," with the emphasis on the "play." So Neel, I think that you'd be okay either way. The usage is slightly different, though. From what I understand, the Scottish plaid isn't so much the pattern as the garment.

11 years ago

celia

Veteran

I didn't know that. I always thought you read the i. Glad you asked.

11 years ago

Nebraskim

Veteran

Being from Nebraska, where the Sioux tribes were Native, this word perplexed me as a child. I was roundly mocked for mispronouncing it Sigh-ox as a first-grader. (It should be pronounced Soo. I think the spelling is sort of French.) I was also mocked for mispronouncing the word sponge as Spong when I read it on a sign at age 4.

11 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

I've been having a grand old time googling around looking at various plaids. Let's not forget our friends tattersall, argyle, and madras. And border check.

11 years ago

rabbit

Veteran

My understanding is that 'played' is the Scottish pronunciation for the original wool garment with a tartan pattern -- so the origin of the word.

Do UK folks use the word 'plad' to refer to that pattern family or just 'checks' or 'tartan'? I think 'plad' is just a US thing?

oops -- late post, what K. Period said.

11 years ago

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I have never considered ginham or houndstooth as plaid either Mary. I always think of plaid as having varying widths of perpendicular lines and gingham and hounstooth to be more uniform.

11 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

My Nova Scotia relatives (including my now dear departed Grandma) always said play-ed.

They say "said" the same way....SAY-ed.

In Ontario I grew up saying Plad. Like glad.

NEVER sad or mad!!!!!

How could you ever be sad or mad, wearing plaid??

11 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

I've been raised up to view it as dianthus said--plaid and tartan being closest or perhaps the same, with varying widths of lines and resulting "squares", and with a key thing being woven in so that you get these great nuances of color due to overlapping threads.
Then checks are checks, though when they'r woven they may qualify as a kind of uniform plaid, and tattersall is different, and houndstooth is very specific

11 years ago

Laurinda

Veteran

Really interesting question. I had no idea the regionalism behind the term 'plaid'. I would only call Glen, Tartan or Madras 'plaid'.

Too bad I already submitted my weekly link suggestion, this is a nice summary:
Guide to Plaid

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11 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Laurinda, I love that!!! I am going to suggest it on your behalf.

11 years ago

Laurinda

Veteran

Thanks Suz!

[Guess I'm Mad for Plaid ]

11 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Interesting! I thought "tartan" referred to plaids that are specifically Scottish, related to families, and other plaids are just plaids.

11 years ago

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Tartan is a specific plaid, "owned" by a clan. So Tartan is plaid, but plaid isn't necessarily a tartan.

I never think of houndstooth or check or gingam as plaid - to me plaid is multiple colours, and the paterns made with just two, aren't. But maybe that's just me.

And a Scot will refer to "the wearing of the plaid", which (I believe) is a big piece of tartan folded just so and worn over the shoulder, as part of the full dress outfit.

11 years ago

Marley

Veteran

Oh this is sooo fun to read! To me houndstooth is houndstooth - not plaid, gingham is checks, and tartan is plaid!

11 years ago

viva

Veteran

What Elizabeth P said.

11 years ago

Isabel

Veteran

Oh... I learned all about "tartan" when the Bay City Rollers hit in the 70's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq7cGo3GfdM

11 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I've always said "plad." But now it's interesting to think about, because my dad had an accent that sounded Welsh to a lot of people, an accent I couldn't exactly hear of course. I'm pretty sure he said "plad" but in a lilting sort of way.

Anyways, "plaids come in various tartans." That is, you have a plaid, which is the blanket garment you wrap around yourself. Tartan is the pattern.

Side story: My whole life, up until a few years ago, I thought this one grandma of mine was a MacFarlane. Turns out she was a MacDonald. My plan is to keep on pretending we're of MacFarlane descent. I'm sorry but "This I'll Defend" is a way better motto than "By Sea and Land," even if it's more suitable all things considered to my family's ways.

Gosh darn it!

11 years ago

Louise

Veteran

I've always said it as 'played' I'm in the UK but I can't recall if I've actually heard anyone say it or whether that's just how I imagine it's said? You can imagine the fun I had with Hermione from Harry Potter!!! X

11 years ago

Elizabeth P

Veteran

"Wisely if sincerely" here. Snooze....

11 years ago

Joyce B

Veteran

I always say "played" and people in the shops understand that. Maybe they just want to sell to me.
I didn't know it was pronounced "plad" in the US, if I heard that I probably did not understand it.
Great topic, Anne!

11 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

*Wisely if sincerely*?!

Oh no no no, Elizabeth. You should come pretend you're a MacFarlane too with me.

Lololol!

11 years ago

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