Footpath or pavement, which is it?

moxin · 19-12-2014 11:41PM #1

I've been reading news stories lately from Irish based news sites and it seems the Americanised word pavement is creeping in to our honourable home grown news outlets. When I was growing up, that lump of concrete we walk on was always the footpath, nothing to do with paves.

So AH, what do you think on this earth shattering revelation that will ruin our lives that your most honoured footpath is now called a pavement, do you agree?!

CINCLANTFLT · 19-12-2014 11:42PM

It's sidewalk!!!

MistyCheese · 19-12-2014 11:43PM

Footment ftw

looking_around · 19-12-2014 11:43PM

path....just path.

but I don't really care what anyone calls it, so long as I know what they're talking about.

Lisha · 19-12-2014 11:43PM

It's more often used as a cycle lane

I say footpath

El Weirdo · 19-12-2014 11:44PM

Pavement isn't American.

Or are we on about the band?

The_Valeyard · 19-12-2014 11:44PM

The Path.

Or the footpath next to the pot holes

Matta Harri · 19-12-2014 11:45PM

Toe path

moxin · 19-12-2014 11:46PM

Poll added, bloody hell a damn conspiracy trying to prevent me highlighting this crisis issue :P

bodice ripper · 19-12-2014 11:47PM

I got such **** for saying sidewalk as a kid.

I refuse to change it. Sidewalk, faucet, elevator, truck, aluminium, pants, sneakers, jerks, highway.

**** you Kildare in the 80s...

*come to think of it! I got so much **** for saying kid as a kid. Times have changed.

bodice ripper · 19-12-2014 11:49PM

All the while using press, delph, immersion, lorry, and eejit like they were actually words...

brevity · 19-12-2014 11:50PM

The ground.

moxin · 19-12-2014 11:55PM

El Weirdo wrote: »

Pavement isn't American.

Proof?

I quote Wikipedia our bastion of neutrality

even though its written mostly by Americans http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_surface

wendell borton · 19-12-2014 11:58PM

Footpad

Hande hoche! · 20-12-2014 12:01AM

bodice ripper wrote: »

I got such **** for saying sidewalk as a kid.

I refuse to change it. Sidewalk, faucet, elevator, truck, aluminium, pants, sneakers, jerks, highway.

**** you Kildare in the 80s...

*come to think of it! I got so much **** for saying kid as a kid. Times have changed.

bodice ripper wrote: »

All the while using press, delph, immersion, lorry, and eejit like they were actually words...

You seem to have a chip french fry on your shoulder.

JuliusCaesar · 20-12-2014 12:04AM

A pavement is paved, a path is just a track worn by use. Footpath or pavement are and were interchangeable here.

Sidewalk - now that's American.

(Just ask aul' ones, we know these things. We pre-existed americanisms, kid!)

bodice ripper · 20-12-2014 12:07AM

Hande hoche! wrote: »

You seem to have a chip french fry on your shoulder.

Grafted to my scapula.

bodice ripper · 20-12-2014 12:09AM

Hande hoche! wrote: »

You seem to have a chip french fry on your shoulder.

And be careful. The American for "chip on your shoulder" is actually "kill everyone with an automatic weapon".

20-12-2014 12:09AM

moxin wrote: »

I've been reading news stories lately from Irish based news sites and it seems the Americanised word pavement is creeping in to our honourable home grown news outlets. When I was growing up, that lump of concrete we walk on was always the footpath, nothing to do with paves.

So AH, what do you think on this earth shattering revelation that will ruin our lives that your most honoured footpath is now called a pavement, do you agree?!

Ive never really thought about it - but now that I do - I realise I use both terms. Contextually. If I am talking about some scenario where people are moving about - I use footpath. So "The man ran along the footpath".

But if I am referencing the ground itself in some way - I switch to pavement. "The money was on the pavement".

So I guess I am Bi to Bi-curious on this one

I can not really think of a single context I would use "sidewalk" in - short of a (insert correct collective noun here while quoting me) of mimes walking hermit crab like along it.

blueser · 20-12-2014 12:09AM

El Weirdo wrote: »

Pavement isn't American.

Or are we on about the band?

Agreed 100%. I'm born and brought up in Manchester, and it was always pavement.

20-12-2014 12:14AM

I usually just call it a path, I'd rarely say footpath but sometimes I do refer to roads as wheelpaths

michellie · 20-12-2014 12:17AM

Sidewalk.

Dont call me Shirley · 20-12-2014 12:21AM

You mean the walkey road?

zcorpian88 · 20-12-2014 12:22AM

I call it path myself. I've heard an Irish guy say sidewalk before which made me look at him very peculliarly!

All this talk of pronouciations made me think of that scene in The Simpsons about Homer saying "Garage" the way Americans say garage.

Homer: "Hmm. I wonder why he's so eager to go to the garage?"

Moe: "The "garage"? Hey fellas, the "garage"! Well, ooh la di da, Mr. French Man."

Homer: "Well what do you call it?"

Moe: "A car hole!"

Hande hoche! · 20-12-2014 12:25AM

bodice ripper wrote: »

And be careful. The American for "chip on your shoulder" is actually "kill everyone with an automatic weapon".

Cheers for the heads up. Will make sure I'm around good guys with guns.

Candy_Girl · 20-12-2014 12:25AM

I was just telling my little one today that when he goes out with his Nan he's to stay on the inside of the pavement.I actually thought to myself where and when did I start calling the path a pavement.

Tonyandthewhale · 20-12-2014 12:26AM

bodice ripper wrote: »

I got such **** for saying sidewalk as a kid.

I refuse to change it. Sidewalk, faucet, elevator, truck, aluminium, pants, sneakers, jerks, highway.

**** you Kildare in the 80s...

*come to think of it! I got so much **** for saying kid as a kid. Times have changed.

Why? Are you American or just weird?

20-12-2014 12:27AM

wendell borton wrote: »

Footpad

OK my English is not perfect but is it not a footpad the person which uses the footpath?

20-12-2014 12:28AM

And for question, it is sidewalk :pac:

Donkey Oaty · 20-12-2014 12:59AM

Well technically you're all wrong, at least as far as the UK is concerned.

Under Interpretation Section 329 of the 1980 Highways Act, if it goes alongside a road that vehicles can go along, it's a "footway"!

DEFTLEFTHAND · 20-12-2014 01:43AM

Pavement is British. Most people I know in Ireland say footpath, if sidewalk ever creeps in over here I'll think I'll give up life.

Footpath or pavement, which is it?

What do you call that lump of concrete you walk on? 93 votes

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