[Vocabulary] Pigtails, ponytails or?

Status
Not open for further replies.

englishhobby

Key Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
attachment.php


How can this girls's hairstyle be called? Does she have/wear pigtails (corrected), ponytails or is there a more exact word to describe it?
 

Attachments

  • c67da6e4508c23e5c8b5cb11dc5bb9bc.jpg
    c67da6e4508c23e5c8b5cb11dc5bb9bc.jpg
    47.9 KB · Views: 16
Last edited:

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Re: Piglets, ponytails or?

A piglet is a baby pig, not a hairstyle. Perhaps you mean pigtails.
 

Roman55

Key Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Italy
Current Location
France
Re: Piglets, ponytails or?

I am not a teacher.

This style can also be called, 'bunches'.
 

englishhobby

Key Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
Re: Piglets, ponytails or?

A piglet is a baby pig, not a hairstyle. Perhaps you mean pigtails.
Yes, that's right, it was an accidental mistake. So, can the word 'pigtails' be used to describe this hairstyle?
 

Roman55

Key Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Italy
Current Location
France
Re: Piglets, ponytails or?

I am not a teacher.

Some people might call them pigtails, but normally a pigtail is plaited.
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Re: Piglets, ponytails or?

Some people do, I wouldn't. I call them "bunches".
 

MikeNewYork

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I would call them "pigtails".
 

Skrej

VIP Member
Joined
May 11, 2015
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I agree, I'd call them pigtails. A pony tail is gathered into a single, longer bunch at the back center of the head, where pigtails are smaller bunches gathered off to the sides of the head.

At least as far as I know - I have limited knowledge of hairstyles. Generally, if mine is long enough to need combing, it's time for a haircut. One summer as a young teen I did experiment with a rattail after losing a bet. At least it didn't involve a mullet. :roll:
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
Where are our female members when we need them?
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Here I am!!

OK, in British English, those would be bunches. A ponytail is usually a single collection of all the hair at the back of the head. In the 1980s, many of us had one single ponytail pulled round to one side of the head - that was a "side ponytail". Pigtails are plaits, one on each side of the head (like bunches, but plaited), also just called "plaits".
 

Skrej

VIP Member
Joined
May 11, 2015
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Despite being male, I suspect this may be another BrE vs. AmE vocabulary difference.

Ignore The *Guess Who - we need an American Woman!

*Edit
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top