The Aran jumper (Irish: Geansaí Árann), also called a fisherman's jumper or a gansey, is a style of jumper[1] that takes its name from the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland.[2][3] A traditional Aran Jumper usually is off-white in colour, with cable patterns on the body and sleeves. Originally the jumpers were knitted using unscoured wool that retained its natural oils (lanolin) which made the garments water-resistant and meant they remained wearable even when wet.
Use of the word jumper (or other options such as "pullover" and "jersey") is largely determined by the regional version of English used.[1] In the case of Ireland, Britain and Australia, "jumper" is the standard word, “jersey” is used in South Africa and New Zealand, whereas "sweater" is mainly found in tourist shops and in North America. The word used in Irish is geansaí.
- ^ a b "Collins Dictionary of the English Language". Collins English Dictionary, Standard. Harper Collins. 1979. ISBN 0-00-433078-1.
- ^ Lambert, Gail Ann (2002). The Taxonomy of Sweater Structure and Their Origins (PDF) (Thesis). Raleigh: North Carolina State University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
- ^ Gillow, John; Bryan Sentance (1999). World Textiles: A Visual Guide to Traditional Techniques. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd. pp. 50–51. ISBN 0-500-01950-9.