| | English varies from place to place. In American usage one can use "umbrella" for just about everything, including a paper beach umbrella. It derives from the Latin word for "shade". One rarely hears "paper umbrella", almost always "paper parasol", but without the lead in "paper" one will hear "umbrella" for eveyrthing, including "umbrella drinks" at Trader Vic's and "Chinese umbrellas" for decorative paper umbrellas.
The one exception is the 19th Century type of ladies' sunshade (which was known as a "sunshade" when the style was current), which has a long shaft and short ribs. Most people who would refer to such a thing would say "sunshade" or "parasol", but these are people who are already educated in past fashions. A guy might say "umbrella" if he didn't know another word.
"Parasol", in the U.S., can be used for any sunshade which is carried, and as has been said before, is not usually made of waterproof material. One sees people using nylon rain umbrellas as sunshades but the word "parasol" doesn't come to mind.
The paper parasols in drinks are miniatures of the Chinese ones which are meant to be carried. But larger, free standing ones are called "umbrellas". Besides "beach umbrellas", there are "clip on umbrellas" which go on one's folding chair and backyard "sun umbrellas" made of canvas or metal, or "sunbrella" fabric, which is a trademark for a canvas substitute which holds its color in the sun. These are often found in "umbrella tables" and anchored by "umbrella stands". Which are concrete and have a hole in the middle for the shaft, unlike indoor "umbrella stands" which stand by the door and hold closed rain umbrellas.
"Market umbrellas" are large canvas versions of the table umbrella, of a particular style, and often with advertising logos on them if they're in public places. "Golf umbrellas" are the very large ones which two can stand under (presumably the player and caddie), usually two alternating colors, and used for both rain and sun. "Doorman's umbrella" is even larger and is meant for a doorman to hold over one or two people getting out of a car while they walk to the door, usually black, but possibly red, dark blue or gold.
There are modifiers for all the other kinds of umbrellas, but they're still umbrellas: There's a "folding umbrella", which refers to ribs that fold, "mini-umbrella" (6 inches or less folded), "pocket umbrella" or "purse umbrella" for small, lightweight ones, "stick umbrella" for a fixed, rather than telescoping shaft, "gentleman's umbrella" for a classic, large, stick umbrella with a crooked handle, etc., but all of them can just be called "umbrella".
Besides umbrella there are lots of slang words for the kind used in the rain, the most common of which are brolly (England) and bumbershoot. |
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