The British Name Game: Tank Top Edition

In the UK, a tank top is known as a 'vest'. This term is also used in the US to refer to an undershirt. The British usage of the term 'vest' is comparable to the American usage of the word 'tank top'. Tank tops are typically worn as casual wear by both men and women, and are often worn during athletic activities or in warmer weather.

A tank top is called a vest in the UK

In the UK, a tank top is called a vest. This is in contrast to the US and Canada, where a sleeveless shirt is called a tank top or tank shirt. The name 'tank top' is derived from the 'tank suits', or one-piece bathing suits, of the 1920s. Tank tops are often worn as undershirts, by athletes, or as casual wear. They are usually buttonless, collarless, and pocketless, and they have large armholes and neck holes.

In the UK, a tank top is known as a vest, especially when used as an undershirt. The term 'vest' is also used in the Indian subcontinent to refer to a sleeveless undershirt, while it is called a singlet in Australia and New Zealand. In the Philippines, it is called a 'sando'.

The term 'vest' is also used in British English to refer to a specific type of tank top that is worn as an outer garment. This type of tank top is usually worn over a shirt, blouse, or jumper. It is typically made of knitted material and has a round neck and deep armholes. However, this definition of a tank top as a sleeveless jumper or pullover is no longer as popular in the UK.

It is worth noting that the term wife-beater is sometimes used to refer to a white tank top, particularly in the US. This term is considered derogatory and is falling out of use.

Wife-beater is a slang term for a tank top

Wife-beater: A Slang Term for a Tank Top

The term "wife-beater" is a slang expression used to refer to a specific type of shirt known as a tank top or sleeveless shirt. This usage is particularly prevalent in the United States, where it carries a range of connotations and associations. The term is considered vulgar and heteronormative by some, and its origin is the subject of much discussion and some controversy.

Origins of the Term "Wife-Beater"

There are various theories about how the term "wife-beater" came to be associated with the tank top. One popular belief is that it originated from Marlon Brando's character, Stanley Kowalski, in the 1951 film adaptation of "A Streetcar Named Desire." Brando's character, an abusive husband, wore a white tank top, and the costume was designed to make him seem more like a wild animal than a human. This association stuck, and the term "wife-beater" for the tank top gained traction in the late 1970s, likely due to Brando's memorable performance.

Another theory suggests that the term originated from a 1947 criminal case in Detroit, where a man was arrested for beating his wife to death, and newspapers printed a photo of the "wife beater" wearing a stained undershirt. However, this origin story, along with another medieval armour story, was later revealed to be a hoax by writer Paul Davidson.

Usage and Controversy

The term "wife-beater" is considered offensive by many due to its explicit reference to domestic violence. It is also seen as heteronormative, as it assumes a male wearer and a female victim. Some people actively avoid using this term and prefer alternative names such as singlet or vest.

The tank top, or "wife-beater," has been used in popular culture to draw attention to a character's working-class background or criminal activities. It has also been associated with queer fashion due to its sexualized appearance. Despite its widespread usage, the term "wife-beater" is controversial and carries negative connotations.

British Perspective

In the United Kingdom, the term "tank top" traditionally referred to a different type of garment: a sleeveless jumper, sweater, or pullover. However, this definition is no longer commonly used. Brits typically refer to a tank top as a vest, while other countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, use the term "singlet."

Tank tops are called singlets in Australia and New Zealand

A singlet is a sleeveless sports shirt worn by athletes, including boxers, and is also a type of underwear. It can be worn on the upper half of the body under clothes or on its own for particular sports. Singlets are also worn for extra warmth in the form of an undershirt. In the UK, a tank top is known as a vest, especially when used as an undershirt. In the Indian subcontinent, a sleeveless undershirt is called a banian or banyan, while in the Philippines, it is called a sando.

The term "wife-beater" is a slang term for a tank top, although this term is not as common nowadays. The name reportedly came about after a 1947 criminal case in which a man was arrested for beating his wife to death, and newspapers printed a photo of the "wife beater" wearing a stained undershirt. Another claim is that the term comes from a medieval chain mail undergarment called a "waif-beater". However, this story was later revealed to be a hoax.

Tank tops designed for a tight fit and made of ribbed cotton are also called A-shirts. Other slang terms include "beater", "guinea tee", and "dago tee" (with "guinea" and "dago" being American ethnic slurs for people of Italian ethnicity). In British English, a sleeveless shirt with thin straps is called a "spaghetti strap shirt".

Tank tops are called banian or banyan in the Indian subcontinent

In the UK, a sleeveless shirt is known as a vest, while it is called a singlet in Australia and New Zealand. In the Indian subcontinent, however, it is called a banian or banyan. The term is derived from the Gujarati word 'vāṇiyo', meaning 'merchant'. In the 17th and 18th centuries, European men and women wore a garment called a banyan, which was influenced by the Japanese kimono and brought to Europe by the Dutch East India Company.

The banyan tree is native to India and Pakistan and is considered the national tree of India. It is a type of fig tree that develops accessory trunks from adjacent prop roots, allowing it to spread outwards indefinitely. This is distinct from other trees with a strangler habit that begin their lives as epiphytes, growing on other plants. The banyan tree is known for its large, leathery, glossy, green, and elliptical leaves.

The term "banyan" specifically refers to the "Indian banyan," or Ficus benghalensis, but it has also been used to refer to all figs that share a common life cycle. The banyan tree is significant in several Asian and Pacific religions and myths, including Hinduism and Buddhism. For example, in Hinduism, the leaf of the banyan tree is said to be the resting place of the god Krishna.

In the Indian subcontinent, the term "banyan" is commonly used to refer to a vest or undershirt. This usage may be influenced by the historical association of traders with the banyan tree, as the name "banyan" is derived from the Gujarati word for "merchant." Thus, the term "banyan" for a vest or undershirt in the Indian subcontinent reflects a unique cultural and linguistic evolution.

In the US, a tank top is worn as an undershirt or on its own

In the US, a tank top is a garment with a variety of uses and styles. It is commonly worn as an undershirt, especially in more formal settings with suits and dress shirts, or on its own as casual wear. Tank tops are also worn as lounge wear, or for yard work and other chores around the home.

Tank tops are typically made without buttons, collars, or pockets, and are often manufactured with reinforced necks and armholes for durability. They are usually sleeveless, with large armholes and neck holes, though some have thinner spaghetti straps. The armholes on women's tank tops tend to be smaller, to conceal the breasts. Tank tops can also be made long, to make them easier to tuck into pants.

Tank tops are worn by both men and women, and are often associated with athletes and sports such as track and field and triathlon. They are also worn in warmer weather, and were particularly popular in the 1980s, when they were associated with surfers and bodybuilders.

Tank tops have a variety of names, including "muscle shirts", "wifebeaters", "beaters", "guinea tees", and "dago tees". The term "wife-beater" is particularly controversial, with several different, and possibly fabricated, origin stories. The term is considered offensive and is falling out of use.

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