I was doing a cryptic crossword this morning and eventually managed to work out that the answer to one clue was "Pinkster". My dictionary tells me that this word is an old version of "Pentecost". In the UK, we know this as Whit Sunday or Whitsuntide. Is anyone familiar with this term? Are there other festivals that are known by different names in the UK and US?
Hmm, strange. I knew the term Pinkster, but I didn't know about the other versions you listed here. It's fantastic how vast the English language is, and how many versions of one word there are! You definitely don't get that in other languages.
Agree with you! For me the familiar word is "Pentecosts" and had not heard of the others, in this same context. I have heard pinkster however among young girls as an exchangeable term for girlie, associated with the excess pink elements they manage in adolescence.
The word "Pinkster" derives from the Dutch language and perhaps became current in places like New York that had Dutch connections.
I know Pentecost but not Pinkster. Just a segue, that word is popularized by the Pentecostal sect, a Christian denomination. What's unique in them is that the women do not cut their hair. So if you want to see women with long hair, enter the church of the Pentecostal.
Interesting fact! The brother of a friend of mine was a Pentecostal church minister, but while I always knew this is a Christian denomination, I never thought this was probably the reason why my friend wore very long hair for years, and cut it when he passed away, but she is a strange person who never talks about religious beliefs or almost any other topic but work, work, work.
There are hundreds of Pentecostal denominations, and not all of them have adopted traditional dress and hair styles.
I am quite familair with the word Pentecost. I grew up Catholic and this is a word used in the faith. I wasn't familair with the word Pinkster though. I have never actually heard of this word until now. So, I guess I now learned an old word for the first time.
I've never heard that word, but I love learning new ones. My most recent favorite is "dumasaphobia". The fear of stupid people. lol