baseball cap or baseball hat?

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Ryan - 20 Jan 2004 00:22 GMT

Maybe it doesn't matter, but which one is more correct than the other?

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Robert Lieblich - 20 Jan 2004 03:23 GMT

> Maybe it doesn't matter, but which one is more correct than the other?

Cap is more specific. That doesn't make it more "correct," but it
does make it preferable.

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Bob Lieblich
Tipping his hat

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Richard R. Hershberger - 20 Jan 2004 11:35 GMT

>> Maybe it doesn't matter, but which one is more correct than the other?
>
>Cap is more specific. That doesn't make it more "correct," but it
>does make it preferable.

"Cap" is also more common. That also doesn't make it more "correct",
but it does make it, well, more common.

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meirman - 21 Jan 2004 03:47 GMT

In alt.english.usage on Tue, 20 Jan 2004 11:35:08 GMT Richard R.
Hershberger <rrhersh@acme.com> posted:

>>> Maybe it doesn't matter, but which one is more correct than the other?
>>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>"Cap" is also more common. That also doesn't make it more "correct",
>but it does make it, well, more common.

I think it makes it more correct. You go to a practice and say, did
anyone see my baseball hat they won't know what to look for -- a
fedora with Yankees written on it? -- or they'll think you're a nerd.

maybe

s/ meirman If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.

Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis, 7 years
Chicago, 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
Baltimore 20 years

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Richard R. Hershberger - 21 Jan 2004 13:35 GMT

> In alt.english.usage on Tue, 20 Jan 2004 11:35:08 GMT Richard R.
> Hershberger <rrhersh@acme.com> posted:
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> anyone see my baseball hat they won't know what to look for -- a
> fedora with Yankees written on it? -- or they'll think you're a nerd.

I get nervous about language such as "more correct" because the
natural opposite is "less correct" which slides into "wrong", and we
have given those so inclined a new reason to sneer: o frabjous day.

I also note that googling "baseball hat" gives about 83,000 hits,
while "baseball cap" gives about 868,000 hits. So "cap" is an order
of magnitude more common, but "hat" is hardly unheard of. Perhaps we
can go with "baseball cap" being more idiomatic?

Richard R. Hershberger

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meirman - 22 Jan 2004 05:03 GMT

In alt.english.usage on 21 Jan 2004 05:35:25 -0800 rrhersh@acme.com
(Richard R. Hershberger) posted:

>> In alt.english.usage on Tue, 20 Jan 2004 11:35:08 GMT Richard R.
>> Hershberger <rrhersh@acme.com> posted:
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>of magnitude more common, but "hat" is hardly unheard of. Perhaps we
>can go with "baseball cap" being more idiomatic?

Maybe those 10% are Borsalinos, derbies, Stetsons, and top hats with
Orioles or Red Sox written on them. :)

>Richard R. Hershberger

s/ meirman If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.

Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis, 7 years
Chicago, 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
Baltimore 20 years

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004

baseball cap or baseball hat?