Am I the only one who calls them french braids?

[SimJam]

interesting - did not know the difference was with braiding style - over or under

 

[Nonie]

interesting - did not know the difference was with braiding style - over or under

@SimJam It isn't the braiding style unless we're going to start changing English definitions into what they aren't. A French Braid is all hair combined into one braid, usually going down the center of the head.

Dictionary.com
Longman
Oxford

http://www.dreamweaverbraiding.com/braid_examples/technique/braid_examples_french.htm

 

[ecadnacmc]

Where I grew up (Detroit) French braids were larger braids, ie. 1-6, or so. Cornrows referred to smaller braids like in OP's picture.

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

I grew up in the country and cornrows were overhanded or underhanded. French braids were in relation to 1-2 braids on the head.

This is so interesting.

 

[Crown]

@SimJam It isn't the braiding style unless we're going to start changing English definitions into what they aren't. A French Braid is all hair combined into one braid, usually going down the center of the head.

Dictionary.com
Longman
Oxford

This is not just an English definition, for what I know, we have the same definition in French.

French braid : all the hair in one row (over or under, but usually it's under) or two rows combined in one. More than that, it's cornrow.

Cornrows (Ti kouri in Creole) : multiple rows (over or under, but usually over).

 

[Mizz Diamonds]

I call them canerow, my mum calls it weaving (Nigerian)

When it's only one or two big one that is when it's a French braids. I never heard anyone call canerows French braids because they are not French, they are African.

 

[Oasis]

i call those in the OP cornrows but i call the process French braiding.

 

[silenttullip]

It just depends on the area so it was a local thing.
In Ohio and midwest states they also call individual braids micros
not realizing the term micro means really little.
A french braid has more hair and isn't done really tightly...
You can have four french braids but they would be kinda poofy vs four cornrows would be tight (not in feel but in look) and not have so much hair
The size and amount of hair in them makes that pic cornrows

 

[Jetblackhair]

I grew up using the term french braids to describe the braids you posted. The term cornrows is what I started using only after joining the forum & watching YT videos.

 

[tiffal1922]

I've always known them as french braids, I was raised hearing my mom calling "cornrows" french braids and I'm from Michigan

 

[tiffal1922]

Also! I know in Flint(where i'm from) we call "micros" Zillions... lol. and it wasn't until i went to college that I heard of these so called "micros".

 

[Nonie]

This is not just an English definition, for what I know, we have the same definition in French.

French braid : all the hair in one row (over or under, but usually it's under) or two rows combined in one. More than that, it's cornrow.

Cornrows (Ti kouri in Creole) : multiple rows (over or under, but usually over).

Crown, I'm a French stan. Like madly in love with the language. Can't speak it to save my life but will look for any excuse to use la langue. So how do you say "French braid" in French, pretty please?

 

[ChristmasCarol]

I have always called "cornrows" french braids. Actually, I never heard the term cornrows until I moved from WI. I never see anyone call them french braids either, so I'm wondering if it was just a local thing.

What do you call the braids below:

View attachment 123145

I grew up calling them French braids. I am from Chicago.

I grew up only knowing them as French Braids. It wasn't until I was older that I started calling them cornrows.

I grew up in the country and cornrows were overhanded or underhanded. French braids were in relation to 1-2 braids on the head.

This is so interesting.

I grew up using the term french braids to describe the braids you posted. The term cornrows is what I started using only after joining the forum & watching YT videos.

I've always known them as french braids, I was raised hearing my mom calling "cornrows" french braids and I'm from Michigan

I wonder if this is a Mid-Western or rural thing - using the terms interchangeably or using the term "French braids" even when referring to multiple cornrows? Could also be generational - my mother and aunts (they are aged 76-84) also call them French braids. They were all born and raised in rural Ohio.

 

[Crown]

@Crown, I'm a French stan. Like madly in love with the language. Can't speak it to save my life but will look for any excuse to use la langue. So how do you say "French braid" in French, pretty please?

Nonie

Tresse française

 

[Nonie]

@Nonie

Tresse française

Thanks @Crown!

Like music to my ears. I might just name my first child Tresse française...or make it a pet name for my hubby...

Dear Tresse-française:

I hope you're doing well and not overwhelmed by exams this semester. I was happy to hear from you and learn about the new friends you've made and how much you like your new school. It's hard to believe you've been there for two months already....
​

That there^^...Nonie's letter to her daughter who's a freshman in college, having survived Elementary school with a name that only made sense to her mother and one that only her mother loved.

To hubby: Oh how I adore you, my darling Tresse français (<--I dropped the E coz he's a guy. )

 

[nzeee]

Thanks @Crown!

Like music to my ears. I might just name my first child Tresse française...or make it a pet name for my hubby...

Dear Tresse-française:

I hope you're doing well and not overwhelmed by exams this semester. I was happy to hear from you and learn about the new friends you've made and how much you like your new school. It's hard to believe you've been there for two months already....
​

That there^^...Nonie's letter to her daughter who's a freshman in college, having survived Elementary school with a name only made sense to only her mother and only only she loved.

To hubby: Oh how I adore you, my darling Tresse français (<--I dropped the E coz he's a guy. )

hahahahaha wow...

Nonie, you are a weirdo. i'm actually enormously surprised at this discovery, who knew?!!!

point of info tho: La tresse is still feminine so probably note appropriate for hubs. Tresse as a little girl's name is quite lyrical tho. i might still it for my imaginary chi'ren.

 

[Nonie]

hahahahaha wow...

@Nonie, you are a weirdo. i'm actually enormously surprised at this discovery, who knew?!!!

point of info tho: La tresse is still feminine so probably note appropriate for hubs. Tresse as a little girl's name is quite lyrical tho. i might still it for my imaginary chi'ren.

@nzeee I have no fear of breaking rules. My oldest cat (a ragdoll) is called Mon Petit Poupé. I know poupée is doll and is feminine. But I'd already decided when I saw his cute little face, his name would be my little doll. So I dropped the E to make the word masculine. I've run this by a few French folks and they thought it was clever. I mean, the way I see it, Ken is still a doll...but he's also a guy. So I insist that dropping the E changes things--in my head anyway. Ken can continue being poupee and fruity.

Mon chat précieux is Poupé and very much masculine.

 

[kittenz]

@nzeee I have no fear of breaking rules. My oldest cat (a ragdoll) is called Mon Petit Poupé. I know poupée is doll and is feminine. But I'd already decided when I saw his cute little face, his name would be my little doll. So I dropped the E to make the word masculine. I've run this by a few French folks and they thought it was clever. I mean, the way I see it, Ken is still a doll...but he's also a guy. So I insist that dropping the E changes things--in my head anyway. Ken can continue being poupee and fruity.

Mon chat précieux is Poupé and very much masculine.

You have a ragdoll?! JEALOUS!

 

[DDTexlaxed]

We used to call small braids cornrows and the large ones goddess braids.

 

[Majestye]

I agree with fletgee, greenandchic and Val.

If the braid was done in an under-handed fashion with the “row” on top, it’s a cornrow; if an over-handed method was used with the “row” being underneath, it’s considered French braid.

What differentiates each type is the approach, not the number of braids.

That is EXACTLY how I grew up using the terms. Spot on!

 

[Crown]

Thanks @Crown!

Like music to my ears. I might just name my first child Tresse française...or make it a pet name for my hubby...

Dear Tresse-française:

I hope you're doing well and not overwhelmed by exams this semester. I was happy to hear from you and learn about the new friends you've made and how much you like your new school. It's hard to believe you've been there for two months already....
​

That there^^...Nonie's letter to her daughter who's a freshman in college, having survived Elementary school with a name that only made sense to her mother and one that only her mother loved.

To hubby: Oh how I adore you, my darling Tresse français (<--I dropped the E coz he's a guy. )

Nonie, You can NOT do that, even if you like to break rules.
It would be so painful for your daughter : you don't want an adjective in her name

Maybe : Tresse France or Tresse Paris

 

[Nonie]

@Nonie, You can NOT do that, even if you like to break rules.
It would be so painful for your daughter : you don't want an adjective in her name

Maybe : Tresse France or Tresse Paris

@Crown OK, fine. Y'all are such party poopers. *pout*

Tresse Paris (French pronunciation of both names please!) it is then.

Ooh...just saying it makes me wanna change my own damn name!

*Puts on a sexy voice as she holds out a hand to an imaginary image of her hubby who suddenly only speaks French and it's our first meeting and he's held out his hand to receive mine for a kiss*:

"Je m'appelle Tresse Paris!"

​

Oooh Lawd! *fans herself* My hubby better be fluent in French by the time I get to him... Later folks!

Ahem...under 18-year old kids, I'm going to wash dishes.

 

[sweetlaughter]

actually, you are thinking of dutch braids and not french braids. dutch braids look like the braid is lying on top of the hair and french braids look like the braid is inside the hair. that being said i say dutch braids and not cornrows. cornrows to me are smaller than dutch braids. most ppl only do one or two dutch braids in their hair.

 

[Anne26]

French braid: sections go over each other

Dutch braid: sections go under each other

Corn rows are a lot of tiny dutch braids (but I guess tiny french braids can be used to, though I haven't seen many of those).

 

[diadall]

I don't think anyone I knew when I was growing up cared about the technical parts of the braid being over or under, they just called them french braids.

"I am getting your hair French braided for the summer." --the women in my family just called them that.

 

[keenyme]

i call them canerows, but ppl around here say cornrow.

i used to think a french braid was when you do one (or two) braid(s) straight back.

 

[Nova]

From Illinois here...I grew up calling them french braids.

 

[rainbowknots]

It just depends on the area so it was a local thing.
In Ohio and midwest states they also call individual braids micros
not realizing the term micro means really little.
A french braid has more hair and isn't done really tightly...
You can have four french braids but they would be kinda poofy vs four cornrows would be tight (not in feel but in look) and not have so much hair
The size and amount of hair in them makes that pic cornrows

We call them micros too

I wonder if this is a Mid-Western or rural thing - using the terms interchangeably or using the term "French braids" even when referring to multiple cornrows? Could also be generational - my mother and aunts (they are aged 76-84) also call them French braids. They were all born and raised in rural Ohio.

That's what it's starting to seem like to me also. I have family in Illinois and Michigan and they call them french braids also. The first time I heard cornrow was from a buddy of mine that came from Georgia.

 

[TaraDyan]

I grew up in Nebraska, and we called those French braids. I never heard the term cornrow until I moved down South.

I also never heard of the word "plaits" until I moved down South. We just called them braids up North.

I had to get used to that too.

 

[glittering0419]

I was always told the difference between the two braiding methods was in how the actual hair was braided. In one method you do what is called overbraiding. To overbraid you draw the side hair in over the top and braid overhanded-one hand over the other-plams facing down. Underbraiding is the reverse. To underbraid you draw the side hair in underneath and braid -with your palms facing up.

This is what i've been told aswell when doing a hairstyling course and also that french braids are supposed to look flatter whereas cornrow are supposed to look fatter and slightly elevated fro the scalp (thus more like corn) although my fam originate from jamaica and we call then canerows.