The vagaries of language

We all know that language evolves both cross culturally and generationally. When an American says he\s pissed he means that he\s really annoyed. A Brit who is pissed is too drunk to drive. Although I did once hear an Aussie say that he was pissed at his friend who got too pissed the night before. And the word thong conjures an image of a rubber sandal for me, and something quite different for my 19-year old niece. Actually, post Monica it\s a new image for all of us, but I digress. People in Ghana use thin black plastic bags for everything. The market lady puts two carrots in one, a green pepper in another, and then both of them in a third bag. And you absolutely cannot just put something in the bag you are already carrying, or in your pack. The locals call these plastic shopping bags rubbers. Who knows why? And as a woman of a certain age, that has a totally different meaning for me. And no, not on the foot...those are galoshes. So I\m in Accra, at the Global Mamma\s retail shop which is full of beautiful things hand made by Ghanaian women who are paid a fair wage or a fair trade price for their work. Imagine my confusion when the cute young volunteer says, Come, let me show you the wonderful handbags the women are making out of used rubbers!. Well, I looked, and they are wonderful, but you get the picture.