Couch or Sofa

[sbbn]

Re: Couch or Sofa

It's like asking if it is "soda," "pop," "soda pop," or "coke." Dictionary meanings aside, people use these terms interchangeably and part of it is region, part of it is just what people are used to using.

[Joaneasley]

Re: Couch or Sofa

If a male writer feels himself up on the casting couch, is that enough to get him to hire himself?

See, that's what's so sad. Even when they have a girlfriend, writers only get to feel themselves up.

[sc111]

Re: Couch or Sofa

What about the infamous Hollywood casting couch? Or, did someone mention it already?

I only use "sofa" when looking to cut characters during the editing process. Sometimes a single letter saves a line. Otherwise I use couch. Sofa sounds dated to me.

ETA:

Tom Cruise's famous moment on Oprah is now accepted slang: "Jump the couch.

Couch Commando - the person who holds the TV remote over all others.

And Dave Chappelle's saying: Fvck your couch.

[DavidK]

Re: Couch or Sofa

If you're a broke writer whose girlfriend tolerates you and occasionally lets you feel you up while you two watch CW shows together, it's a sofa.

See, that's what's so sad. Even when they have a girlfriend, writers only get to feel themselves up.

[DavidK]

Re: Couch or Sofa

If I'm watching football it's "are you gonna lie on the couch all day."
When guests arrive they're invited to relax on the sofa.

[Joaneasley]

Re: Sofa

Then again, the really large ones always seem to be called "sectional sofas." So, we've got sectional sofas, psychiatrists' couches, sofa-beds and couch potatoes.

Since we all understand both "couch potato" and "sofa-bed," we're all fine with either term. Depending on which you use, some will be picturing something bigger, smaller, or with or without the legs covered up, but we'll all be picturing some familiar, bigger-than-a-chair, upholstered piece of furniture facing the TV.

Interesting. From Wikipedia:



For what it's worth, I consider a couch to be larger than a sofa in my mind's eye.

[ProBono Writer]

Re: Sofa

Interesting. From Wikipedia:

Etymology
The traditional meaning of couch is a particular type of sofa with a half back and one raised end. By this definition it more closely resembles a daybed, chaise longue, or indeed a bed. In the UK, where the generic term for the item of living room furniture is usually "sofa" or "settee", the term "couch" retains this specific meaning, for example in a therapeutic setting (e.g. a psychiatrist's couch). A couch is therefore used while lying down, while a sofa or settee is for sitting upright. The word "couch" derives from Old French couche, meaning "bed", and from coucher, meaning "put to bed, lay down".[1]

For what it's worth, I consider a couch to be larger than a sofa in my mind's eye.

[carcar]

Re: Sofa

Yanks don't know what a Davenport is. A couch confuses them, except for the term "couch-potato".

Use "sofa".

Pish-tush. Of course we know what a davenport is. That's what my grammy called it.

[Biohazard]

Re: Couch or Sofa

Everybody I know says couch, but we all know what a sofa is, so no worries.

[Kwvillen]

Re: Couch or Sofa

It depends on the context.

If you are pretending to be a director and want to bang a drunk starlet who doesn't know better, it's a couch.

If you're a broke writer whose girlfriend tolerates you and occasionally lets you feel you up while you two watch CW shows together, it's a sofa.
Hamboogul

KWV

[Hamboogul]

Re: Couch or Sofa

It depends on the context.

If you are pretending to be a director and want to bang a drunk starlet who doesn't know better, it's a couch.

If you're a broke writer whose girlfriend tolerates you and occasionally lets you feel you up while you two watch CW shows together, it's a sofa.

[emily blake]

Re: Couch or Sofa

I call the crappy one the couch and the nice one the sofa.

[cshel]

Re: Couch or Sofa

Raven -

I deeply appreciate your support in my crusade to bring the term "davenport" back into vogue. And a "davenport potato" would definitely watch really cool TV shows. Like "Mad Men".

[Ravenlocks]

Re: Couch or Sofa

I agree, unless it turns into a bed, then they always call it a sofa.

True, but in that case it's usually referred to as a sofa-bed.

DVPP stands for davenport potato, which you'll turn into if you watch too much Scrubs.

I've decided to use the term "davenport potato" from now on. Sounds way cooler.

[instant_karma]

Re: Couch or Sofa

Great. Now I'm picturing you as Morgan Freeman in a red sweatsuit, staring at my ass.

I feel dirty and confused.