chafed or chapped ?

[Ulysses at Grasmere]

Which is correct, "chafed lips' or "chapped lips" ?
Is "chapped" an americanism ?

David H
~~~~~~~

[Ian Jackson]

In message
<e1bd18f2-3856-4867...@n35g2000yqm.googlegroups.com>,
Ulysses at Grasmere <davidh...@yahoo.com> writes

>Which is correct, "chafed lips' or "chapped lips" ?
>Is "chapped" an americanism ?
>

Well, '"chapped" (splits in the skin which occur because of the cold and
lack of lubrication) is certainly an Britishism.
"Chafed" is unwanted roughening caused by rubbing/abbrasion.
--
Ian

[GFH]

On Oct 30, 4:25 am, Ian Jackson
<ianREMOVETHISjack...@g3ohx.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> In message
> <e1bd18f2-3856-4867-9011-33f448b91...@n35g2000yqm.googlegroups.com>,
> Ulysses at Grasmere <davidholi...@yahoo.com> writes>Which is correct, "chafed lips' or "chapped lips" ?

> >Is "chapped" an americanism ?
>
> Well, '"chapped" (splits in the skin which occur because of the cold and
> lack of lubrication) is certainly an Britishism.
> "Chafed" is unwanted roughening caused by rubbing/abbrasion.

Quite correct. One could get "chafed lips" from rubbing them with
a napkin too hard. "Chapped lips" are common in the winter due
to low humidity and a tendency to moisten one's lips with one's
tongue. But "chap stick" can help with both conditions.

GFH

[mm]

On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:25:57 +0000, Ian Jackson
<ianREMOVET...@g3ohx.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>In message
><e1bd18f2-3856-4867...@n35g2000yqm.googlegroups.com>,
>Ulysses at Grasmere <davidh...@yahoo.com> writes
>>Which is correct, "chafed lips' or "chapped lips" ?
>>Is "chapped" an americanism ?
>>
>Well, '"chapped" (splits in the skin which occur because of the cold and
>lack of lubrication) is certainly an Britishism.

It's an Americanism too, or maybe it's just plain English.

>"Chafed" is unwanted roughening caused by rubbing/abbrasion.

Exactly. Right on both counts.

Though possible, I've never heard of anyone having chafed lips. It's
more like one's britches chafe his legs, or the a boss's use of
authority chafes an employee.
--
Posters should say where they live, and for which area
they are asking questions. I was born and then lived in
Western Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis 7 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn, NY 12 years
Baltimore 26 years

[Athel Cornish-Bowden]

Or it can make them much worse! About 20 years ago I was treating my
lips with a yellow product (yellow because it claimed to be a
sunscreen) and they got worse and worse, until I realized that most of
the problem was caused by the chapstick.

--
athel