Help me understand a particular kind of English grammar...

[Bunny]

Wardrobe is usually used when you are talking about your clothing "collection" in entirety. Closet is the place that holds the wardrobe.

[Shauna]

Maybe it's just me. I put my clothes in a wardrobe. That's how I'd say it. xD

[Zeldy]

Isnt a closest and Wardrobe different things? I always say, and only hear other people say 'wardrobe'.

[Little Blue]

I've only heard it called "closet" on american tv shows that get shown here in the UK. I've only ever known it as "wardrobe".

[Dr Aum]

Yeah, the only time that we Americans ever use the word "wardrobe" is when we mean it as metonymy for our collection of clothing.

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

Yeah, the only time that we Americans ever use the word "wardrobe" is when we mean it as metonymy for our collection of clothing.

Or as a synonym for an armoire.

[Dr Aum]

Yeah, the only time that we Americans ever use the word "wardrobe" is when we mean it as metonymy for our collection of clothing.

Or as a synonym for an armoire.

I've never heard it used that way in American English.

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

Yeah, the only time that we Americans ever use the word "wardrobe" is when we mean it as metonymy for our collection of clothing.

Or as a synonym for an armoire.

I've never heard it used that way in American English.

Well, I don't know where you are from, but it is used like that all the time over here in the Northewest. Washington/Oregon, that is.

[Dr Aum]

Yeah, the only time that we Americans ever use the word "wardrobe" is when we mean it as metonymy for our collection of clothing.

Or as a synonym for an armoire.

I've never heard it used that way in American English.

Well, I don't know where you are from, but it is used like that all the time over here in the Northewest. Washington/Oregon, that is.

Wow, that's really interesting--I just assumed that no one in the US used the word that way since I had never heard or read it. Maybe it's just a peculiarity of the Southeast.

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

Yeah, the only time that we Americans ever use the word "wardrobe" is when we mean it as metonymy for our collection of clothing.

Or as a synonym for an armoire.

I've never heard it used that way in American English.

Well, I don't know where you are from, but it is used like that all the time over here in the Northewest. Washington/Oregon, that is.

Wow, that's really interesting--I just assumed that no one in the US used the word that way since I had never heard or read it. Maybe it's just a peculiarity of the Southeast.

Yeah. Actually, most people don't even know what an armoire is up here. Sad really.

[Yar]

Please don't call it "American". "American" is not a language. American English is a dialect, just as Canadian English, British English, and Australian English are dialects. Within dialects you get your accents, such as Midwestern accent, Southern accent, Scottish Accent, and even accent in certain cities such as Chicago accent, or the Boston accent.