When “poche” means bag in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
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In Nouvelle-Aquitaine, “poche” does not refer to your trousers: here, the word means a plastic bag. In standard French, it is therefore simply translated as “sac plastique,” or, depending on the context, “sachet” when referring to a small, lightweight shopping bag. The expression is mainly used while shopping, for example: “Do you want a bag for your vegetables?” or “I left my bag in the car.” It is one of those little words that can cause confusion as soon as you leave south-western France, because elsewhere people immediately think of a jacket pocket. The local usage is perfectly natural, tied to everyday shopping, and it is a reminder that, in regional speech, a very simple word can change meaning without warning—a real source of misunderstandings, but a nice one to discover. Origin / context: this expression became established through everyday use in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, shaped by local habits, oral transmission, and subtle local nuances. Selected type: Translations.
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Where: Nouvelle-Aquitaine