False cognates

[pne]

I just looked at Amy after breakfast and asked her, “Shall we take off your skirt?” before I realised I had the wrong word, and corrected myself with, “er, your apron?”

I blame interference from German Schürze (which may well be cognate).

Comments

[jordik.livejournal.com]

Pretty sure it is a cognate. Skirt comes into Middle English from Old Norse skyrta (shirt). Skyrta/shirt is thus the same word as G. Schürze or D. schort.

[allegrox.livejournal.com]

These are called false friends because they look like they should mean the same thing, but don't. False friends may also be cognates.