Blanky Vs Blankie, When And How To Use Each Word Correctly

In our daily life, we can find an infinite range of words. Among these words that make up our vocabulary, we will come across terms that people generally spell the same way. Often these pairs of words differ in spelling only by one or two different letters. But someone who is not very knowledgeable could quickly get confused. This person could inadvertently interchange both words in the same context. This is the case of the terms we will see today: blanky and blankie.

“Blanky” or security blanket is a piece of soft fabric. People use it to keep warm when sleeping. This fabric protects your body from the elements and keeps it warm while preventing heat from evaporating into the air. On the other hand, a “blankie” is a blanket for children and is a much more colloquial word.

Understanding both definitions, we can summarize that both words have many similarities. While “blanky” is a much more generic and broad term, “blankie” is typically used to refer to the fabric children cover themselves with when they are cold. Because of these significant similarities between these words, it is much easier to make a mistake in their use. They have a similar function and definition, but the primary difference is how they are used.

The Origin Of The Words

We have to point out that both “blanky” and “blankie” are variations of their root word, which is blanket. In this case, we will review not just one origin for these words but several since there is no single unanimous source of information.

The Origins Of The Word “Blanket”

We will review some of the different origins of the word blanket that are available. These different versions vary in their history, date, and origin.

• One of the oldest uses of this word dates back to the year 1300. At that time, people defined a blanket as a piece of thick white wool.
• They also said that a blanket was a long, oval piece of cloth used for warmth or bed cover.
• Another use of blankets at the time was as a covering for horses.
• Other historians say that blanket comes from the Old French “blanchet” to refer to a light woolen or flannel cloth, or anything made of those materials. In addition, other historians say it originates from the word “blanc,” which is short for white and refers to any fabric of white color.
• In U.S. history, the term has been in use since 1859. It is associated with blanket Indians. A blanket Indian was known for wearing traditional attire rather than Western garments.
• Another theory indicates that the term comes from the generalization of blanket fabric. Blanket fabric is a type of strong wool fabric that Thomas Blanket invented. This gentleman was a Flemish weaver from Bristol, England. His time period was the 14th century.
• According to the Oxford English Dictionary, people used this word as a noun in the 14th century. However, some historians say that William Shakespeare was the first person to use the verb “blanket.” Shakespeare gave it the meaning of “to cover something with a cloth.” This important playwright used this word in his famous play King Lear of 1608.

What Is A Security Blanket?

A security blanket is a therapeutic object. This use of blankets helps children and, in some cases, adults to achieve calmness in particular situations.

In the case of children, blankets help them feel more secure, grow more confident, and cope better with the challenges they face. Of course, it seems a bit exaggerated, but some theories say that the blanket helps the child connect with the warmth of their home and the affection of their parents.

According to some studies, children and adults who used a security blanket during childhood became more independent adults. These results explain why the blanket was a security source that helped them grow up emotionally healthier. In addition, the blanket helped these individuals to become independent from their parents more easily. At the same time, those children who did not have a security blanket had a more challenging time detaching from their parents during their transition to adulthood.

To go a little further, we should know that security blankets are excellent even for adults. A study conducted by a research company involving 6000 adults had revealing results. 35% admitted that they sleep with a security blanket to achieve emotional balance.

The Origin Of Security Blanket

As for the term security blanket, we find its origin in the 1940s. The security blanket is a small piece of cloth that children use to feel comfortable and cover themselves from the cold.

The most famous image we have of a security blanket is from the comic strip Peanuts by Charles Schulz. In this comic strip, the character named Linus never leaves his security blanket.

People use this term figuratively to mean that something is our source of support and trust.

The funny thing is that a security blanket was originally a military expression. This expression meant “to take measures to protect military plans away from enemies and to maintain confidentiality.”

How Do People Use The Word “Blanket”?

Surprisingly, this word and its derivatives blanky and blankie have more uses than one might imagine. Let’s review some of them.

Use As A Verb

1. To cover something or someone with a soft cloth, letting the blanket fall to the floor.
2. To cover something to inhibit, extinguish, or remove.
3. To apply something generally and evenly.
4. Covering something.
5. Covering a large area or space.
6. To obscure or remove something from view.
7. In sailing, to prevent the wind from reaching another sailboat.

Use As A Noun

1. A piece of thick cloth that people used to cover bedding, animals, and people. This fabric allows the person or animal to retain heat.
2. We use a large piece of woven material as a cover for warmth, especially in bedding.
3. It is a layer that covers or encloses something, such as a thick blanket of snow.
4. It is a covering or cloak for concealments, such as a layer of smoke, leaves, or snow.
5. In printing and lithography, it is a sheet of plastic or rubber that covers a cylinder. It is used in offset printing to transfer images from plate to paper.
6. In physics, it is the layer of a substance placed around the core of a nuclear reactor. Scientists do this to create new fuels.
7. In the insurance world, it is coverage that covers a vast number of people from different walks of life and life situations. Moreover, this coverage is against loss, injury, and theft.

Use As An Adjective

1. To qualify something that covers all conditions or instances; a blanket insurance policy.
2. To refer to something that applies to all members of a specific class.

Examples Of The Use Of These Words

We are one step away from being experts in the use of these words. There is only one thing left to achieve: to see some practical examples that will clear up our doubts completely.

Examples With “Blanky”

• She brought her blanky for our walk outdoors.
• I have a suspicion that Esther is sleeping with her blanky.
• He filled the backpack with toys, water, and his son’s favorite blanky.

Examples With “Blankie”

• When you were a baby, you would forget everything but your blankie.
• Are you sure this is Carol’s blankie?
• Don’t worry. I’ll look for your blankie until I find it.

A Final Thought On Today’s Words

It is very satisfying to end this journey with new knowledge. Knowing our language and vocabulary in detail allows us to be more effective in sending and receiving messages.

Communication will always be a significant area of opportunity in the development of human relationships. This fact is reason enough to try to learn a little more every day about our fascinating language. From now on, I am sure that words like blanky and blankie will be in our minds, and we will use them optimally.