Philosophy
When we look at the terms we use for closed crotch garments worn below the waist, we almost always use the plural -- pants, trousers, jeans, dungarees, Bermuda shorts, cut-offs, capris, leggings, tights, a pair of underwear, panties, bloomers, jockey shorts, boxer shorts, briefs,... Yet, when we examine the terms for clothing worn on the torso, the terms are always in the singular -- shirt, blouse, sweater, vest, jacket, coat, tank top, camisole, even brassiere (the one where it would make the most sense to use the plural). Open bottomed clothes that cover lower half -- skirt, kilt, dress, robe -- are singular. We generally have two arms, just like two legs, so why the syntactical difference? The only counterexample I can think of is the two piece bathing suit where the lower half is the bikini bottom (singular) or is it generally bottoms? For men, we use the singular bathing suit, but also the plural swim trunks. Explanations or further examples and counterexamples?
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Philosophy
I Don't Need a Pair, I'd Just Like to Buy One Jean Please
When we look at the terms we use for closed crotch garments worn below the waist, we almost always use the plural -- pants, trousers, jeans, dungarees, Bermuda shorts, cut-offs, capris, leggings, tights, a pair of underwear, panties, bloomers, jockey shorts, boxer shorts, briefs,... Yet, when we examine the terms for clothing worn on the torso, the terms are always in the singular -- shirt, blouse, sweater, vest, jacket, coat, tank top, camisole, even brassiere (the one where it would make the most sense to use the plural). Open bottomed clothes that cover lower half -- skirt, kilt, dress, robe -- are singular. We generally have two arms, just like two legs, so why the syntactical difference? The only counterexample I can think of is the two piece bathing suit where the lower half is the bikini bottom (singular) or is it generally bottoms? For men, we use the singular bathing suit, but also the plural swim trunks. Explanations or further examples and counterexamples?
- What's The Difference: Equality, Justice, And Fairness
We were talking about bathrooms the other day. I mentioned that in my building at work, on the top floor there used to be one single stall men's and one single stall women's room. They have since chanced the men's room into a unisex...
- Historians, Archaeologists, And Scientists
Are historians scientists? They frame hypotheses about the causes and effects of real events and use empirical evidence to support their accounts. But they don't do not look for regularities to make into laws; to the contrary, they account...
- Grammar Curmudeons
Had a student ask yesterday about grammatical pet peeves. His was "irregardless." My big three are: 1) "Quote" used for "quotation." Quote is a verb. You quote someone. What you write down is not a quote, but a quotation. ...
- Are Physics And Mathematics Singular Or Plural?
Are the words "physics" and "mathematics" singular or plural? If plural, what is a physic or mathematic? Is is a single theory? A single result? A single axiomatic system?...
- Let Me Be Brief
This week is the 76th anniversary of jockey shorts. It was this week in 1935 that Coopers, Inc. first introduced the legless briefs. The name "jockey" came from the fact that it was modeled on the jock strap and designed to give the same support in a...