Thursday, May 04, 2006
The Crime Dog Answers
From Pab: Why do we call pants a pair of pants when really it is only one pants?
It all started in England in the year 1278 during the reign of the Plantagenets under Edward I. Norman Feldberg, the Royal Tailor, had a little accident while sewing the King's new royal bathrobe. It seems he imbibed on a bit too much Mead, and ended up stitching the robe right down the middle from crotch to ankle, and......oh nevermind. Let's see if I can actually help:
It's really not one "pants," it's one "pant." We English-speakers occasionally refer to singular items by a plural name. "Pants" ain't alone in that regard. How about "scissors," or maybe "pliers?" Ever use a "tweezer?" Nope, you used a "pair of tweezers." So, the answer to your question is that English is a totally screwed up language, and this is just one example among many. Who knows? Maybe back in the days when men wore powdered wigs, stockings, and lace, they wore two pants at a time, hence a "pair." And it stuck.
I recommend you take a couple of days to sit by a pool, listen to good music, drink beer, bullshit with friends, and then see if you still care about the answer to this question.
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It all started in England in the year 1278 during the reign of the Plantagenets under Edward I. Norman Feldberg, the Royal Tailor, had a little accident while sewing the King's new royal bathrobe. It seems he imbibed on a bit too much Mead, and ended up stitching the robe right down the middle from crotch to ankle, and......oh nevermind. Let's see if I can actually help:
It's really not one "pants," it's one "pant." We English-speakers occasionally refer to singular items by a plural name. "Pants" ain't alone in that regard. How about "scissors," or maybe "pliers?" Ever use a "tweezer?" Nope, you used a "pair of tweezers." So, the answer to your question is that English is a totally screwed up language, and this is just one example among many. Who knows? Maybe back in the days when men wore powdered wigs, stockings, and lace, they wore two pants at a time, hence a "pair." And it stuck.
I recommend you take a couple of days to sit by a pool, listen to good music, drink beer, bullshit with friends, and then see if you still care about the answer to this question.
