This is probably not a very original thought, but because my brain is still on the fritz I figured I’d share it with you anyway. I was getting dressed the other morning and I thought, why is underwear called “a pair” of underwear? It makes perfect sense that things like socks and earrings are paired because there’s two of them. And glasses have two lenses, so they can fairly be called pairs. Pants are a little trickier, but with two legs I guess I can see why they’d be paired. But a shirt has two arms, and you don’t call it a pair of shirt. And a bikini has two leg holes, two boob cups, and even two parts to it, but it’s not called a pair of bikini. Nor is a bra, with its dual cups, ever called a pair of bra.
A friend of mine suggested that the underwear is a pair because it has two leg holes. But gloves have five finger holes and still end up as a pair. And even a single glove is just a glove, not a quintuplet of glove.
I don’t know... do you think pregnancy is ruining my brain?
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15 comments:
Funny, I just look at my underwear these days wonder if the so-called one-size-fits-all from Motherhood Maternity is really going to last the duration of my pregnancy, or will I be able to take it all back to the store at some point and accuse them of false advertising. Who's brain has been ruined by pregnancy??
I can answer the underwear question for Michelle....it's because they stretch with your belly so they will fit throughout your entire pregnancy BUT they will have grown 4 times their original size! LOL!! :)
As for the pair of underwear question....that is a viable inquiry. Things that make you go "Hmmmmm." :)
I have wondered about the pair of underwear anomoly myself. It doesn't keep me up at night or anything, but I've wasted brain cells on it :)
Yes, and it gets worse.
1. I have definitely had that thought as well and wondered why underwear is a "pair." I don't even get why pants are plural but shirt is singular so you're a step ahead of me.
2. Your brain is definitely ruined by pregnancy. Mine certainly was. Or maybe it was just ruined - pregnancy was coincidental?
3. I love your blog - I think it's hilarious and I'm glad you appreciated the mad props I gave you on mine.
If you Google this question (because you are not doing work you're supposed to be doing cough cough me cough cough), you'd be surprised how many people ask this question. (And how many people confuse "plural" with "pleural." Pretty different there, guys.)
Anyway, the consensus seems to be that English lends plural usage to things with legholes.
Longest. Comment. Ever.
Interesting thought. I hadn't really given it much thought.
I think that is a very fair question and you are right to be "mystified" -- who the heck gets to decide what's a pair and what isnt? right?
Those are some deep, deep thoughts. Maybe not entirely chalked up to pregnancy... you did just start back up in school. You could just go with that option, too!
I have something for you on my blog :-)
So I was just reviewing your archives and I realized 2 things.
1. You should be due in the very near future. When is your due date? Are you ready?
2. You hate blogs with black backgrounds. Does that mean my blog with the dark gray background is driving you crazy?
I have too much time on my hands...
Pregnancy's not ruining your brain but you're ruining mine with such ponderings for which I have no answer.
Yes, pregnancy is definitely ruining your brain. :)
What would life be without random thoughts? My two cents is, maybe it is called a pair because it covers a pair of butt cheeks. There you have it.
I think it's the same as a pair of pants. Two leg holes.
It is WACKY, though.
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