Fun Stuff > CHATTER
English is weird
Papersatan:
my guess would be from the 1849 gold rush: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush
GarandMarine:
Well I say chaps I was out lunting with my wonder wench and my good mate Bernie, an expert spermologer who fancies himself a bookwright having the most fascinating conversation about tyromancy when a pussyvan came up with winds strong enough to nearly dislodge my monocle!
Carl-E:
--- Quote from: Papersatan on 12 Jul 2013, 01:53 ---my guess would be from the 1849 gold rush: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush
--- End quote ---
You'd be right, women whose men were away looking for gold. Like a football widow nowadays, only able to do a little more 'cause it's not just during games...
But I remember the term being resurrected during the sexual revolution of the late 60's/early 70's. Mrs. Robinson comes to mind, although her situation was different.
Kugai:
--- Quote from: LTK on 04 Mar 2013, 13:00 ---
--- Quote from: idontunderstand on 04 Mar 2013, 10:54 ---
--- Quote from: LTK on 04 Mar 2013, 10:30 ---Why does the English language insist on using the plural for objects that are quite clearly one thing? Like scissors, glasses, headphones, trousers, tweezers, things like those.
--- End quote ---
I guess the answer is obvious but I'll say it anyway: All of those have two parts. Two scissor knives, two glass lenses, two headphones joined together etc. But I guess it's not completely logical?
--- End quote ---
That's the logic behind it, yes, but what is the reason? My language is happy to say 'a scissor', 'a trouser', and 'a headphone'. The fact that a headphone contains two speakers is irrelevant.
--- Quote from: Redball on 04 Mar 2013, 12:16 ---I assume scissors comes from cise, as in incision, etc., and that it helps to think of "them" as "cutters." But I don't know about trousers. The only place I've heard of "trouser" is in opera, but as an adjective, where some parts call for a woman dressed as a man and performing a male role, a "trouser" role IIRC.
--- End quote ---
Still no reason to not call it a cutter. :-P
--- End quote ---
Because this is a cutter
Carl-E:
I was about to say no, that's a cat-boat. But it isn't - my momentary confusion came from them both being gaff-rigged.
Why yes, I do sail!
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