American/english

[zigs]

Often thought that about a pair of pants too

 

[MaryMary]

And pair of scissors.

One bit is flat and the other curved.

If I remember correctly, the curved side goes on top to help cut the glass after you've scored it? The flat bit is just to provide pressure?

 

[zigs]

Got a theory about that, used to work with French masons and noticed their word for chisel sounds very much like scissor. Wonder if scissors were invented by putting 2 chisels together? Hence a pair of chisels?

Think I use em the other way round, i'll check when I next have a good groze

 

[MaryMary]

This is going to be a long post, but I love language!

I've done some research, and this is what I have learned in regards to the "pair of" construction: Nothing! I can't really get a definitive answer. Apparently it all stems back to the idea of two things joined to make one. Any language is always evolving, but the "pair of" (two things) is something we just won't change!!

http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/pair-of-pants-etc/
“pants” in the 16th century differed from today’s jeans in that each leg was a separate garment, donned in succession and then belted together at the waist. Thus it made sense to call these “two-piece britches” a “pair” of pants

Also from that site, one we haven't mentioned.

“Pair of binoculars” makes even less sense than “pair of pants,” since “binocular” already contains the concept of “two,” but that’s English for you.
{(...snip...)}
There are other “pairs” out there, including some that have never been used in single form, such as “tongs,” “tweezers” and “scissors,” but in such cases “pair” simply carries the sense of something made of two joined or corresponding parts, both of which are needed for the thing to function.

http://hubpages.com/literature/How-...ate-and-Become-Different-from-British-English
Language Families
There are many families of languages, but two are of prime importance in the development of English, and those are the Germanic and Latin families.
{(...snip...)}
Grammar Headaches
The reason English is so perplexing to many (including native speakers who struggle with grammar rules) is this: English is essentially a Germanic language, onto which Latin grammar rules have been grafted

Origin of scissors
Middle English sisoures ; from Old French cisoires ; from Late Latin cisoria, plural of cisorium, cutting tool ; from Classical Latin caedere, to cut: eastern; English spelling, spelled altered by associated, association with Classical Latin scissor, one who cuts ; from scissus, past participle of scindere, to cut
http://www.yourdictionary.com/scissors#smmoq7SPrAjhd6RM.99

zigs, since scissors and chisels are both used to cut things, this would explain the similarity in the words.

Origin of pliers.

http://www.memidex.com/pair-of-pliers Origin: dialect ply "bend", from French plier "to bend", from Latin plicare "to fold"

marlingardener, if you scroll halfway down this page to "Etymology references," they cite that the use of the word "pliers" (or "plyers") has been in use since 1532, another source on the same page says, "around 1569," so if there is another word, they've probably forgotten it too.

Although, when I scrolled to the bottom of the "pliers" page at Wikipedia, there was the note, "See also: Nippers." Is that the word you wanted?

 

[zigs]

Nice one @MaryMary

Good bit of research

I spent ages looking into the similarity in the numbers 1 to 5 in Welsh being almost the same as 1 to 5 in Punjabi, only to find the Welsh probably came from India in the first place

 

[MaryMary]

Aw shucks, t'weren't nuthin' . Labor of love, really.

I have a book (somewhere...) on the history of language, and the words for "water" and "mother," (being necessary for survival,) can both be traced back to the earliest known forms of language. In theory, those words moved with the people, and changed over time as people "forgot" the original pronunciation, and developed their own.

Also, it fascinates me how people travelled to new places, and took words home with them. That's how the Mexican (Spanish) "vaquero" became the "buckaroo" of the wild, wild west!

 

[zigs]

I guess the first language started in the rift valley, wonder how much of that survives?

Like the French Dent de Lyon became our Dandelion and the Fleur D'asphodil a Daffodil

Don't watch this while drinking anything unless you want a wet keyboard

 

[MaryMary]

I'd "like" it twice if I could! Thank you!

Also interesting is how the "American Redneck" sounds compared to other languages.

I must say, I've travelled to 44 of the contiguous United States, and never heard anything quite like him.

 

[marlingardener]

Nippers, yes, yes, yes! Oh thank you MaryMary, now I can sleep through the night! Brilliant post, very interesting, and entertaining.

 

[MaryMary]

You're welcome, marlingardener!

I learned a lot of interesting things today.

For instance, "two-piece britches" are what led to the invention of the codpiece.

(I'm having a tough time deciding which face goes with that statement! )

 

[Becky]

That video is hilarious @zigs!

Learning lots from this topic

 

[zigs]

That video is hilarious @zigs!

Learning lots from this topic

I know what's coming and it still cracks me up

Me too, did you know the word stem of Tory comes from the Irish for Robber?

 

[Becky]

e too, did you know the word stem of Tory comes from the Irish for Robber?

Ha! Makes sense I guess

 

[LouisFerdinand]

American - Color
English - Colour