Ever wonder why BRA is singular and PANTIES is plural?

[OrganizedKhaos]

A friend on another message board I used to frequent had that on his sig,

I thought I'd share the mystery with you guys.

[Bikerpunk]

Because panties descends from pants, plural, because they were basically sleeves to be attached to a central codpiece.

Bra is singular because it is one garment - the French, who invented it, called it in the singular - "soutien-gorge", meaning "throat supporter".

[OrganizedKhaos]

wow.


Can you also explain why we drive on parkways and park in driveways?

[Bikerpunk]

Nope.

[Mindgames]

Because in America, citizens have the right to abuse the English language in ways never before imagined.

A 'driveway' was a term originally used to describe the road leading across a property from the public boundary to the house, over which it was assumed the owner would permit a visitor to drive. Before cars, driveways didn't have a name and didn't really matter as your horse didn't cut grooves in the lawn. So in answer to your question, you park on your driveway because you can't afford a house where the driveway leads to a parking lot.

A 'parkway' is a uniquely American word, first used in NY to describe a road which lead to a public park or was built on land owned by the parks authority. They started off as ways to segregate light traffic and pedestrians from the chaos of city streets, and still ban trucks for the same reason.

[TheCosmicSheriff]

The interweb is edumactional!

[OrganizedKhaos]

I love this group more than ever. Thanks for all your time.