Scissors & pronunciation

[John Walton]

Jennifer Piersol wrote:

> 
> Oh... also, the singular of scissors is "scissor" (Martha Stewart of
> the high-falutin' English pronounces it that way most of the time),
> although obviously, if you're talking about a "pair", it's scissors.

Yah, but she's irritating as hell.

> Interestingly enough, a pair of scissors and a scissor are the same
> thing.

I always thought that one scissor is HALF of a pair of scissors -- so it
would be like a very dull knife. i.e: difference in meaning between "I've
broken this scissor" and "I've broken these scissors"
 
> Would a singular "pair of pants" (sorry, you naughty Brits...)
> be a pant?

Woof.
 
> (I suppose I could call them a "pair of jeans", but I just want to
> yank Neil's chain a bit)

Pants to you is all I can say.

--John, who also had an Embarrassing Scissors Hair Incident at the age of 6

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"Oh my god! You killed...er...God!"
                -one of John's friends, after reading Philip Pullman's
                "His Dark Materials" trilogy

John Walton -- john at walton.vu
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