[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Grammar Question--Why Robes

[Lee Storm (God Is The Healing Force)]

| Geoff:
| In some ways, it's like "trousers" in that it is sometimes 
| used in its plural 
| form. In UK usage, it is used in the plural when it is 
| referring to formal wear: 
| "The Queen wears formal robes when she meets with members of 
| the Order 
| of the Garter" whereas in the singular it might be used to 
| describe an 
| individual: "He wore a simple black robe with a sash around 
| his waist" or 
| in the instance of a "bathrobe" -which most UK folk would 
| refer to as a 
| "dressing gown"; I do, on the odd occasions I wear one.
| 
| Hope that de-confwoozles you.

[Lee]:
Sorta-Kinda-Almost-Maybe...but I guess it just sounds silly.  I can give
trousers a break because of two legs, but I still don't get how that
pluralism on "robes" got started.  Perhaps I'm just too--uh--Americanized
for it to feel / sound right.

Smile,

Lee
(Maybe not so confwoozled, but still shaking head.)