Pair of grips

[leethegasman]

I have never been asked this before but my latest apprentice asked me a question I did not no the answer to.
I asked him for a pair of grips (meaning one set I would think like most of us a pair of grips is one set)
He wanted to give me two sets.
So why do we refer to it as a pair of grips
I have a few theories that I have told him but also said I'm not sure and new a group of people that stay up all night talking about important things such as this.

 

[Ermintrude]

Nice! Each side of the plier has a gripped face hence a pair of grips. Plus it's the use of English

 

[rpm]

Pair of grips
Pair of pliars etc etc

Coz there`s 2 handles?

 

[REDSAW]

Pair of grips
Pair of pliars etc etc

Coz there`s 2 handles?

???????????
pair of candles?lol

 

[Ermintrude]

Four candles?

 

[rpm]

???????????
pair of candles?lol

A right pair. lol

 

[Dotty]

Four candles?

Normally I can't stand Ronnie Corbett, mainly because of our history, but this sketch does make oi larffff....

[video=youtube_share;oaGpaj2nHIo]http://youtu.be/oaGpaj2nHIo[/video]

 

[heliotrope]

Four candles?

I thought it was fork andles the man wanted:smartass:

Humpf.

Croppie was faster than me:32:

 

[rpm]

Normally I can't stand Ronnie Corbett, mainly because of our history, but this sketch does make oi larffff....

[video=youtube_share;oaGpaj2nHIo]http://youtu.be/oaGpaj2nHIo[/video]

The delivery is so deadpan it`s genuis.

 

[gasmanrob]

To do with the way language and use of words change/ are applied for example

originally it would have been could you pass me a set of grips? Word association with set is pair hence a move to "a pair of grips"

other words/sentences that have changed or likely to be lost to our language are May I? Might I? You must!

and that most people have developed a tendency to talk using progressive verbs whilst not using the same approach when writing.

there was a thing on radio 4 regarding it on Tuesday afternoon

 

[Ray Stafford]

We also have "a pair of scissors" and a "pair of trousers".

I think its just a linguistic code for a single item which consists of a matched pair (blades, legs or whatever) that are pointless in isolation, but become useful when there are two joined together.

 

[Ermintrude]

We also have "a pair of scissors" and a "pair of trousers".

I think its just a linguistic code for a single item which consists of a matched pair (blades, legs or whatever) that are pointless in isolation, but become useful when there are two joined together.

Almost like gin and tonic or in apps case cabbage water and chartreuse

 

[leethegasman]

Thank you all for your replies I was correct to ask him for a pair of grips, I will let him know tomorrow and if the cheeky bugger gives me two pairs after that I'm sure that he will remember next time when one of the pairs get thrown back at him.

 

[bassmonster]

I wonder why we never say "pair of balls"..

:ban:

 

[AWheating]

I wonder why we never say "pair of balls"..

:ban:

cus they dont need each other to work??