You are reading a single comment by @AlexD and its replies. Click here to read the full conversation.
  • Er, um ... wasn't a hose a hose because it was made of woven fabric? See those things the Fire Brigade use that roll up flat. And a hosepipe is definitely what you water the garden with.

    So a hose ban would cover the Fire Brigade (is there such a thing any more?) as well as gardening. The etymology may be skewed but the meaning is clear enough. See 'English Language, The'.

    Pedants corner >>>>> I know!

  • I assumed a hose was a flexible pipe and that the compound ‘hosepipe’ was one of those instances where there’s a sort of tautological, hierarchical nomenclature such as ‘humpback whale’. You’re calling it a ‘hose’ to differentiate it from other types of pipe, then including the suffix ‘pipe’ to differentiate it from, for instance, an insect or frozen sausage.

About

Avatar for AlexD @AlexD started