Hirsute Bangs

[nq:1]A hairstyle question. Does anyone know why a BrE "fringe" is called "a bang" or "bangs" in AmE?[/nq]
Because of
Main Entry: 5bang
Function: transitive verb
Date: 1878
to cut (as front hair) short and squarely across
(MWCD10)

Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/

[nq:2]A hairstyle question. Does anyone know why a BrE "fringe" is called "a bang" or "bangs" in AmE?[/nq]
[nq:1]Because of Main Entry: 5bang Function: transitive verb Date: 1878 : to cut (as front hair) short and squarely across[/nq]
This has always upset me. How can a fringe be plural? Pigtail, ringlets, these are plural. Ponytail, bun, fringe, these are singular. "Bangs" makes no sense.

[nq:1]A hairstyle question. Does anyone know why a BrE "fringe" is called "a bang" or "bangs" in AmE?[/nq]
Thus speaks M-W:
Main Entry: 4bang
Function: noun
Etymology: probably short for bangtail (short tail) Date: 1878
a fringe of banged hair usually used in plural

And here's the verb that "banged" comes crom;
Main Entry: 5bang
Function: transitive verb
Da

[nq:1]Does anyone know why a BrE "fringe" is called "a bang" or "bangs" in AmE?[/nq]
Holy hairdressers! I thought bangs were dreadlocks. I'm going to have to re-read every American book I've ever read.

Mickwick

[nq:1]A hairstyle question. Does anyone know why a BrE "fringe" is called "a bang" or "bangs" in AmE?[/nq]
Because hair-cutting is a tedious business, relieved occasionally by the entertainment of watching the
face of a BrE speaker trying to respond to the question: "Should I cut your bangs"?

Michael West
Melbourne, Australia

[nq:2]A hairstyle question. Does anyone know why a BrE "fringe" is called "a bang" or "bangs" in AmE?[/nq]
[nq:1]Because of Main Entry: 5bang Function: transitive verb Date: 1878 : to cut (as front hair) short and squarely across (MWCD10)[/nq]
"Because of" must mean something different to you, Skitt.

Adrian

[nq:2]Because of Main Entry: 5bang Function: transitive verb Date: 1878 (MWCD10)[/nq]
[nq:1]"Because of" must mean something different to you, Skitt.[/nq]
Naah, I wasn't writing in my best style, but the meaning is there the reason BrE "fringe" is called "bangs" is because the noun "bangs" is derived from the verb "bang", the meaning of which is shown above. Sorry to have led you astray. S

X-No-Archive: yes
[nq:1]Why is "hair" singular in the first place? You make an excellent argument for the plural "hairs" being more accurate. That's the way it is (they are?) in French.[/nq]
Hair is on boring places; hairs are usually on interesting places. Hairs shout "eat me!" unless they're on food in your fridge.

I was sitting on the balcony at my Bognor Regis flat with a frie

[nq:2]Why is "hair" singular in the first place? You make ... accurate. That's the way it is (they are?) in French.[/nq]
[nq:1]Hair is on boring places; hairs are usually on interesting places. Hairs shout "eat me!" unless they're on food in your fridge.[/nq]
Or your bank manager's nostrils and ears.
**
Ross Howard

[nq:2]Holy hairdressers! I thought bangs were dreadlocks. I'm going to have to re-read every American book I've ever read.[/nq]
[nq:1]That's a bong.[/nq]
Or bhangs.

Mickwick