Re: stocking/stockinged feet

On 31 Jul, 14:36, Mike M <mikmoo...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On 31 Jul, 13:03, "Philip Eden" <philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom> wrote:

I went out into the garden early this dry and sunny morning with no
shoes on, only to discover there'd been a heavy dew overnight. Very
uncomfortable.

The usual way of describing such an activity is (for me, at least)
"in my stockinged feet", which suddenly struck my British ear as an
anachronism since men in the UK don't (often) wear stockings.
Yet "in my socked feet" is clearly unidiomatic.

Checking my desk dictionary (Collins) revealed a reference
only to "stocking feet" and google gives about 4:1 stocking:stockinged.
I know we've visited the dropping of the "d" in these circumstances
many times before, but I have to admit that "stocking feet" sounds
decidedly odd to me. Perhaps I just need to get out more.

My Dad was born in Ireland in 1904, and he *always* referred to men's
socks as "stockings".

Without an OED check, I'm guessing that "socks" is a far more recent
word.

I don't think it's more recent in itself, as it comes from Latin; but
the way we use it is recent. In my mind both are now "socks", but I
still have a mental nook or corner where "socks" are short, and
"stockings" -- such as a man should wear with a suit -- are long. On
things like school uniform lists there were "football stockings" in my
boyhood, and I'm sure the distinction can still be found today if one
looks for it. Presumably shorter hose went to "sock" to avoid
contagion from women's stockings.

Highland regiments in full dress wear army socks, but with hose tops
on view, and spats to cover the join.

I don't know the Latin for what we call "socks", but they used the
word's ancestor for some sort of light shoe worn by comic actors; for
tragedy, the Graeco-Roman tradition was a high boot, a "buskin". You
still find "sock" used in that sort of context in old books.

I think I say "stocking feet" but write "stockinged feet". But "in
your/my/his socks" is more usual.

--
Mike.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: stocking/stockinged feet
    ... anachronism since men in the UK don't wear stockings. ... Most people with shoes on are stockinged, ... my stockinged feet" doesn't make sense. ... I'm for "in my socks", ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: "Arent I?" okay implies "I arent" okay
    ... I didn't express myself very clearly: it seems odd to specify stockings ... And why not bare feet, ... So "socks" were low-heeled shoes before they were stockings. ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Any way to retrieve contact list ?
    ... Cheap Tight, stockings, Knee Highs, Socks, etc! ... Prev by Date: ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.messenger)
  • Re: stocking/stockinged feet
    ... which suddenly struck my British ear as an ... anachronism since men in the UK don't wear stockings. ... my stockinged feet" doesn't make sense. ... I'm for "in my socks", ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Any way to retrieve contact list ?
    ... Cheap Tight, stockings, Knee Highs, Socks, etc! ... Prev by Date: ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.messenger)