Prepositionwear has been intruding on my mind lately. It started when I decided to buy a new jacket last week. My first reaction was to look online at some of the major retailers to see what might still be available now that we are all supposed to be buying bathing suits and cargo shorts (after all, it’s February already - just ignore the 14” snowstorm occurring out my window as I write this…).
I logging onto L.L. Bean, I realized that I needed to choose “outerwear” - a logical category since the jacket would be the outermost piece of clothing. But then it dawned on me that the innermost piece of clothing is called “underwear” - why not “innerwear”. For that matter, why not call jackets “overwear”?
The wheels started spinning. Should I go to the department store and ask where the "overwear" is displayed? Would the salesperson run off if I enquired about "bottomcoats" as Spring alternative to a topcoat?
I had the good sense to mention all this to Nancy on our way into Macys on Saturday. She gave me a verbal head slap and I managed to behave myself. But it wasn’t easy.
Along the same lines, I often wonder why "pre-natal" and "post-partum?" Why not "pre- and post-natal" or "pre- and post-partum?"
Lucky us to have the privilege of deciphering the most confusing language in the world on a daily basis!