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Twins

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July 27, 2012, 05:33
<Proofreader>
Twins
A reporter said today "A pair of twins have many things in common."
My question is, was she talking about two or four people?
Shouldn't the term been "a set of twins" to let listeners know she was only talking about two?
July 27, 2012, 05:44
Geoff
So she should. Or maybe just twins, sans modifiers. And is a pear of twins one fruit divided between the two?


It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. -J. Krishnamurti
July 27, 2012, 09:24
zmježd
The MWDEU opines in: link.
quote:
Among the minor matters that engage some usage writers is the expression pair of twins.

They conclude it is a spoken, not written, idiom.


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
July 29, 2012, 20:27
Kalleh
It reminds me of the double negatives that are considered acceptable. Unless you know the context, you could be confused as to what they are saying.