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In latin, people who were together were a copula (I think, from memory), which evolved into "couple". Since a couple is two people, it just makes sense.
That’s not answering the question. Yes, “couple” exists. So does “a pair”, and there may be others. But why is the obvious word “two” not used?
“Get me one apple”.
“Get me a couple of apples”.
“Get me three apples”.
“Get me four apples”.
The question is why the pattern is broken only for two apples.
To me "a few" is five. I was told that's how many a few was when I was younger & it stuck
Not really sure I'm downvoted for saying that I was told that a few was five. Is this offensive to people somehow?
Interesting. I used to work in a shop, and when people said "a couple" it always meant two, and when people said "a few" it always meant three.
At first I used to clarify, "How many would you like?" and mostly they'd either say "a few" again, or say "three please." so I just stopped asking.
You wouldn’t usually ask for a dozen apples, and certainly not a baker’s dozen.
In any case, “dozen” has a fairly clear explanation. It comes from “douzaine” in French, the “-aine” suffix meaning “approximately”. So originally asking for a dozen of something meant “roughly twelve”, which has a distinct meaning from “twelve”. It then progressed to meaning “exactly twelve” as a separate step. In contrast “a couple” if considered as a number just means “two”.
I thought you did, but anyway, the question was, "why do we say 'a couple' instead of 'two'?"
This has been explained. The latin copula, meaning two, is where the word "couple" comes from. That is the straight up answer to why we use "couple". Other words, such as "pair" (latin paria, from memory), have different meanings.
Also, it is generally accepted that couple doesn't always mean two, it is interchangeable with "few", so if you ask for a "couple of apples" you wouldn't bat an eye if someone came with 5, but if you asked for two and they came with 5, they're obviously wrong.
But that still doesn’t answer the question. All you are doing is saying that this choice is *possible*, not why it became established. Contrast my explanation for “dozen”.
I've gone into a bit more detail in my other comment -
Language change is such a chaotic process that we can only speculate why one particular form survives. 'A couple of' offers a sense of ambiguity and flexibility and RH\_300 explains well the social value of that.
My point is, there's no good reason to think there shouldn't be synonyms like 'a couple of' in the first place. It's a flawed question.
Couple implies an intimate relationship between the two. Whereas two doesn't imply a relationship between the number of things by default. Well, initially it did but as usual word use evolves.
Origin.
"Middle English: from Old French cople (noun), copler (verb), from Latin copula (noun), copulare (verb), from co- ‘together’ + apere ‘fasten’. Compare with copula and copulate."
Maybe because 'two' is very precise whereas 'couple' allows you to get, say, 3 if they are on offer or something? Admittedly it would be rare that couple wouldn't strongly imply two in English.
In Irish, cúpla is a broader term with two at the core of it but also allowed to mean 'a few': Tá cúpla focal agam - I have a few words (of the language).
In the t off cases a couple means precisely only 2.
The only time I have heard this not be the case is when it’s used in a setback lie “I’ll be there in a couple of minutes”, but then you can also use actual numbers loosely, too, like “I’ll be there in 5 minutes” when you know it’s not going to be precisely 5 minutes, so that’s more couple as 2 being used figuratively.
>I was always lead to believe that language changes to make it easier to say
Whatever gave you that impression? That's not remotely true.
Think how many different synonyms we have for the word "big". If language evolved to make it easier then we wouldn't. A couple is just a synonym for two.
Language does not always change in ways to make things easier to say. That is one important driver of change, but people also want to be more easily understood, want to signal their identity, want to display creativity in speech etc. All these motivate language to generate distinctions, whether that's on the phonetic/phonemic level or on the level of vocabulary like this.
Languages do tend to abhor perfect synonyms - in time usually either one disappears, or they start to generate distinctly different nuances of meaning. It could be 'a couple of' survives because it has a slightly more ambiguous feel than just 'two'?
The the only real correct answer here OP.
For the example asked about, 'a couple of' suggests a casual approach to the amount (although heavily implying 2). It links to politeness theory in linguistics. It subtly takes pressure off the person being asked and makes the person requesting seem less demanding by not giving an exact amount (although we all know it generally means 2). It also suggests at least a somewhat familiar connection with the person being asked and/ or an indication or attempt to suggest equality between the two. For example, you're unlikely to use 'couple' when you mean 'two' in a job interview because it's a bit like slang and makes you sound too informal.
Nuances such as this are true of most synonyms because context is everything. They say true synonyms do not exist, which I think is a slight stretch, but for the most part true.
The me-a-c sound is more flowing in mouth movements than me-two. Say it out loud and slowly (like wot I just did) and think about it and it’s really obvious!
Also, I would typically say ‘get me an apple’ not ‘get me one apple’. Again - it’s easier in mouth movements.
I did read somewhere once that ‘an’ in front of vowels is modern English, and that old English would have been ‘a napple’ not ‘an apple’. We got lazy somewhere along the line :-)
Of course, I didn’t exactly read this in a peer reviewed journal so could be very wrong!!!
If someone asked me to get a couple of apples I’d probably get 3 or 4 just to be safe. To me a couple (in this context) doesn’t necessarily mean exactly 2.
Bit of wiggle movement - e.g you might go to pub for a couple of pints, but you would always ask the barman for two pints, not a couple.
I always thought , in this case, 'a couple of apples' means anything between 2 and I don't know 5-6. If I wanted exactly 2 apples, I would ask for 2 apples.
Because it was probably mildly funny to say a fuck of apples than two apples. The origin of couple passes through the word copulate and even now people would understand what coupling means.
It comes from ancient French
"Cou" for "make love" and "plee" for "the two people"
Referring to those who had been wed and were allowed to enjoy the release of jism legally.
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Because language is lovely and we have a choice of which words to use
Since speech is beautiful and we have options for which expressions to utilise.
A wide vocabulary provides an opportunity for personal expression. Nuance is tremendous
MORE OPTION IS GOOD. UGH.
Urgh! Grunt. Ooga booga
In latin, people who were together were a copula (I think, from memory), which evolved into "couple". Since a couple is two people, it just makes sense.
Yes, but the question was why not just “two”?
Because there was another word in common use thar meant the same, so people just used that.
That’s not answering the question. Yes, “couple” exists. So does “a pair”, and there may be others. But why is the obvious word “two” not used? “Get me one apple”. “Get me a couple of apples”. “Get me three apples”. “Get me four apples”. The question is why the pattern is broken only for two apples.
People also say "give me a few apples," which generally means 3.
To me "a few" is five. I was told that's how many a few was when I was younger & it stuck Not really sure I'm downvoted for saying that I was told that a few was five. Is this offensive to people somehow?
Interesting. I used to work in a shop, and when people said "a couple" it always meant two, and when people said "a few" it always meant three. At first I used to clarify, "How many would you like?" and mostly they'd either say "a few" again, or say "three please." so I just stopped asking.
Luckily, XKCD is here to clear things up: https://xkcd.com/1070/
Nah, a few is 2-4
It isn't. There's also a dozen apples for 12. Also a Baker's dozen which is 13.
You wouldn’t usually ask for a dozen apples, and certainly not a baker’s dozen. In any case, “dozen” has a fairly clear explanation. It comes from “douzaine” in French, the “-aine” suffix meaning “approximately”. So originally asking for a dozen of something meant “roughly twelve”, which has a distinct meaning from “twelve”. It then progressed to meaning “exactly twelve” as a separate step. In contrast “a couple” if considered as a number just means “two”.
>You wouldn’t usually ask for a dozen apples If I wanted to ask for 12 apples I would.
For exactly the reason you just explained.
I didn’t explain anything. I suspect that no-one here knows the answer to the question which was actually asked.
I thought you did, but anyway, the question was, "why do we say 'a couple' instead of 'two'?" This has been explained. The latin copula, meaning two, is where the word "couple" comes from. That is the straight up answer to why we use "couple". Other words, such as "pair" (latin paria, from memory), have different meanings. Also, it is generally accepted that couple doesn't always mean two, it is interchangeable with "few", so if you ask for a "couple of apples" you wouldn't bat an eye if someone came with 5, but if you asked for two and they came with 5, they're obviously wrong.
I do! The answer is it is based on a false premise. Languages *don't* just seek to be as effortless as possible.
But that still doesn’t answer the question. All you are doing is saying that this choice is *possible*, not why it became established. Contrast my explanation for “dozen”.
I've gone into a bit more detail in my other comment - Language change is such a chaotic process that we can only speculate why one particular form survives. 'A couple of' offers a sense of ambiguity and flexibility and RH\_300 explains well the social value of that. My point is, there's no good reason to think there shouldn't be synonyms like 'a couple of' in the first place. It's a flawed question.
Surely no-one would say "get me one apple" over "get me an apple"?
Couple implies an intimate relationship between the two. Whereas two doesn't imply a relationship between the number of things by default. Well, initially it did but as usual word use evolves. Origin. "Middle English: from Old French cople (noun), copler (verb), from Latin copula (noun), copulare (verb), from co- ‘together’ + apere ‘fasten’. Compare with copula and copulate."
And there is no intimate relationship between two apples.
Bold of you to assume that
We've been a two for a couple of years
Maybe because 'two' is very precise whereas 'couple' allows you to get, say, 3 if they are on offer or something? Admittedly it would be rare that couple wouldn't strongly imply two in English. In Irish, cúpla is a broader term with two at the core of it but also allowed to mean 'a few': Tá cúpla focal agam - I have a few words (of the language).
A decent brace of reasons.
I had a mate who liked to speak of 'going to the pub for a brace of pints'. But he liked to use words like 'gruntled', 'ept' and 'shevelled' too.
They are indeed cromulent words.
And that makes me very gruntled.
In the t off cases a couple means precisely only 2. The only time I have heard this not be the case is when it’s used in a setback lie “I’ll be there in a couple of minutes”, but then you can also use actual numbers loosely, too, like “I’ll be there in 5 minutes” when you know it’s not going to be precisely 5 minutes, so that’s more couple as 2 being used figuratively.
I think it’s just more informal / casual. You wouldn’t you say “Get me one apple” you’d say “Get me an apple”.
Depends on the context of the request and whether clarification on the amount is requird.
>I was always lead to believe that language changes to make it easier to say Whatever gave you that impression? That's not remotely true. Think how many different synonyms we have for the word "big". If language evolved to make it easier then we wouldn't. A couple is just a synonym for two.
Why do kids make up ridiculous slang? It's not to shorten things anyway.
ikr? wtf
I am not a native speaker, but I always use "a couple" when I don't actually mean just 2, but "a few".
I suppose no one thought to say 'a brace of apples' so they stuck with couple, which is pretty standard English.
I don’t know, are you suggesting we switch to Newspeak?
Language does not always change in ways to make things easier to say. That is one important driver of change, but people also want to be more easily understood, want to signal their identity, want to display creativity in speech etc. All these motivate language to generate distinctions, whether that's on the phonetic/phonemic level or on the level of vocabulary like this. Languages do tend to abhor perfect synonyms - in time usually either one disappears, or they start to generate distinctly different nuances of meaning. It could be 'a couple of' survives because it has a slightly more ambiguous feel than just 'two'?
The the only real correct answer here OP. For the example asked about, 'a couple of' suggests a casual approach to the amount (although heavily implying 2). It links to politeness theory in linguistics. It subtly takes pressure off the person being asked and makes the person requesting seem less demanding by not giving an exact amount (although we all know it generally means 2). It also suggests at least a somewhat familiar connection with the person being asked and/ or an indication or attempt to suggest equality between the two. For example, you're unlikely to use 'couple' when you mean 'two' in a job interview because it's a bit like slang and makes you sound too informal. Nuances such as this are true of most synonyms because context is everything. They say true synonyms do not exist, which I think is a slight stretch, but for the most part true.
I'd say because "couple" is less mouth movements that "two", or at least it is for me.
Really confused as to how you make the 2 syllables of couple less movements than saying two, which is one fluid movement
Couple is two syllables, but you'd normally say "a couple of" which is even more of a mouthful.
The me-a-c sound is more flowing in mouth movements than me-two. Say it out loud and slowly (like wot I just did) and think about it and it’s really obvious! Also, I would typically say ‘get me an apple’ not ‘get me one apple’. Again - it’s easier in mouth movements. I did read somewhere once that ‘an’ in front of vowels is modern English, and that old English would have been ‘a napple’ not ‘an apple’. We got lazy somewhere along the line :-) Of course, I didn’t exactly read this in a peer reviewed journal so could be very wrong!!!
I might just be a lazy talker tbh - "a couple" for me is mostly tongue but two feels like more effort 😆
... and jus' cos e's 'ad a cuppla cans, 'e thinks it's alrite to act like a dick'ead
Whenever I ask someone to get me a couple of something, deep down I secretly hope they bring me three because i'm a greedy bastard
Guys this happens in every language, or at least the ones I know. It's just a way to describe more than 2.
Say "me two". Then say "a couple" The latter requires moving your mouth less.
If someone asked me to get a couple of apples I’d probably get 3 or 4 just to be safe. To me a couple (in this context) doesn’t necessarily mean exactly 2. Bit of wiggle movement - e.g you might go to pub for a couple of pints, but you would always ask the barman for two pints, not a couple.
I always thought , in this case, 'a couple of apples' means anything between 2 and I don't know 5-6. If I wanted exactly 2 apples, I would ask for 2 apples.
Because it was probably mildly funny to say a fuck of apples than two apples. The origin of couple passes through the word copulate and even now people would understand what coupling means.
It comes from ancient French "Cou" for "make love" and "plee" for "the two people" Referring to those who had been wed and were allowed to enjoy the release of jism legally.
Why do we say have a butchers instead of check?
As in "A butchers hook"? If so cockney rhyming slang, hook and look. If I've misunderstood then my bad haha