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#2 (permalink) Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:00 am 'Head or tail?' vs 'Heads or tails?' |
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Hi Tom
When you flip a coin, the plural forms (heads/tails) are used. I don't know why. It would sound very strange to me to hear the singular forms used in this context.
But there is also the idiom "can't make head (n)or tail of something" which means not able to understand something at all.
Amy _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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#3 (permalink) Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:42 am 'Head or tail?' vs 'Heads or tails?' |
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Hi
It’s just the name of the game, what logic are you expecting, Tom? :)
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Heads or Tails is a coin-tossing game.
Most coins have a side where the imprint of a person, such as a current or former head of state, is impressed — this side is called the "heads" side (since the embossing is of the head of a person). The other side may have any imprint, or none, and is called the "tails" side. Technically, the heads and tails sides are known as the obverse and reverse, respectively. |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heads_or_tails
In different languages the game has different names, depending on coin's images :). For example, in Russian it’s called 'Ory?l ili r?shka' (eagle or another symbol).
By the way, I've found interresting that English is the only language in which the plural form (heads, tails) is used to name sides. _________________ It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water… |
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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#4 (permalink) Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:40 am 'Head or tail?' vs 'Heads or tails?' |
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| Another expression you can use before you spin the coin is 'we'll toss for it'. |
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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#5 (permalink) Wed Apr 28, 2010 3:20 am 'Head or tail?' vs 'Heads or tails?' |
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The plural forms (heads/tails) are used. The reason may be purely grammatical.
When we ask someone "Do you like apples?" or "Do you want fruits or vegetables?" , we use the plural form. SO when they flip the coin, they are actually saying " Do you want heads or tails?". ( shortened to "Heads or tails?").
This reasoning makes sense, doesn't it?
Good luck! ( and some say that before flipping the coin). |
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Coraline New Member

Joined: 28 Apr 2010 Posts: 2 Location: Japan
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#6 (permalink) Wed Apr 28, 2010 19:55 pm 'Head or tail?' vs 'Heads or tails?' |
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As said above it represents the different headS on different coins.
I like the theory: Derived from the fact that when you play the game you are only playing one round of a game that started thousands of years ago and will continue for thousands of years to come, your flip is only ONE ROUND in a worldwide timeless game of fate, you join either the "heads" or the "tails" team and all that have come before you. |
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Urbanspatialpatterns I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Posts: 11
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| what on earth... | A balky teenager |