Timeline for Why do you say, 'go to the hairdresser' instead of 'go to a hairdresser'?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
5 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Oct 17, 2022 at 23:19 | vote | accept | Sergey Zolotarev | ||
| Dec 19, 2019 at 9:30 | comment | added | Kate Bunting | Yes, I suppose the same thing applies as in your 'cinema' example. I might say "I'm going to the hairdresser's" even though there are several hairdressing salons in my district. I do usually have my hair cut by the same person, but that isn't what I would mean. I might say a hairdresser's if I was in a strange town and choosing a salon at random. | |
| Dec 18, 2019 at 21:41 | comment | added | Sergey Zolotarev | @KateBunting So it's a historic thing, isn't it? | |
| Dec 1, 2019 at 8:55 | comment | added | Kate Bunting | It's a well-established usage - see the nursery rhyme. Presumably short for the baker's shop, the doctor's surgery etc., even though nowadays GP practices usually employ several doctors. | |
| Dec 1, 2019 at 1:57 | history | answered | Jake | CC BY-SA 4.0 |