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It sounds natural (of course other than "unzip, "come undone") to use open with zips. Like (if they sound natural)..
Open your zipper.
Your zipper is open.
But it does not sound natural to say:(now the unnatural ones
Your button is open.( unnatural)
Open your button.(unnatural)
Why is this difference? Why is it only "undone" and "do up" for buttons but "open" sounds okay for zippers (along with alteranatives of course;>)
It's because that's the action of a zipper. It is a long ribbon of teeth. When you stitch it into place over a gap in fabric, it forms a sort of "seam" which naturally "opens" and "closes" as the zipper performs its function.
A button works differently. The "button" isn't the entire closing device, merely one half of it. It is just a knob which has to fit into a buttonhole to work. The button itself, as it works, is passive. According to the meaning of "open", you can't really say that a button does that particular verb.
If you name the entire closure (e.g. the "fly") you can refer to it opening and closing: "Your fly is open." [Whether it opens and closes by zipper or by buttons]
Because we say:
Button your button. And we say: your button is unbuttoned.
That's why.
And we don't say: open your zipper. We say: unzip your zipper.
But: Your zipper is down or open.
That's it in a nutshell.
