About rules, rules are usually customs which have been noticed, then transmitted orally or through writing.
The custom exists whether or not anyone becomes conscious of it, or whether or not anyone conscious of it puts it into verbal form and transmits it to others.
You wouldn't say "there he go" or "there they goes" whether or not you were aware of the rule concerning S at the end of certain verbs.
And longtime kilt wearers accessorise their kilt according to a host of customs whether or not they are aware that the customs exist.
Those new to kiltwearing might violate these customs just as people new to English might say "there he go". To help newbies we verbalise customs, and customs once spoken are often taken to be rules.
Imagine somebody that knew nothing about Highland Dress brought you this photo saying "I want to put together a kilt outfit for my wedding, I found this nice photo of Scottish outfits, I wonder if you could explain everything to me."
Suddenly you would be in the position of trying to take note of, and verbalise, a large number of customs, some of which you might not previously have been consciously aware of.
Last edited by OC Richard; 5th December 20 at 05:57 PM.
Proud Mountaineer from the Highlands of West Virginia; son of the Revolution and Civil War; first Europeans on the Guyandotte
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