Monoleg (pronounced mon-oh-leg)
(1) An object,
structure or system with a single supporting leg (used typically of furniture).
(2) In
speculative writing (usually in SF (science fiction) naturally one-legged
creatures.
(3) In slang
a one-legged human or a single prosthetic leg.
(4) In
fashion, a garment (trousers, leggings etc) with only one fabric leg.
(5) In
fashion, a measure (as “good monoleg” & “bad monoleg”) of how well the slit
on a dress or skirt has been implemented.
1980s: The
construct was mono- + leg. Mono was from
the Ancient Greek μόνος (monos)
(alone, only, sole, single), from the Proto-Hellenic mónwos. Oἶος
(oîos) (only, single) was from óywos while the etymology of the initial
element is uncertain but it may be from the primitive Indo-European men- (small), hinted at by the Ancient
Greek μανός (manós) (sparse, rare), the
Armenian մանր (manr) (slender, small)
and even the Proto-West Germanic muniwu
(small fish, minnow). As a prefix, mono-
is often found in chemical names to indicate a substance containing just one of
a specified atom or group (eg a monohydrate such as carbon monoxide; carbon
attached to a single atom of oxygen). Leg
was from the Middle English leg &
legge, from the Old Norse leggr (leg, calf, bone of the arm or
leg, hollow tube, stalk), from the Proto-Germanic lagjaz & lagwijaz
(leg, thigh). Although the source is
uncertain, the Scandinavian forms may have come from a primitive Indo-European
root used to mean “to bend” which would likely also have been linked with the
Old High German Bein (bone,
leg). It was cognate with the Scots leg (leg), the Icelandic leggur (leg, limb), the Norwegian Bokmål
legg (leg), the Norwegian Nynorsk legg (leg), the Swedish lägg (leg, shank, shaft), the Danish læg (leg), the Lombardic lagi (thigh, shank, leg), the Latin lacertus (limb, arm), and the Persian لنگ (leng). After it entered the language, it mostly
displaced the native Old English term sċanca (from which Modern English
ultimately gained “shank”) which was probably from a root meaning “crooked” (in
the literal sense of “bent” rather than the figurative used of crooked Hillary
Clinton). Monoleg is a noun; the noun
plural is monolegs.
Three thoughts on the monoleg by Sarah Aphrodite (b 1979).
Although
never likely to be seen on high streets, one-legged trousers always attract the
eye of editors when seen on catwalks which is of course something of an end in
itself. The look was first seen in 2018
when the consensus seemed to be it was one of those absurdities shows can get
away with once for the sake of the click-bait but in 2024 the monoleg returned
with contributions from estimable fashion houses including Louis Vuitton, Bottega
Veneta and Coperni and Louis Vuitton. Apparently
responsible for one-legged pairs of trousers was Dutch-born US designer Sarah Aphrodite who may not have imagined there would be many imitators but South Korean
label Pushbutton launched a range of legged jeans, appealing presumably at
least some of what has in the last decade become a nation of trend-setters.
The industry
does like asymmetry and monolegs are about as jarring a look as fashion permits
and of course, displaying only a leg, the look is lawful just about anywhere
(except places run by ayatollahs, the Taliban etc), It’s also correct to talk about “a pair of
monolegs” despite that being an apparent linguistic paradox. Like “pants” (which was from the French pantalon) which had its origin in a
garment something like the leg-warmers of the 1980s (ie a separate one for each
leg), trousers were originally separate pieces for each leg but obviously were
always bought and worn in pairs, thus reference to “pair” (a la “a pair of
gloves”. Trousers dates from the early
seventeenth century and was from the earlier trouzes, extended from trouse
with the plural ending appended to follow the convention of such use for other
garments. The source was the Irish &
Scottish Gaelic triubhas (the close-fitting
trews (best understood as leggings))
and via the Middle Scots trewsers it entered
English during the late Middle Ages. The
idea of a “pair of trousers” thus evolved from a “pair of garments” to the
modern practice of describing bifurcated articles (in this case one for each
leg) in a way which might suggest two items (al la “pair of glasses”, another
thing which began a term meaning “two lens supplied together”, the definitely singular
monocle a reminder of this history). So
a “pair of monolegs” is correct and in the tailoring sense there are (in a
sense) two legs in a pair of monolegs; one much shorter than the other.
Monolegs on the catwalk, 2024.
Beyond the
catwalk or those looking to be in the avant-garde of a short-lived trend, the
monoleg might have some appeal for those with one heavily tattooed leg and one “clean-skin”
(another asymmetry which seems to have some appeal) but the appeal is not
likely to be wide because, unlike the long-established “fingerless glove”, a
functional purpose is not immediately obvious. There could though be a small (but presumably appreciative)
audience among those diagnosed with the condition Body Integrity Dysphoria (BID
and oreviosuly referred to as Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) or
Apotemnophilia, the latter term more specific and now dated.
In
the revision to the fifth edition (DSM-5-TR (2022)) of the American Psychiatric
Association's (APA) Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), BID was listed among those
conditions awaiting “further study”. That means BID is not yet an officially
recognized disorder but has been identified as an area requiring more research
to validate its inclusion as a formal diagnosis. The core symptoms were detailed as (1) A
strong and persistent desire for amputation or disability in a specific limb or
body part, despite it being healthy and (2) significant distress or impairment
in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning due to this
desire. It manifests as a patient’s mismatch
between their physical body and their internal sense of how their body should
be, the “mismatch” due not to delusional thinking but reflecting a deeply
ingrained identity issue. It seems
symptoms begin often in childhood or adolescence and may persist into adulthood,
the feelings tending to be enduring and not fleeting. Rare and unusual in most aspects, BID is
distinct from conditions such as body dysmorphic disorder, gender dysphoria, or
somatic delusions although there are overlapping features. The inclusion in DSM-5-TR in “conditions for
further study” indicates the profession’s growing recognition of the condition but
also the need to discuss the ethical dilemmas presented, most obviously the
implications of “providing a cure” (eg amputation a patient’s healthy
leg). There are cases in the literature
of individuals who have reported an improved quality of life after elective
amputation but for many reasons this is not accepted as a standard treatment
and some suggest it should be contemplated only when a patient’s focus on amputation
is such that there is an imminent danger of self-harm (ie performing a self-amputation).
Florence Griffith Joyner (1959-1998, left) and Serena Williams (b 1981, right).
The US
sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner (1959-1998) in 1988 made a splash with a
monoleg outfit and the tennis player Serena Williams (b 1981) paid tribute to
her when she adopted the look in 2021.
Even those who liked the look concluded it was in each case worn as a
promotional device (possibly for the inevitable clothing line) rather than
something which might improve sporting performance although, if not causative,
there was certainly correlation in this for Ms Griffith Joyner. In the 100m event she ran an 11.06 in 1983
and in 1987 achieved a brace of 10.97s but in 1988 (at the age of 29) she set a
new world record of 10.49, a mark which stands to this day. Her late career improvement remains of the most
remarkable in the history of athletics and one upon which many have remarked.
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