Anyone use this? I heard it recently with regard to someone having two children - one boy, one girl - but it seems it can be used for couples too. Probably pretty antiquated now. Do pigeons hang around in couples? Not really, right? Why the saying then?

It's just a pigeon not pidgeon, I think<g>

Westinghouse and other appliance manufacturers refer to a Fridge and Freezer combination as a "pigeon pair" -- because pigeons are traditionally bred in pairs*:

Frost free pigeon pair, Fridge (RP372V) and Freezer (FJ302V)

* Actually, that sounds self-evident, doesn't it, B-Y? How else would they be bred except "in pairs"? But it seems most people who acquire pigeons acquire them for breeding purposes, and, therefore, "mated pairs" are more desirable than random pairs because their success at mating and producing offspring has already been established.

Some breeders feel it is best to start out with mated pairs of pigeons and doves, preferably not over three years old, that have proven themselves to be reliable breeders and feeders.

http://www.gamebird.com/dove.html

Applying the same logic to a human couple whose two children are described as a "pigeon pair", it would mean that the parents planned to have 2 children [not just one or more than two], probably to replace themselves on the planet -- in the expectation that their "pigeon pair" would produce another "pigeon pair" and so continue the family line from one generation to the next, ad infinitem.

Taking this logic one step further, a couple who has two children by happenstance, not design, would not have a "pigeon pair". They would just have a pair. :)

Of course, this doesn't explain why Westinghouse calls their Fridge and Freezer combination a "pigeon pair". That combination can't mate. They can't even make any heat together. :)

B-Y, I am posting this as a separate post because I am introducing a new and related term "millionaire's family".

It occurs to me now that a couple who has two children by design has not just two, but a boy and a girl*, which is the ideal combination, theoretically, for perpetuating the family line. The boy carries the family name, the girl the reproductive capacity. [* EDIT: I see now that that is exactly what you said in your original post, B-Y -- so it all fits. A "pigeon pair" is a "millionaire's family".]

Thus, a "pigeon pair" of children would be one boy and one girl, and that's it. That's all the parents intend to produce, perhaps for reasons of conscience in recognition of global overpopulation concerns [which China addressed, incidentally, by legislating only one child per family, and in rural areas, more until you produce a boy**].

This combination, one boy child and one girl child, is often referred to, for whatever reason, as a "millionaire's family".

In searching for some authority on this, I found the following Q & A on the Net:

Question:

When you have a boy and a girl, why do people say you now have a "millionaire's family"?

Answer:

Not familiar with this phrase, but I wonder if it doesn't mean that, now you have both an heir, the son to carry on the name and assets, and a daughter to be married off into another family, hopefully also with a moneyed and influential background, thus increasing your chances at power for generations to come. 'Bye!

http://snipurl.com/ddwt

For me personally, the answer provided above is not convincing. I think a "millionaire's family" is so-called because it is the ideal condition, the "gold standard", if you like, of producing offspring. [After all, if the motivation to produce a "millionaire's family" was to improve the parents' chances of marrying their offspring off into future generations of wealth and power, they would produce as many boys and girls as they possibly could, not just one boy and one girl.]

But, in recognition of the "Malthusian crunch", which, if not a "crunch", is still a threat to the sustainability of our planet, I think the "millionaire's family" should be called the "conscientous family" -- because having a lot of money really has nothing to do with it -- unless you plan to produce a dynasty, such as the "Kennedy dynasty". [Whether or not that is "conscientous" could be a matter of debate, depending on your politics. :) ]

** BTW an expert analysis of the implications of China's 'one child law', and how it affects China's future economic prospects compared to India's, can be found in a major Survey - "India and China: The Tiger in Front" - in the current issue of The Economist [on the newsstands now].

The portion of the Survey which includes this discussion is "premium content" but here is an extract from the Survey from Economist.com:

HOME to nearly two-fifths of humanity, two neighbouring countries, India and China, are two of the world's fastest-growing economies. The world is taking notice. In December, a report by America's National Intelligence Council likened their emergence in the early 21st century to the rise of Germany in the 19th and America in the 20th, with “impacts potentially as dramatic”.

http://snipurl.com/ddx5

Alright (sic), why is there a 'd' in fridge, when the original doesn't have one? Shouldn't it be 'frig'? or is that something else, entirely?

why is there a 'd' in fridge?

It's in there purely to reflect pronunciation. You need the 'e' at the end to indicate the pronunciation of the 'g' and if you didn't put in the 'd' you'd be suggesting that the 'i' was long rather than short, as it is in the correct pronunciation. This little orthographic fact seems to have escaped the notice of those who foolishly believe that 'kluge' is spelled 'kludge.'

I don't think it has anything to do with pigeons as bred - I have always understood that pigeons mate for life, which certainly fits the observation of my local boids. But I have no definite knowledge of this - merely general teaching. This is surely where all the lovey-dovey, billing and cooing imagery comes from?

Whether or not they mate for life, they certainly do hang around in pairs, this time of year in this geography.

My mother still spells the short form of 'refrigerator' as 'frig'. At least she did when I was a teenager and I have no reason to believe she has changed her opinion since then.
And the reason I noticed it is simply that it is open to misinterpretation, just as Faldage says. 'Frig' with a hard g sound as opposed to a 'dj' sound (ie rhyming with pig rather than bridge) has an entirely different meaning in British English at least!!!

My mother still spells the short form of 'refrigerator' as 'frig' Why frigging not?

I was a Freya'd someone would say that.

Well, I got venn driver but I didn't get this. Who's Freya?

The Norse goddess from whom we get the day of the week Friday, I think. But I don't get TEd's pun.

I guess I reached a bit far with that one. Sorry!


Frigga
In Norse mythology, queen of the gods; wife of Odin. Her sons were Balder, the beloved god; Bragi, god of poetry and wisdom; and Thor, god of thunder. She was one of the Aesir, the principal warrior gods who lived in Asgard. Friday was named after her.

Although initially separate deities, Frigga was assimilated in mythology with Freya, a Vanir (fertility goddess), who arrived in Asgard after a war between the gods.

FWIW, I got it. I just resisted the impulse to respond with a reference to how that pun made me Thor. But now, see, you've gone and made me do it anyway. Don't get all Bragi about it; this will just get Balder and Balder.

You trying to follow my Leda? Or do you just want to Pan my pun? As Jackie would say, "Chimaera. I've got something for you."

Juno?

Your Leda? what you doing messing with my mother?
you'll be singing a swan song iffin you ain't carefull.

Wull, I thought TEd's original Freya/Frigga pun was OK, but ledasdottir's swan song was the onliest one made me LLOL.

Oh boy, the good times are back! I am grinning with joy!

it has been said that pigeons lay two eggs, one comes out female - the other male one day apart - but needless to say there is research which says is isn't so.
Old wives didn't do research did they?

Dear Danks ~

You're welcome.

Father Steve

Many years ago I saw, on Walt Disney, a story about a young boy and a grouchy old guy and a pigeon which said grouchy old guy was gonna cull but the young boy begged for its life and lo and behold it became a champeen racin' pigeon. He called the bird "Pidge". When I saw it written I understood why the "d" - I'd been thinking "pig" in my eight-year-old head, and saw it wouldn't have worked on paper. After all, pigs can't be champeen fliers, though apparently pidges can.

I have noticed in my reading that the "frig" spelling seems to be UK, and the "fridge" one North American.
So how do the English spell that boiled sugary candy? Fug? Oh, I can see it now.

"The fug's in the frig, dear."

Don't forget, they spell jail, gaol.

Old wives did a lot of research! They just didn't have labs(or corgis). I believe what they used was those fine old scientific tools, observation and experience, coupled with peer review.
If any of us raised pigeons, we might have an answer to this conundrum.....

From one who is beloved by many on this forum:

"why is there a 'd' in fridge,

Because frigging generates heat."

what they used was those fine old scientific tools, observation and experience

And a good dose of selective memory.