Wearing a kilt. Wearing kilts. Wearing my kilt. Wearing THE kilt

[MacKenzie]

As with Irish, you hear unusual syntax and expressions that seem to flow across from one language to the other. In Ireland people will say things like "my head is AT me" which mirrors sentence structure in Irish, meaning something is hurting or bothering you.

Interesting. Hereabouts people will say, "I have the headache."

Not being from this region, I wonder if there's only one headache and only one person can have it at a time.

No one has mentioned whisky names, which are often "The MacBrandname".

Ahh, yes. THE Dalmore. int:

[Nathan]

1) As mentioned above, Gaelic speakers and those who have learned English from them certainly use the definite article in atypical ways. This grammar transfer is well documented by linguists and I can attest to it first hand. In Cape Breton people speak "The Gaelic" and "have the music".

We don't say, "She's a good musician" we're more likely to say, "She has the music.... She has a lot of tunes. She got them from her father's people"

And "Do you have the Gaelic?" not "Do you speak Gaelic?".

2. The definite article both makes things official and refers to the platonic form of an item. For example in a training manual for small arms, an author would be more likely to title an introductory chapter "The SA80 Service Rifle" rather than "An SA80" or "Your SA80".

As Bren mentioned, general versus specific. "The kilt" means all kilts at all times simultaneously and it is clear from context that we are referring to the male Highland usually tartan garment rather than anything else that has become known as a kilt. "A kilt" is one example of many.
If I was trying to encourage someone to take kilt wearing seriously I might phrase my paragraph, "When wearing the kilt, one must be certain to wear the appropriate accessories for the particular level of formality". Using "the" rather than "a" connotes an importance to the garment.

Again, it's all about context.

[MacMillans son]

As some others have said, I always believed it was because The kilt is the national dress of a country, not just another article of clothing. Kind of like flying THE flag. When in country one does not usually say flying my flag, raising a flag etc. We're flying THE flag. To me, THE kilt always denoted a specialness, or pride in a unique national symbol.

[The Wizard of BC]

I apologize if my entry to this thread suggested that my use of "The Kilt" implied some sort of special significance, national symbol, or a specific type of kilt or one made from Tartan.
That was not my intent at all. I see all kilts as sharing common features and refer to all kilts as "The Kilt".

I'm afraid that some may have read into my comment much more that I intended. I just like the sound of it and that is how I speak. I also say The Calculus.

[thecompaqguy]

2. The definite article both makes things official and refers to the platonic form of an item. For example in a training manual for small arms, an author would be more likely to title an introductory chapter "The SA80 Service Rifle" rather than "An SA80" or "Your SA80".

Again, it's all about context.

But if I'd purchased a car, the manual may tell me how to get the best from "Your Mercedes" as opposed to "The"... this conversation could go on and on, but I'm sure we've beaten this thread to death now

[Leatherneck Donald]

Interesting. Hereabouts people will say, "I have the headache."

Not being from this region, I wonder if there's only one headache and only one person can have it at a time.

Being a native of the South, "the" prefaces all of the best illnesses and diseases. "She has the consumpton." "He has the ebola." "I have the rhumatiz"

[Father Bill]

But if I'd purchased a car, the manual may tell me how to get the best from "Your Mercedes" as opposed to "The"... this conversation could go on and on, but I'm sure we've beaten this thread to death now

Purely marketing. It's an attempt to increase your devotion and sense of personal relationship with your car.

[BCAC]

My head is spinning the same way that this thread is spinning.

Whatever happens people who want to will say "the" or "a" or "my". There is no "right" answer.

I continue to find it strange to say "the" about one article of clothing but not to say "the" about any other article of clothing (and even stranger to utilise totally different things to justify it).

[Father Bill]

A lot of Muslim women would be said to wear "the burkha" or "the hijab" etc. I sincerely do not want to make this a religious discussion, but the interesting comparison that I observe is that both are in some way ethnic clothing. Yes, other articles of clothing are indeed prefaced with a definite article.

That's the one that came quickly to mind for me; can anyone come up with other examples? We may be able to discern a helpful pattern.

[MacKenzie]

... can anyone come up with other examples? We may be able to discern a helpful pattern.

Man of the cloth.

Wears the collar.