tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post115956603699958605..comments2024-03-16T00:21:43.240+00:00Comments on Separated by a Common Language: pants and trousers; bobbles and pillslynneguisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-58674101040444218902023-10-23T17:30:30.045+01:002023-10-23T17:30:30.045+01:00At least 18 years later high-waisted trousers aren...At least 18 years later high-waisted trousers aren't so hard to find any more (thankfully!). Meanwhile, nobody has mentioned the rather odd verb "to trouser", which appears to be synonymous with "to pocket", as in "he trousered a shedload of money...."Mrs Redboots (Annabel Smyth)https://www.blogger.com/profile/11270027663691257254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-50915944638926812152020-02-24T16:57:13.874+00:002020-02-24T16:57:13.874+00:00Pants is commonly used for trousers in North West ...Pants is commonly used for trousers in North West England and "Kecks" in Liverpool. I hadn't heard underpants being called "pants" till I moved to London in the 90's.madseavetshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17328172763091595081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-65175030338526305292018-04-29T22:17:00.342+01:002018-04-29T22:17:00.342+01:00If pants is short for underpants what do you wear ...If pants is short for underpants what do you wear over your pants? My BrE husband has suggested overpants (because trousers doesn't make sense in this scenario). Thoughts?North60Galhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15933947267543818460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-87138981792241622012012-10-01T16:32:11.641+01:002012-10-01T16:32:11.641+01:00Favourite line involving pants, from a Hardy chapt...Favourite line involving pants, from a Hardy chapter heading (either The Well-Beloved/Pair of Blue Eyes)<br /><br />"Her breath came in musical pants"<br /><br />I feel that I should point out that British tailors supposedly refer to a trouser (sing) rather than a pair of trousers.Rachel Ganzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16512329333010333925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-55475369988809236282012-09-12T03:14:35.905+01:002012-09-12T03:14:35.905+01:00I looked up The Smoking Room after seeing your men...I looked up The Smoking Room after seeing your mention of it here. It's quite funny.<br /><br />In the third episode I heard "cantaloupe" pronounced as I'd never heard it before, like "can't-a-loop." Here in Ohio where I live, I've only ever heard it said like "can't-a-lope" (to rhyme with "antelope").David Laurihttp://www.davidlauri.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-34804661386614357272007-01-02T22:58:00.000+00:002007-01-02T22:58:00.000+00:00A few notes:
As far as I know, unmentionables ref...A few notes:<br /><br />As far as I know, <i>unmentionables</i> referred to the underwear, not the outerwear.<br /><br />The metaphorical sense of <i>parse</i> 'consider carefully' was discussed on <a href="http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002348.html">Language Log</a>.<br /><br />Favorite line involving <i>pants</i>, from <i>Kubla Khan</i>:<br /><br /><i>As if the earth in vast thick pants were breathing</i>John Cowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11452247999156925669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-74618884069839468502006-12-11T00:46:00.000+00:002006-12-11T00:46:00.000+00:00I've got some Land's End trousers/pants with a sid...I've got some Land's End trousers/pants with a side zip(per), but I still get a big gap at the back. This thread has absolutely convinced me that my figure is hideously freaky.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-29359254069653207862006-11-30T19:06:00.000+00:002006-11-30T19:06:00.000+00:00For proper come-up-to-the-bellybutton pants, I can...For proper come-up-to-the-bellybutton pants, I can only suggest Land's End (a catalog outfit, though there are some physical stores in the US). They're very practical, simply cut, come in a range of inseam-to-waist relationships, and have Real Waists.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-2822629349651952842006-11-25T06:52:00.000+00:002006-11-25T06:52:00.000+00:00What about "britches"? Very fun to say, very sout...What about "britches"? Very fun to say, very southern American. Commonly used in the saying "too big for his britches" but also applicable to underpants/trousers/pants in normal conversation.keldiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02792790114583941680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-28378653541472232562006-11-17T10:56:00.000+00:002006-11-17T10:56:00.000+00:00A Gentleman's trousers are never, ever to be discu...A Gentleman's trousers are never, ever to be discussed - the Victorians called the 'unmentionables' with very good reason. Base and dark happenings occur in that place which no polite person dare ever mention in society. I hope that this closes this most regrettably frank and explicit discourse.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1162343873099621952006-11-01T01:17:00.000+00:002006-11-01T01:17:00.000+00:00For a wonderful example of zeugma, or is it syllep...For a wonderful example of zeugma, or is it syllepsis, please listen to "Have some Madeira M'Dear" by Flanders and Swann.<BR/><BR/>I can tell you that my BH uses 'parse' freely in lay conversation (we are Brit in the US). His (and now my) familiarity with the term comes from computer science usage, where it has pretty much the technical meaning you'd find in linguistics. I would guess he picked it up from colleagues and the slashdot school of writing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1160387949702982582006-10-09T10:59:00.000+01:002006-10-09T10:59:00.000+01:00I have nothing to add linguistically, but I can ra...I have nothing to add linguistically, but I can rarely resist the opportunity to quote Ogden Nash, from the period when it was still unusual to see a woman in pants/trousers:<BR/><BR/>Sure, dress your lower limbs in pants;<BR/>Yours are the legs, my sweeting.<BR/>You look divine as you advance...<BR/>Have you seen yourself retreating?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1160160632547872582006-10-06T19:50:00.000+01:002006-10-06T19:50:00.000+01:00Thanks, CM!Thanks, CM!lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1160151478977496192006-10-06T17:17:00.000+01:002006-10-06T17:17:00.000+01:00>>>One does hear AmE pants to mean 'trousers' more...>>>One does hear AmE pants to mean 'trousers' more and more in BrE--do you think it's a recent trend in Ireland or that pants=trousers is long-standing there?<<<<BR/><BR/>'Pants' is the standard term in Ireland and has been for as long as anybody can remember. If anything it is 'trousers' that is beginning to creep in under the influence perhaps of British TV, chain-stores etc.per incuriamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17971156460371741334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1160052411320658652006-10-05T13:46:00.000+01:002006-10-05T13:46:00.000+01:00Trouser update: While writing this entry I found ...Trouser update: While writing this entry I found and ordered something at ASOS.com called "high-waisted trousers". They arrived yesterday. The (BrE) <B>zip</B>/(AmE) <B>zipper</B> is about 3 inches long--always the sign of a low-waisted trouser, and, sure enough, the highest part of the trouser was about 3" below the lowest part of my navel. <BR/><BR/>What planet are these designers/marketers from? Do people have waists there?lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1159966091417291902006-10-04T13:48:00.000+01:002006-10-04T13:48:00.000+01:00And David Letterman's production company is Worldw...And David Letterman's production company is Worldwide Pants. Perhaps <I>pants</I> is just an inherently funny word...lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1159905995680731662006-10-03T21:06:00.000+01:002006-10-03T21:06:00.000+01:00MST3Kdid a song in tribute to trousers, called Pan...<A HREF="http://www.mst3kinfo.com/" REL="nofollow">MST3K</A><BR/>did a song in tribute to trousers, called Pants!<BR/>(Sing the praises of pants. /They hold in your gut and cover up your butt/Pants!) This was in response to Hercules vs the Moon Men, since the hero wore a toga, occasionally revealing said butt, to the repulsion of Joel and the 'Bots. <BR/><BR/>I detest the word "panties." Just thought you should know.Zhoenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03515663141425057088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1159816587095971662006-10-02T20:16:00.000+01:002006-10-02T20:16:00.000+01:00I wasn't going for a list of clothing, honest I wa...I wasn't going for a list of clothing, honest I wasn't! I just wanted to point out a context in which "trouser(s)" <I>is</I> used in American English.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1159742833876167442006-10-01T23:47:00.000+01:002006-10-01T23:47:00.000+01:00There is the same distinction between 'trouser soc...There is the same distinction between 'trouser socks' and 'knee-highs' in the UK. Don't want to preempt anything Lynne might put in a future hosiery post by saying more! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1159739178625582632006-10-01T22:46:00.000+01:002006-10-01T22:46:00.000+01:00Dearieme--I can't explain that meaning of parse as...Dearieme--I can't explain that meaning of <I>parse</I> as I've never heard it. In my experience, few people know the word parse and fewer use it correctly--on either side of the Atlantic.<BR/><BR/>Alice uses some other Americanisms in her comment--but I swore I wasn't going to get into other items of clothing now, so I'll leave them until I do a post on hosiery!lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1159675003957918782006-10-01T04:56:00.000+01:002006-10-01T04:56:00.000+01:00The only ordinary use of trousers I can think of i...The only ordinary use of <I>trousers</I> I can think of in American English is in the compound <I>trouser socks</I>. These are thin socks designed to be worn with pants suits. They're a bit more substantial than <I>knee highs</I> which are, essentially, knee-high nylons.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1159642201156985302006-09-30T19:50:00.000+01:002006-09-30T19:50:00.000+01:00OT, lynneguist, but inspired by "pills":- can you ...OT, lynneguist, but inspired by "pills":- can you explain why Americans, such as Slick Willie, seem to say "parse" when they mean "construe".deariemehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06654632450454559188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1159642039129153982006-09-30T19:47:00.000+01:002006-09-30T19:47:00.000+01:00Ah, aidhoss, for people my age it doesn't beg the ...Ah, aidhoss, for people my age it doesn't beg the question, which is to say that it doesn't construct a circular argument or avoid a difficult point by making an unwarranted assumption. Hey ho.deariemehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06654632450454559188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1159603724989326142006-09-30T09:08:00.000+01:002006-09-30T09:08:00.000+01:00David--One does hear AmE pants to mean 'trousers' ...David--One does hear AmE <I>pants</I> to mean 'trousers' more and more in BrE--do you think it's a recent trend in Ireland or that <I>pants</I>=<I>trousers</I> is long-standing there? (OED doesn't give a clue--just says that the 'trouser' meaning is 'Chiefly N. Amer.' except when it occurs in a compound like <I>hot pants</I> or <I>ski pants</I> and that the underwear meaning is 'Chiefly Brit.' Oh, and the N. Amer. meaning goes back further (1835 vs. 1880). Both <I>pant</I> and <I>panties</I> are originally AmE.<BR/><BR/>As for 'black and white and re(a)d all over' I'd just say that it's a pun based on some homophones.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1159603180683889352006-09-30T08:59:00.000+01:002006-09-30T08:59:00.000+01:00I have a pair of Boden sailor trousers/pants, too,...I have a pair of Boden sailor trousers/pants, too, Ally (bought for a <A HREF="http://separatedbyacommonlanguage.blogspot.com/2006/06/bills-notes.html" REL="nofollow">fiver</A> at <A HREF="http://separatedbyacommonlanguage.blogspot.com/2006/05/charity-shopthrift-store.html" REL="nofollow">Oxfam</A>, but mine don't quite come to my belly button (or as my NZ Pilates teacher used to always say--<B>tummy button</B>). Maybe I'm just a long-waisted freak of nature--except that I didn't have this problem with trousers/pants until about six years ago, and I certainly haven't grown upward in the waist since then.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.com