We call boxers, under pants, because they go under pants - which maybe is derived from Latin I don't know, but the French is a pantalons ..... so why don't we call trousers pants like the Yanks do? don't get me wrong, it would be a strange step, suddenly callint them pants, but that;s what they are
2006-09-12 20:07:23 · 26 answers · asked by Morph 2 in Beauty & Style ➔ Fashion & Accessories
I think it's clear dor all that I'm English
2006-09-12 20:19:06 · update #1
We in England call trousers trousers because thats what they are,pants are worn under trousers.Why do the Yanks call a pathway a sidewalk,a taxi a cab,a lift an elevator or even a woman a broad????
I am right,you are wrong,we are right and you are wrong,England is right and everyone else is wrong.We invented the ENGLISH language and have used it daily for centuraries,everyone else has just copied this and adapted it to there own way.....
2006-09-12 20:18:35 · answer #1 · answered by martinsbits2000 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
You find that a lot people in the North of England e.g lancashire do call trousers 'pants' It confused me for a while, but it is very common & always has been the case. The English language is very broad even in the UK, with much of the world speaking it as well then you are going to get defferent words, ,meanings , spellings, dialects etc. 'Pants 'actually make sense if you think about it. Mens underwear are 'underpants' ie that under the pants.
To the guy who mentioned 'sidewalk' Out Yankee friends use this for 'pavement'...but 'sidewalk' is actually an 'old English' term which was used in England up untill the 16th Century. Much of so called 'americamisms' are actually old english terms & words which we in England don't use anymore. So don't be too quick to criticise the yanks. Also the guy who asked what Rome had to do with English Language, DUH ! Much of English language is latin based, with influences later on from scandinavia & saxon/germanic.
2006-09-12 21:57:32 · answer #2 · answered by missmillyb 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have wondered the same thing myself. My bf is from England lo. We do call some pants trousers but not usually. Usually trousers in the us are fitted pants that are anything but jean and the back pockets usually button shut. This doesnt answer your question I know but I really have no idea why you guys use the term trouser for nice pants or slacks as we call them.
ps: Enough with the "ours is right" bs. Wanna know the correct way to speak English then ask the person who made it up. Awww that isnt possible though. We speak a different form of English GET OVER IT ALREADY.
2006-09-12 20:11:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Yanks have trouble speaking English and the French don't speak English, as for the Romans, How the hell did they get into this conversation. Anyway because we speak English we decide if trousers are pants or not. My pants are placed firmly beneath my trousers and being British I'm proud of it. So there!
2006-09-12 20:21:26 · answer #4 · answered by Redmonk 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just because the yanks do anything doesn't mean that WE'VE got to - so in the UK, trousers are trousers, and what goes under them are under-pants, pants, boxers or even nothing, and it's got nothing to do with the fat, overweight yanks, thank you very much.
2006-09-12 20:39:03 · answer #5 · answered by Dover Soles 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've met people from the north of England who call trousers pants, I call the boxers that guys where pants, so I couldn't feasably call his trousers pants too, else it could get confusing
2006-09-12 22:27:35 · answer #6 · answered by emily_jane2379 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
why do you call an apartment flat why call a french fry a chip why call a cookie a bicuit b/c we are different and that is what makes people special Differences the world would be so boaring if we were all the same we wouldn't be interested in things if they were all the same like why do you guys drive on the other side of the road it wouldn't be so funny watching you guys faces when we drive over there and we are headed towards you head on ohhh the look is pricesless for everything else there is Mastercard lol cheerio over here that is cereal
2006-09-12 20:12:15 · answer #7 · answered by p-nut butter princess 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well actually, flats are called flats throughout the whole United Kingdom, not just England! I think they are called this because they have no upper floor by way of a staircase etc and in as much are FLAT! The difference ,therefore,bertween a flat and an apartment is that FLAT is much easier to spell than APARTMENT and less of a mouthful to say!!!
2006-09-12 20:28:08 · answer #8 · answered by missfattyfudgecake 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
After having some hundred years except for England, human beings began to assert particular words diverse from the English and the adjustments in basic terms stuck. Languages substitute consistently.
2016-11-26 20:52:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a debate that could go on for years,lol,,,pants are pants,they are worn under trousers,,ok,,
Wanna take it a step further on who's terminologies are correct ?
Why the hell do Americans call their idea of football,,,football,,,they use their hands for the most part of the game,,derrrr,,,football is played with your feet,hence the name football,,
2006-09-12 20:33:55 · answer #10 · answered by g00fs 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋