Wow, it even depends on which part of UK you are in.
We use a mix of "pants" and "trousers" for what we wear outside, and "underwear" for what we wear inside.
Y fronts and desperation
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Re: Y fronts and desperation
We say "broek" which is any outer garment covering the lower body-half and encasing the legs individually, and "onderbroek" for whatever is worn under that. No confusion there. It's singular by the way - English language pluralising of these garments is very odd i.m.o.
However, of course sometimes we need to differentiate, and Dutch tends to borrow foreign words to do that, especially from English. So we know "boxer", "short" (singular!), "slip" (I think that's from the French), and a few more modern English language inventions. However we do avoid "pants" (or "pant" for that matter) so that source of huge confusion is spared us.
However, of course sometimes we need to differentiate, and Dutch tends to borrow foreign words to do that, especially from English. So we know "boxer", "short" (singular!), "slip" (I think that's from the French), and a few more modern English language inventions. However we do avoid "pants" (or "pant" for that matter) so that source of huge confusion is spared us.
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Re: Y fronts and desperation
In Chinese the corresponding terms for trousers (裤子) and underpants (内裤/底裤) are singular too. I have no idea what makes trousers/pants/underwear a "pair" either.
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Re: Y fronts and desperation
I don’t know as well.The US also uses the plural form.googlism2008 wrote: ↑06 Sep 2022, 19:12 In Chinese the corresponding terms for trousers (裤子) and underpants (内裤/底裤) are singular too. I have no idea what makes trousers/pants/underwear a "pair" either.
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Re: Y fronts and desperation
This is true for much of the US except often underpants are often called underwear. When I was a child I remember that many older people using the term trousers. I still sometimes hear trousers to refer to a part of a man’s suit as in coat and trousers.
I suspect that most Americans are aware of the term trousers and its definition even though they don’t use the term often.
Now that English speaking people watch movies and TV shows produced in the UK,US, and Canada, we will see more and more variances in definitions people use for these terms across the Anglosphere.