''trousers'' and ''pants''

Mannix   Mon Sep 26, 2005 12:49 am GMT
What's the difference between them for you? For me, trousers are what you put on over your pants.
Lazar   Mon Sep 26, 2005 12:51 am GMT
Well for me, there is no difference - "trousers" isn't part of my idiolect.

What you would call "trousers", I would call "pants", and what you would call "pants", I would call "underwear" or "underpants".
Mannix   Mon Sep 26, 2005 1:10 am GMT
<<Well for me, there is no difference - "trousers" isn't part of my idiolect.

What you would call "trousers", I would call "pants", and what you would call "pants", I would call "underwear" or "underpants".>>

That's interesting! I remember one time when I was hearing an American on television talking about what kind of pants that people should wear to work and I was thinking "Why does it matter? No one will ever see your pants anyway." I finally found out that they were talking about trousers.
Kirk   Mon Sep 26, 2005 1:13 am GMT
Yeah I don't use the word "trousers." It's generally not used here in the US.
Uriel   Mon Sep 26, 2005 1:36 am GMT
I think the British term "pants" has evolved into "panties" -- only worn by women (and a few unusual men) -- leaving "pants" free to take over the job of "trousers", which is now an archaic term in the US.
Tiffany   Mon Sep 26, 2005 1:42 am GMT
Hmm, but we still call mens' dress socks, "Trouser socks."
Uriel   Mon Sep 26, 2005 1:53 am GMT
And we retain the lovely term "trouser snake".
Tiffany   Mon Sep 26, 2005 2:21 am GMT
:-D. We like the retain certain "gems".
Frances   Mon Sep 26, 2005 3:37 am GMT
Trousers and pants are the same for me. Underpants are underneath these.
american nic   Mon Sep 26, 2005 3:40 am GMT
Same for me as for with Lazar.
Travis   Mon Sep 26, 2005 5:05 am GMT
I likewise do not normally actively use the word "trousers", besides some specialized uses such as that mentioned by Uriel, and instead always use the term "pants" to refer to what some refer to as such, but furthermore the word "underpants" is not actively used in my idiolect, and the word "underwear" is solely used for such.
Lazar   Mon Sep 26, 2005 5:40 am GMT
<<"underpants" is not actively used in my idiolect, and the word "underwear" is solely used for such.>>

Yeah, "underwear" is the term I mainly use as well.
Frances   Mon Sep 26, 2005 6:21 am GMT
After reading Travis' response, underwear is a better word for underpants here. But pants definitely = trousers for me.
Damian   Mon Sep 26, 2005 7:35 am GMT
Immaterial where I'm concerned.....I wear a kilt and as for what is or is not underneath is my business. :-)
Uriel   Mon Sep 26, 2005 6:31 pm GMT
And we pray for a windy day.