Re: USAGE: Language revival

Padraic Brown wrote:

> Oh, you mean longjohns!
I use that term for underpants equipped with legs.

> Is that Y-fronts and boxers sort of thing?
Indeed, though I call the former "briefs", which is how they are labeled.
Boxers are those underpants with legs, and briefs/Y-fronts are those without
legs.


> Whew!  We still speak the same language here!  I still think I'd be
> hesitant to buy any clothing in England! ;)
The point is that "Mr. Jones walked in the street wearing only his pants"
produces quite a different impression in the two countries, not only
because of the ambiguity of "pants" (Am: trousers, UK: underpants), but
because in American "in the street" can only mean "in the part where the
cars go"; a more normal pedestrian is said to be "on the sidewalk".

--

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