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Group: rec.music.progressive · Group Profile
Author: JohnBJohnB Date: Nov 30, 2007 07:59
On 30 Nov, 14:40, poisoned rose
eliteintelligentsiamonthly.com> wrote:> JohnB tinyworld.co.uk> wrote:>>> It's a shortened form of 'pantaloon' - British slang for removing one's
>>> trousers.
>
>>> DD
>
>> Pantaloons were a form of trousers, it's true, but the word is mostly
>> used in comic ways these days. I believe the word can also mean a
>> pantomime clown - and it's from that word - pantomime - that "panto"
>> derives. You know pantomime, surely? - A traditional Christmas play
>> full of absurd characters, slapstick comedy, awful jokes, double
>> entendres and cross-dressing. Hey ho!
>
> Now, if I could only figure out why British folks insult something
> by saying it's "pants."
I think this may have originally come from a tv or cartoon character -
but as I understand it in the USA pants = trousers while in the UK
pants is short for underpants. Not that that explains it entirely.
BTW I hate the phrase and would never use it myself - like a recent
import from the US, "My bad" meaning "my mistake". You can put it
down to my age ...
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