Pants problem
When I was little, I went to a Japanese public elementary school. Although I was half Japanese (and half American) you could easily pick me out, like a pumpkin in a carrot patch and I was often swamped by other students, asking about America and my life as a 'foreigner'. My mother used to meet me after school and one day, my fellow pupils asked which one of the parents waiting for us was my mother. Not wanting to point, I described her as the woman in the pink pantsu, meaning that she was the one wearing pink trousers (in America, pants = trousers).The girls started laughing hilariously and looked embarrassed. I had no idea that what I had said was wrong until I looked it up in the dictionary. I then realised that I had told them that my mother was the woman in the pink 'underwear'!
Sent by: Naomi
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As an American who decided to go to university in Britain I found out almost as soon as I arrived the truth in the saying about "two countries divided by a common language". At the time, my fashion sense was extremely feminine; I always wore skirts and dresses and didn't even own a pair of jeans. My first night in my Hall of Residence I found myself trying to explain this to my neighbours. Although I knew I was a bit unusual, I was surprised by the odd looks and cold reaction. It was only some time later that I realized I ought to have told them "I never wear trousers, I don't even own any!" As it is, using the word pants, everyone thought I was proudly announcing a pathological aversion to underwear!
I went to a public elementary school in Japan too. I remember thinking it was quite funny that the word that sounded like pants actually meant underwear. Don't remember ever confusing the two out loud, however.
The Japanese got most of their English language from England, not America, so the confusion - and embarrassment - remains the same even in English!
Pantsu is a loan word for "panties", rather than trousers. :D Easy mistake, though!
I've actually found that most of the loan words used in our class are American words. I guess it's maybe half and half. It's funny when I try to translate into English, because I always slip up on the American words. I am guilty of making the 'pants' mistake a few times, but fortunately never in front of my teacher.
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