I woke up the other day and went through my normal routine of getting ready for work. This morning was a little different when I started to get dressed. I grabbed a clean pair of pants from my dresser and the thought struck me, “Why do we call a single item a pair of pants?” Now, I’m sure that — like most people — I had pondered the question before. I even had a vague memory of an answer buried somewhere in my head. But this day was different: I could not let go of the question. Sometimes my mind gets obsessive about these things and requires an answer.
Thank goodness for the Internet.
Maybe.
As we’ve all discovered over the years, the Internet is a resource for all kinds of information. The problem is that you have to take the time to suss out the good from the bad, the hokum from the facts, the true from the false. When anyone with a modicum of technical savvy can create their own Web site (myself included in that), it becomes a harder task to find the truth when delving into the pages and pages of information. The idea of a pair of pants is a perfect example.
I proceeded to do a quick Google search to find the origins of the phrase and was inundated with a plethora of sites saying the phrase goes back to the days when pantaloons consisted of two separate pieces, one for each leg, that were then tied together at the waist. Seemed reasonable (and it agreed with the vague memory I had). The problem is that, as one source said, “there doesn’t seem to be much evidence in reference sources to support this theory.” In fact, one of the earliest pants from China look surprisingly similar to any old pair of pants you might see today.
Another issue arises when you consider how many other items use a similar phraseology. Before I put on my pair of pants, I also have to put on a pair of underwear. And if it’s a particularly hot day, I might replace that pair of pants with a pair of shorts. Or a pair of slacks. Or a pair of trousers. Or a pair of jeans. Top that with possibly having a pair of scissors to cut the tag off my pants and a pair of eyeglasses so that I can see what I’m doing and you begin to see plenty of examples that have nothing to do with pantaloons.
So, what is the answer? I’m so glad you asked.
Language has always fascinated me on one level or another. I suppose that’s why I became a writer. I also love problem-solving, which is probably why I ended up with a career in computer programming. This one little question – why do we call it a pair of pants – satisfied both of those loves. It turns out there is something in the English language called a plurale tantum.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, plurale tantum is Latin for “plural only” and is a “noun which is used only in plural form, or which is used only in plural form in a particular sense or senses.” Items like pants or scissors or glasses are considered bifurcated items; that is, they are things that can be divided into two pieces. For example, a pair of pants have two legs, a pair of scissors have two cutting edges, and a pair of eyeglasses have two lenses. So, these are all things that can be considered pairs even when there is really only a single item.
So, consider the plurale tantum the next time you’re getting dressed. It will pair nicely with your other bifurcated items, like a pair of shoes.