by Thomas Hoyt
Again, words are funny! Let’s take a look at a word we use commonly. This word is pants. According to www.etymonline.com, the word pants originate from the word pantaloons, which comes from Pantaloon (Pantaloun) whose name was a silly, or potty, old man from Italian comedy from the 1500s. By the 1600s pantaloons were basically leggings for men that originate as a French fashion.
Pants, which is clearly a shortened form of pantaloons by the mid-1800s, started out being limited to vulgar and commercial use. Again, according to www.etymonline.com, “By 1798 the word was revived in reference to tight long trousers buttoned or tied below the knee (replacing knee-breeches), worn by men of fashion. These were gradually replaced by modern trousers, but the name persisted.” Isn’t that funny? 🤣 A word can start out meaning one thing and then evolve to mean something different.
So, now that you know this, I suppose one could use the word pantaloon to refer to a silly old man. “Oooooooooh, he’s a real pantaloon!” 🤣
Yes, words are funny! 🤣
Keep laughing folks! 😊
The Buchanan Chronicle 