Enquiring Mind
Senior Member
English - the King's
Idiomatic: these pants are too small for him.
Idiomatic: these pants are too small for him.
The expression "these pants" is ambiguous. It can refer to either "this pair of pants" or "these pairs of pants".
Enquiring Mind
Senior Member
English - the King's
In context, it would be clear. No-one (in real life) ever says anything out of context. There’s no need for “pair” at all, because you can’t have a (single) pant. They always come in a pair.
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sdgraham
Senior Member
USA English
The expression "these pants" is ambiguous. It can refer to either "this pair of pants" or "these pairs of pants".
You didn't provide any context, but the use of "this" or "these" is normally used by a person who is indicating, either physically or verbally, what is being discussed.
Your sentences would not be uttered out of the blue, so to speak.
[cross-posted]
You started by asking about grammar. It's not difficult:
This pair of pants is too small.
These pants are too small.
People do say "pair of pants", and if they do, the subject is singular. If they just say "pants" the subject is plural in form, and it doesn't matter whether that's one pair or a hundred pairs. (There is a previous thread which discusses the use of singular "trouser" by men's tailors.)
You then said
The expression "these pants" is ambiguous.
No, it isn't.
the use of "this" or "these" is normally used by a person who is indicating, either physically or verbally, what is being discussed.
In context, it would be clear. No-one (in real life) ever says anything out of context. There’s no need for “pair” at all, because you can’t have a (single) pant. They always come in a pair.
I know we can't have a single pant. But "these pants" may refer to either a single pair of pants or several pairs of pants.
But "these pants" may refer to either a single pair of pants or several pairs of pants.
Correct. English is like that. A two-word phrase usually needs more information to be unambiguous.
But the same is true for any "pair" or "couple", not just pants.
If all the people are in couples, "these people" can be one couple or more than one couple.
If there is an even number of cubes, "these cubes" can be one pair of cubes or more than one pair.
