What are they?

[Jake Reynolds]

I'd with one word for boardshorts too.

[Mouse]

So long shorts then. Like what I said earlier.

[David Evil Overlord]

That's the long and the short of it, Mouse. They're supposed to be for surfing, but plenty of people wear them elsewhere when the weather is hot enough.

[hopewrites]

But I think of capris when people say long shorts. And eating jumbo shrimp on the pier at sunset.

[MstrTal]

Capri's are pants that come below the knees but above the ankles and are generally a little longer than board shorts which tend to be baggier than capri's. I know this because I am married with two daughters one of which is a tween. Of course this could be a continental language thing . . .

I know what board shorts are but than again I grew up in a military family traveling all over the globe and spent a large chunk of my childhood in Florida. I personally have never felt comfortable in any shorts that do not at least reach my knees and preferably an inch or two below.

[James Coote]

I know what board shorts are (but then I lived in Australia for nearly a year). I'd just use it. If you don't use a word because some people might not know it, eventually you'll be left with nothing

Edit:
Conversely, I'd never heard of capri's until today

[MstrTal]

As far as I know unless you are a female or tend to dress in a more feminine mode Capri's are generally only worn by those with the double X chromosome.

[David Evil Overlord]

Originally Posted by James Coote

If you don't use a word because some people might not know it, eventually you'll be left with nothing

True.

But I definitely wanted to avoid anything like the confusion between the American definition of "thong", and the Australian definition...

[James Coote]

Originally Posted by David Evil Overlord

True.

But I definitely wanted to avoid anything like the confusion between the American definition of "thong", and the Australian definition...

Heh. They're kinda the same shape if you take the plastic bit that goes between the toes

[David Evil Overlord]

Yes, but you try wearing the right thong in the wrong place.