1 space or 2 after a full stop?

[Earthmaiden Profile]

But in England people talk about “ablutions” as a euphemism for using the loo, but it means to have a ritual wash ....

I have never heard the expression used as the euphemism, only the ritual wash (or perhaps I have and not realised!).

I wonder how many euphemisms and colloquialisms there are in the world for those shocking words, 'I'm just going for a wee'.

[Pampy Profile]

Pampy, we don't need to disagree as I've said clearly that I'm quite happy for people to use whatever personal style they choose on informal message boards or similar. It is their right and their choice.

Very kind of you...

[karadekoolaid Profile]

It´s amazing how many euphemisms there are for a lavatory.Perhaps it all stems from Victorian/Edwardian prudishness.
We´ve got the "WC" - but that´s really the crapper, because Thomas Crapper was the bloke who invented it
At school it was referred to a "the bog". Not so much of a euphemism, perhaps
Then there´s the Mens/Ladies room, the John,the bathroom, the washroom, the restroom, the thunderbox... my goodness, such delicacy for simple bodily functions
At Primary School, we were taught it was the "Be Excused"
" Miss - I´ve gotta go to be excused"

[Suffs Profile]

I know a really ‘posh’ but very down to earth household ... newly opened Christmas card on the kitchen table signed personally and individually by ‘Charles and Camilla’ ... the only acceptable term there is ‘toilet’ ... to use any other word indicates that you’re likely not to know how to behave.

[Pampy Profile]

We´ve got the "WC" - but that´s really the crapper, because Thomas Crapper was the bloke who invented it

He didn't invent it - he made improvements to the original design https://www.liveabout.com/myth-busted-s ... et-3299272

Carsey (sp?) is another word that I've heard used for the toilet.

[Seatallan Profile]

'Lavatory' always reminds me of my dad. When he was a boy, he had a morning mantra to remind himself of what he needed to do before school- 'Hands, face, lavatory, rabbits'.

[scullion Profile]

dunny, latrine, little boys/girls room and there are probably more...

[Lusciouslush Profile]

'Hands, face, lavatory, rabbits'

Oh dear - I know a very modern & disgusting version of that

How could we have forgotten the khazi (sp??) & then there's the John

Bottoms up..............!!

[Busybee Profile]

The netty ooop North. Really don’t know where that term comes from......

Goes off to google.

BB

Edited to add

Of uncertain etymology. Proposed derivations include a corruption of necessary, an euphemism for outhouse; French nettoyer (“to cleanse”); and Italian gabbinetti (“toilets”).[3]

[Sakkarin Profile]

I think the final straw was when they downgraded the word "literally" to mean anything you want it to mean.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... definition

[aero280 Profile]

My farming antecedents had an earth closet. It looked like a sideways sedan chair. It had two holes and from time to time it was moved along to a new location a bit further along the back garden. The farm was run by my grandfather's eldest brother in N. Devon and we used to visit. It was known as the "privvy", even though there was no division between the two positions!

[Renee Profile]

I used one of those when I spent a night camping in Canada!

Whilst I was there, I heard the word"John" being used.

[Badger's Mate Profile]

Another word I've heard in this context is 'Jakes'

Did anyone see Beechgrove recently? Kirsty Wilson visited someone with a container garden. One of the containers was an old toilet. Kirsty twice referred to it as a 'bog garden' - the owner either didn't get the joke or deliberately ignored her.

[Pampy Profile]

Whilst I was there, I heard the word"John" being used.

The link that I posted shows how "John" in this context is derived.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Thanks, Pampy - I´m now a khazi fan!

[Sakkarin Profile]

I always believed khazi was the Indian word for toilet, used by soldiers back in the in the Raj days, that had filtered down into general English, I think it may even have been a schoolteacher that claimed it bck in my schooldays.

Looking it up now, it seems noone's sure where it originated, except they seem to agree it wasn't India, and there are actually only a handful of Indian words that have been taken up here.

However I still take joy in checking out this list of French words we use in English, because it means I already have a vocabulary of thousands of French words that I didn't realise that I had. This page is just A to C.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_E ... %E2%80%93C)

[Stokey Sue Profile]

The trouble is we repurposed French phrases

For example, Brits know what a cul-de-sac Is (literally the bottom of the bag in French) but the French call it an impasse - a road you can’t pass through

There are others but they don’t spring to mind at the moment

[Badger's Mate Profile]

I always believed khazi was the Indian word for toilet, used by soldiers back in the in the Raj days

It probably didn't help that 'The Khazi' was a character in Carry On Up the Khyber

[herbidacious Profile]

It may have arrived via polari, which of course Kenneth Williams was very well versed in.

[herbidacious Profile]

Sue, my other favourite and initially mistifying one is the word canapé - which is a settee in French.

Also étiquette means label.


There must be many more, some more explicable than others.