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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Etymology of 'loo'
I came across the following in Devious Derivations: Popular Misconceptions and More Than 1,000 True Origins of Common Words and Phrases by Hugh Rawson, (C) 1994 :
(quote, from the entry for "loo")
The various "explanations" for loo often are passed along with confident but sadly misplaced assurance. Permanent linguistic fame awaits the person who can discover the word's true origin. This is an etymological holy grail, albeit wrought not of gold or silver but of more humble porcelain.
(end quote)
Raymond S. Wise
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo . com
(quote, from the entry for "loo")
The various "explanations" for loo often are passed along with confident but sadly misplaced assurance. Permanent linguistic fame awaits the person who can discover the word's true origin. This is an etymological holy grail, albeit wrought not of gold or silver but of more humble porcelain.
(end quote)
Raymond S. Wise
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo . com
Top answer
[nq:1]I came across the following in Devious Derivations: Popular Misconceptions and More Than 1,000 True Origins of Common Words and Phrases ... This is an etymological holy grail, albeit wrought not of gold or silver but of more humble porcelain. (end quote)[/nq] It's said to be from 'gardez l'eau' shouted while chucking the waste matter from upstairs tenement windows isn't it?
- [nq:1]I came across the following in Devious Derivations: Popular Misconceptions and More Than 1,000 True Origins of Common Words and Phrases ...
- This is an etymological holy grail, albeit wrought not of gold or silver but of more humble porcelain.
- (end quote)[/nq] It's said to be from 'gardez l'eau' shouted while chucking the waste matter from upstairs tenement windows isn't it?
- Why anybody would warn passersby in French has always been beyond me.
- DC
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29 Answers
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[nq:1]I came across the following in Devious Derivations: Popular Misconceptions and More Than 1,000 True Origins of Common Words and Phrases ... This is an etymological holy grail, albeit wrought not of gold or silver but of more humble porcelain. (end quote)[/nq]
It's said to be from 'gardez l'eau' shouted while chucking the waste matter from upstairs tenement windows isn't it? Why an
It's said to be from 'gardez l'eau' shouted while chucking the waste matter from upstairs tenement windows isn't it? Why an
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[nq:2]I came across the following in *Devious Derivations: Popular Misconceptions and ... gold or silver but of more humble porcelain. (end quote)[/nq]
[nq:1]It's said to be from 'gardez l'eau' shouted while chucking the waste matter from upstairs tenement windows isn't it? Why anybody would warn passersby in French has always been beyond me.[/nq]
Not just in French, but in deliberately ba
[nq:1]It's said to be from 'gardez l'eau' shouted while chucking the waste matter from upstairs tenement windows isn't it? Why anybody would warn passersby in French has always been beyond me.[/nq]
Not just in French, but in deliberately ba
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[nq:2]I came across the following in *Devious Derivations: Popular Misconceptions and ... gold or silver but of more humble porcelain. (end quote)[/nq]
[nq:1]It's said to be from 'gardez l'eau' shouted while chucking the waste matter from upstairs tenement windows isn't it? Why anybody would warn passersby in French has always been beyond me.[/nq]
The a.u.e FAQ lists twelve theories for th
[nq:1]It's said to be from 'gardez l'eau' shouted while chucking the waste matter from upstairs tenement windows isn't it? Why anybody would warn passersby in French has always been beyond me.[/nq]
The a.u.e FAQ lists twelve theories for th
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[nq:1]The a.u.e FAQ lists twelve theories for the word "loo," which it dates from the 1920s: http://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxlooxxx.html[/nq]
...which, in actual fact, it seems to date from a time earlier than the 1920s: the claim here is that the usage was established in Britain by
...which, in actual fact, it seems to date from a time earlier than the 1920s: the claim here is that the usage was established in Britain by
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[nq:2]It's said to be from 'gardez l'eau' shouted while chucking ... would warn passersby in French has always been beyond me.[/nq]
[nq:1]Not just in French, but in deliberately bad French. By mispronouncing "eau" and leaving out the word "gardez" they made ... not understand the warning and thus got soaked in the contents of English chamberpots. Must have happened a lot. Alan[/nq]
Another
[nq:1]Not just in French, but in deliberately bad French. By mispronouncing "eau" and leaving out the word "gardez" they made ... not understand the warning and thus got soaked in the contents of English chamberpots. Must have happened a lot. Alan[/nq]
Another
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Alan Crozier typed thus:
[nq:1]xx Alan Crozier Skatteberga 1392 247 92 S=F6dra Sandby Sweden[/nq]
Goodness, you publish your entire street address on Usenet? I may=20 have to come around and knock on your door when I am next in=20 Stockholm, to show you how dangerous this could be.
=20
David
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
[nq:1]xx Alan Crozier Skatteberga 1392 247 92 S=F6dra Sandby Sweden[/nq]
Goodness, you publish your entire street address on Usenet? I may=20 have to come around and knock on your door when I am next in=20 Stockholm, to show you how dangerous this could be.
=20
David
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
00
[nq:2]The a.u.e FAQ lists twelve theories for the word "loo," which it dates from the 1920s: http://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxlooxxx.html[/nq]
[nq:1]...which, in actual fact, it seems to date from a time earlier than the 1920s: the claim here is that ... a difference - it may be slig
[nq:1]...which, in actual fact, it seems to date from a time earlier than the 1920s: the claim here is that ... a difference - it may be slig
00
[nq:2]It's said to be from 'gardez l'eau' shouted while chucking ... would warn passersby in French has always been beyond me.[/nq]
[nq:1]Not just in French, but in deliberately bad French. By mispronouncing "eau" and leaving out the word "gardez" they made ... not understand the warning and thus got soaked in the contents of English chamberpots. Must have happened a lot. Alan[/nq]
Not nec
[nq:1]Not just in French, but in deliberately bad French. By mispronouncing "eau" and leaving out the word "gardez" they made ... not understand the warning and thus got soaked in the contents of English chamberpots. Must have happened a lot. Alan[/nq]
Not nec
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Alan Crozier typed thus:
[nq:1]xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Alan Crozier Skatteberga 1392 247 92 Södra Sandby Sweden[/nq]
Goodness, you publish your entire street address on Usenet? I may have to come around and knock on your door when I am next in Stockholm, to show you how dangerous this could be.
You'll only find my letterbox (1392), not my house.
[nq:1]xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Alan Crozier Skatteberga 1392 247 92 Södra Sandby Sweden[/nq]
Goodness, you publish your entire street address on Usenet? I may have to come around and knock on your door when I am next in Stockholm, to show you how dangerous this could be.
You'll only find my letterbox (1392), not my house.
00
Alan Crozier typed thus:
[nq:1]Alan Crozier typed thus:[/nq]
[nq:2]xx Alan Crozier Skatteberga 1392 247 92 S=F6dra Sandby Sweden[/nq]
[nq:1]Goodness, you publish your entire street address on Usenet? I may have to come around and knock on your door when I am next in Stockholm, to show you how dangerous this could be. You'll only find my letterbox (1392), not my house.[/nq]
In that
[nq:1]Alan Crozier typed thus:[/nq]
[nq:2]xx Alan Crozier Skatteberga 1392 247 92 S=F6dra Sandby Sweden[/nq]
[nq:1]Goodness, you publish your entire street address on Usenet? I may have to come around and knock on your door when I am next in Stockholm, to show you how dangerous this could be. You'll only find my letterbox (1392), not my house.[/nq]
In that
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