[quote=“occhimarroni”]Then add the water to it and I just imagine sitting in a tiny damp room with water being poured over me while I do a “number 2.”
[/quote]
It’s that scene in Flashdance… except that it was a stage, not a tiny damp room, and I think she was not doing a number 2.
And toilet water? Who the hell decided people would want to splash themselves with toilet water? Certainly not an american.
[quote=“Mother Theresa”]
And toilet water? Who the hell decided people would want to splash themselves with toilet water? Certainly not an American.[/quote]
That would be from the French “eau de toilette”, which you probably already know. Toilette can refer to the toilet bowl and it can refer to the room. But it has also a more abstract meaning of “grooming”. This is pretty clear in the expression “faire sa toilette” which does not mean “to build one’s own toilet” but “to groom oneself”. So eau de toilette should be understood something like “grooming water”.
French is my mother tongue but, still, as a child I laughed my ass off when I heard eau de toilette. The concrete meaning of toilette was what first came to mind.
Hmm… here’s one for marboulette: “eau de bécosse”.
And the future of English is supposedly Singlish.
“Dis guy Singlish damn powerful one leh.” Yes in the future we all talk like Jar Jar Binks (goes to find a shotgun…)
O.K. is most believed to come from the English habit of deliberate bad spelling, and people would end letters with Oll Korrect. (All correct.) This was then associated to some dude called Old Kinderhook (Martin Van Buren the 7th president, Kramer remembers).
[quote=“Buttercup”]
I refuse, in Oxford, to stop speaking the slightly mangled transatlantic Engnese I developed in Taiwan.[/quote]
What does the term “transatlantic” mean, in your opinion?
I only ask because I was writing some copy for one of our products and a German colleague mentioned this term in regards to writing style and I didn’t understand what he was getting at.
On to the topic of bathrooms. A water closet, elevated cistern, and a small wall of mirrors were all found in the house I grew up in. Bizarre.
Oh yeah, what about the legendary Thomas Crapper?
I’ve long been a fan of the American vernacular. Some of the idioms are just buzzing with intense imagery.
Yet, the same can be said of any of the far flung deviant vestiges of the Anglo-Saxon/Norse/German/Celtic mother lode of tongue.
Newfoundland. The Shetland Isles. Tasmania. Cape Town. Perth. Kentucky.
HuZZaH!
Why do Americans say ‘Could care less’ instead of ‘couldn’t care less’?
It obviously defies logic as well as grammar.
[quote=“Charlie Phillips”]Why do Americans say ‘Could care less’ instead of ‘couldn’t care less’?
[/quote]
Americans do say “couldn’t care less” but the masses know neither grammar nor logic so you hear “could care less” more often. I’ve heard the claim that “could care less” should be understood as sarcastic but in practice I hear it said without sarcasm.
What about the constant use of the double negative by Americans? eg: “I can’t get no satisfaction” (sure, The Stones are English, but they sing in American). Or the triple negative? eg: “Ain’t no niggers gonna come near no daughter of mine”.
[quote=“lemur”][quote=“Charlie Phillips”]Why do Americans say ‘Could care less’ instead of ‘couldn’t care less’?
[/quote]
Americans do say “couldn’t care less” but the masses know neither grammar nor logic so you hear “could care less” more often. I’ve heard the claim that “could care less” should be understood as sarcastic but in practice I hear it said without sarcasm.[/quote]
I was asked by a student once to explain this. I assumed that the care factor was on a scale of say 1-10 and the person cared about 5 or 6 therefore the person could in fact care less about whatever the subject was. Oh well, they were happy with my explanation.
You learn something new everyday.
L.
People who say toilet are generally considered uncouth.
Do you mate with your ‘mate’? Is your ‘best mate’ your best shag?
People who say “bathroom” are generally considered confused.
I personally prefer “mate” to “buddy”, “pal”, “dude” and “man”.
And it’s “two”, not “deuce”. Don’t get all lyrical about Texas Hold 'Em.
People who say “bathroom” are generally considered confused.
I personally prefer “mate” to “buddy”, “pal”, “dude” and “man”.[/quote]
Try using the word ‘cock’ or ‘cocker’ instead of mate. It’s an instant crack-up.
nice one Elvis Hendrix
[quote=“Deuce Dropper”]
nice one Elvis Hendrix[/quote]
People who say “bathroom” are generally considered confused.
I personally prefer “mate” to “buddy”, “pal”, “dude” and “man”.[/quote]
Try using the word ‘cock’ or ‘cocker’ instead of mate. It’s an instant crack-up.[/quote]
Cheers me old duck, me cobber.
[quote=“TomHill”]
Try using the word ‘cock’ or ‘cocker’ instead of mate. It’s an instant crack-up.[/quote]
My housemate’s a Geordie, and he calls me “kid” all the time. Jumping Jesus on a crutch! I’m 45 years old!
[quote=“jimipresley”][quote=“TomHill”]
Try using the word ‘cock’ or ‘cocker’ instead of mate. It’s an instant crack-up.[/quote]
My housemate’s a Geordie, and he calls me “kid” all the time. Jumping Jesus on a crutch! I’m 45 years old![/quote]
God! You don’t have your own place?
[quote=“almas john”]
God! You don’t have your own place?[/quote]
I lease out my spare room to supplement the rent. Don’t JUDGE me or I’ll bite your ear.