Loo

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Loo

Postby Dr. Goodword » Thu Dec 18, 2014 11:17 pm

• loo •

Pronunciation: luHear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: (British) Bathroom, restroom, toilet, lavatory, privy, water-closet, 'john', 'can', 'head'.

Notes: Todays Good Word is seldom encountered in the US except among those who have had extensive experience in the UK. It can also refer to a card game, a velvet mask worn by women in the 17th century, and a hot wind in the Punjab. However, these are all unrelated words, accidentally spelled the same.

In Play: Today's word reminds me of a story about an American tourist in Paris. He meets a Brit in a restaurant and they begin exchanging experiences in Paris. When the Brit asks, "Have you been to the Louvre?" The American, proud that he understands the British term, replies, "Yes, I just went. It's in the back of the restaurant."

Word History: Today's Good Word is a recent addition to the English vocabulary, appearing in print just in 1932. The origin should be pretty clear, but it is far from that. One suggestion is that it comes from French lieux d'aisances "bathroom", literally "place of ease", picked up by British servicemen in France during World War I. However, we are left with the question of why it turns up in print only in 1932. Another explanation is that it is a reduction of Waterloo, a pun based on an analogy with water closet. That is what the "WC" represents on European bathrooms today. However, both these explanations are just guesses. (Now we thank David Myer for recommending today's Good if potentially stinky Word.)
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Re: Loo

Postby Dr. Goodword » Fri Dec 19, 2014 11:08 am

I just received a third guess about the origin of loo from Chris Stewart, an old e-friend in South Africa. Here is what he proposes:

I am surprised to find that this word first came to print in 1932.
I do not know where I came across the following conjecture (or, if you prefer, urban legend), but it was probably my (British) dad.

The Brits & the French have an inextricably entwined history, and the language shows it. The Brits also like to make fun of things, especially the distasteful—and particularly love to parody the airs & graces of the high & mighty.

They thus have a habit of adopting French phrases and (mis)applying them, deliberately or not. In an earlier time (though for all I know, it still happens), when the joys of waterborne sewage were virtually nonexistent, one of the first tasks of the day was to get rid of the "night soil" from the chamberpot under the bed.

One expedient was to simply throw it out of the window. Where land is scarce and thus expensive, it is normal to build up, instead of out.

In Europe & England, the result is multi-story dwellings; bedrooms tend not to be on the ground floor. And often in the city there is no front yard; the building is right on the street front.

To spare innocent passers-by the noisome prospects of being showered by nightsoil disposal, one would call out a warning.
One such, would be ironic use of the French "Guarde de l'eau".
The phrase drifted in time from the original high court pronunciation to the common vernacular "gardyloo".
Once flush toilets became the norm, the "loo" part persisted by association (without the need to retain the warning part).

This all makes sense to me—even if it is a crock of, um, nightsoil.
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Re: Loo

Postby LukeJavan8 » Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:20 pm

Nightsoil! Now that's a good one, indeed.
I've often heard the 'gardez-l'eau'(or Garde de l'eau) explanations
many times, so it must have a certain credence.
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Re: Loo

Postby Perry Lassiter » Fri Dec 19, 2014 3:00 pm

You've heard it many times, so it must have a certain credence? Well, if you mean many people believe it, yes. But if you imply veracity, you are saying "where there's smoke, there's fire," which is certainly not true. Very early as a pastor I learned when someone called to say Joe Blow had died, to think of someone who would know, call them up, and asked whether they had heard of anything happening with Joe. Usually, he had not died, sometimes he had been injured or was hospitalized. The majority of gossip is inflated. And as I'm sure you know many popular etymologies are hooey. The French l'eaux derivation makes sense, but so do the others.
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Re: Loo

Postby Slava » Fri Dec 19, 2014 6:29 pm

Gardyloo! has been through the Doc's chambers twice here on the Agora. Way back in the beginning and earlier this year.
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Re: Loo

Postby LukeJavan8 » Fri Dec 19, 2014 7:08 pm

I thought we ran into this discussion somewhere not too long ago,
now I see it was right here in Agora.
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Re: Loo

Postby David McWethy » Sat Dec 20, 2014 1:27 am

From the sublime to the ridiculous:

Mention has been made of “water closet” (or, shortened to “W.C.”) as an alternative to “loo”; I’m wondering how many of those who lurk the dim corners of the Alpha Agora will admit to being old enough to remember the night that Johnny Carson attempted to begin his “Tonight Show” with a straight-faced monologue but was interrupted—on the air—by the show’s producers, who told him that he couldn’t finish the risqué story he had just begun:

He thought a moment; said “There must be a better way to earn a living than this”; got up; and walked off the show—to remain absent for a year.

During which time all America was abuzz, wondering and speculating about what the ghastly example of poor taste was that NBC’s exec’s had nipped in the bud. Herewith, the mystery is over; imagine an era when this was considered too ribald for late-night television!
A British schoolmarm was planning to spend the summer in the States, sightseeing an area of the picturesque Northeast with her daily point of return being a room in what appeared to be a charming bed-and-breakfast. She and the manager had exchanged several articles of correspondence addressing the minutiae of the accommodations, and only days before her scheduled sailing date she realized that she’d neglected to get any details about the “water closet” (or simply “W.C.”), presumably in her room.

So she inquired regarding the accommodations—an inquiry that left the innkeeper completely at a loss as to what she could have been referring to, as it was a term with which the manager was quite unfamiliar.

Finally, after consulting with the parish priest, the two concluded that “W.C.” was most likely an abbreviation for “Wayside Chapel”—as she had seemed to be a pious woman, to whom such things might be of more importance than they were to the local folk—so the innkeeper replied by return post:
Dear Mrs. __:

I am pleased to report that the nearest “W.C.” is located in a lovely grove of pine trees, and has recently had some badly-needed expansion work to accommodate larger groups completed. My niece was married there only two weeks ago, and occasional group activities have also occasionally been arranged.

Due to an arthritic condition, my wife has been unable to attend in nearly six months; naturally, it pains her to be absent for so long.

I’m sure you’ll find the W.C. to be completely to your satisfaction; if you like, I’ll take steps to reserve you a seat next to mine.

Sincerely,
As I mentioned, Johnny remained off the show for a year, as behind-the-scenes negotiations took place in an effort to allow everyone to save some degree of face; the night he returned his walk into the spotlight was followed by an uncontrollable ten full minutes of wild and tumultuous applause and floor-stomping that more-than-once appeared to be on the verge of getting out of hand, until Johnny got the audience quieted enough to say: “A year ago I said that there must be a better way of earning a living than this….[long pause]…I’ve looked…and there isn’t.”

Followed by five more minutes of applause.

How very far we’ve come in determining what constitutes a lack of redeeming social value.
"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to talk of many things...."

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Re: Loo

Postby LukeJavan8 » Sat Dec 20, 2014 12:33 pm

I remember hearing of this incident. Thanks for
bringing the memory back.
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Re: Loo

Postby Perry Lassiter » Sun Dec 21, 2014 3:25 pm

I somehouse missed that, but had read the story. I can't believe management thought it inappropriate. If I had a reason to, I could have told that story from the pulpit in the fifties with no objection.
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Re: Loo

Postby Philip Hudson » Mon Dec 22, 2014 10:27 am

I suppose it is folk etymology that loo comes from "la lieu de la femme anglais." But I like it. It shows the disdain that the French have for the English (and everyone else) and is a joke on the English, who are so dense they cannot even understand insults. [Note: I say all this tongue in cheek. I am only using stereotypes. :) ]

Perry, you must run with different church crowd than I do. That joke would go over like a lead balloon in the churches I know. But then, it's likely that it wouldn't be noticed. Most people don't listen to sermons. I heard a particularly bad sermon recently and after the sermon people were discussing it with a sense of seething resentment. Then I learned they were miffed because the sermon went five minutes over time. I was the only one who commented on the contents.

In another church, of the charismatic bent, I once heard a preacher describe a self centered person as being so vain that he thought his s**t didn't stink. I think that would have woke up some of the old biddies if it had been voiced in a more "refined" church such as the one I am privileged to attend.
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Re: Loo

Postby Perry Lassiter » Tue Dec 23, 2014 12:25 am

They don't listen. In our church the bulletin has a place for notes on the back, and looking over the crowd, I see a lot of people taking notes.The pastor has his major points projected on the screens and sometimes includes pictures, maps, and even short videos.
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Re: Loo

Postby misterdoe » Thu Jan 29, 2015 12:18 am

"Joys of waterborne sewage" made me chuckle, but then I've never even had to think about using an outhouse, having always had ready access to an... "inhouse." :lol:

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Re: Loo

Postby Philip Hudson » Sat Apr 11, 2015 3:54 pm

misterdoe: You have missed nothing by not having an outhouse. As a youth I used the outhouse, dug fresh holes and moved the outhouse and righted outhouses that had been turned over by vandals. When electricity and running water came to the hinterlands we still had no sewers. I remember at fourteen I was obliged to dig an humongous septic tank about ten feet deep and four feet across. Then I covered it with railroad ties. The farmstead has been long sold and in other hands. I think about it sometime and wonder if the railroad ties have rotted yet, and if someone may have fallen in. Does anyone know the decomposition rate of railroad ties buried in a semi-desert environment? I would like to be there when it caves.
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Re: Loo

Postby LukeJavan8 » Sun Apr 12, 2015 11:43 am

And used prior to or post creosote.
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Re: Loo

Postby Philip Hudson » Sun Apr 12, 2015 5:43 pm

Post.
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