In reading The Good Soldier Sveck, I've seen the word often, which in context I take to mean what we over here would call "latrine".
Is the word common in UK English, or peculiar to WW1 slang?
August 04, 2008, 23:04
Richard English
I've never heard of it in that context, although "rear end" is not unknown as a euphemism for buttocks.
Richard English
August 05, 2008, 00:28
Valentine
Rear end I've heard, too. One of our local talk show hosts here has, and plays from time to time, an audio clip of the Mayor of Providence (a somewhat flamboyantly gay male) saying "There has been an increase in rear end collisions."
The translator, Sir Cecil Parrott is certainly English.
As I have read along, I've found that he also uses the word latrine, but in more formal contexts. I'm beginning to suspect that rears is used in place of some Czech slang word.
August 05, 2008, 01:21
arnie
quote:
I'm beginning to suspect that rears is used in place of some Czech slang word.
The novel makes clear that the need to shit is something that truly unites human beings, linking the Emperor, “whom they can’t let out of the rears [the latrine] in case he should shit up the whole of Schönbrunn [the royal palace],” to the officers and ordinary soldiers, even to the dying and the dead
This message has been edited. Last edited by: arnie,
Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
August 05, 2008, 03:22
tinman
The Oed Online
quote:
rear, n.3 (and a.1)
[Aphetic form of ARREAR n., prob. originating in the rear for th' arrear, or under the influence of rear-guard, rear-ward. The form became current in the 17th c.; an app. instance in R. Brunne's Chron. (1810) 204 is no doubt to be taken as elliptical for rereward.]
3b. A (public or communal) water-closet, lavatory, or latrine. Also pl. (const. as sing.). orig. School and University slang.
1902 FARMER & HENLEY Slang VI. 4/2 Rear ..(University), a jakes. 1907 H. NICOLSON Let. 31 Apr. in J. Lees-Milne Harold Nicolson (1980) I. ii. 29 The usual bad rears with its hook and eye lock. 1940 [see LAT3]. 1946 B. MARSHALL George Brown's Schooldays xliii. 170 And now let's raid the rears and rout out any of the other new swine that are hiding there. 1969 VISCT. BUCKMASTER Roundabout ii. 30 We also had to know a Latin description of the rear, which we called Foricas.
jakes - [Origin unascertained; it has been suggested to be from the proper name Jaques, Jakes; or from Jakke, ‘Jack’, quasi Jakkes, ‘Jack's; attested from 153 to 1969 1552 HULOET, Siege, iacques, bogard, or draught, latrina.
dubs - 1940 M. MARPLES Public School Slang 112 Other synonyms [for lavatories] are rears, lats..and dubs.
siege - A privy; evacuation;excrement, ordure. All Obs. Also to go to siege, to go to stool, to ease oneself. Obs.
bogard (boggard) - from v. bog - intr. To exonerate the bowels; also trans. to defile with excrement. Obs.
draught - a privy Obs.This message has been edited. Last edited by: tinman,
August 05, 2008, 03:34
arnie
quote:
bogard (boggard) - from v. bog - intr. To exonerate the bowels; also trans. to defile with excrement.
Hmmmm... I wonder if there's any connection here with to Bogart?
Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
August 05, 2008, 03:38
arnie
quote:
siege - A privy ...
That also has the meaning of "throne" (as in siege perilous) which is also a word used for a lavatory.
Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
August 05, 2008, 06:41
zmježd
I wonder if there's any connection here with to Bogart?
The usual etymology for the verb bogart is from the US actor, Humphrey Bogart. His surname is Dutch in origin. Its usual etymology is from Dutch boomgaard 'orchard', literally 'tree-yard'. I don't doubt that the English words bog (for a swampy place), bug, bogle, bogey, in the sense of (hob)goblin, may have had some influence. I like the idea of calling a commode a siege perilous.
—Ceci n'est pas un seing.
August 05, 2008, 14:42
tinman
I like the euphemisms: "To exonerate the bowels," "to ease oneself."
August 07, 2008, 19:13
<Proofreader>
Don't forget, you empty the opposite end in the head.(unless you bring a book with you)
I went to the toilet in Cuba In a bowl, deluxe, from Aruba Made from solid gold - Or so I was told - Oh No! Did I crap in his tuba?
August 07, 2008, 20:26
Kalleh
quote:
I like the euphemisms: "To exonerate the bowels," "to ease oneself."
I am at a conference where people are running for office. One candidate asked the audience to think of a cereal they'd like to be known as. I was thinking of something like Cheerios because it signifies health. This nominee saw herself as Bran Flakes since she'd see that "everything would come out well in the end."
Somehow that just didn't do it for me. You can imagine the image I kept seeing, and others felt the same way.
What would you like to be thought of?
August 08, 2008, 01:16
Richard English
quote:
What would you like to be thought of?
I haven't eaten cereals since I was a lad. So I would like to abide by the profound thought that I first read in the Goose Island Brewery:
"Beer is not just a breakfast drink"
Richard English
August 08, 2008, 16:37
shufitz
quote:
Originally posted by Kalleh: This nominee saw herself as Bran Flakes since she'd see that "everything would come out well in the end." Somehow that just didn't do it for me.
You have to go with the flow.
August 20, 2008, 20:47
Kalleh
As a follow-up, that candidate lost the election. Many of the delegates who voted said they couldn't stand her reference to bran flakes making things come out alright in the end.
Similarly, another candidate lost because of her speech, I think. I absolutely don't think she had meant anything rude by it, but she said, "Take the high road and vote for me." It seemed to irritate a lot of the voters.
It wasn't until this election that I realized how important words are in a campaign. One small gaffe ("take the high road"), and it can mean an election. Granted, she should have known...but still.