>This *john*/* */is a variant on *jack* //, *jacks* or// *jakes*, all
of which have meant "privy" since the early 1500s. Their origin is
uncertain but it is very likely that they originated in someone excusing
themselves with "I must speak with my friend Jack" or some such.<
mj
Mark Weiss wrote:
> Which must have made painting the hull ever so much more pleasant.
>
> Does google say who "john" was?
>
> Mark
>
> At 12:01 PM 6/8/2005, you wrote:
>
>> No sooner asked...Thank Google (which should be replacing that other
>> big G round about now):
>> >One of the most vilified pieces of equipment aboard our boats is the
>> toilet�or as most sailors like to refer to it, the head. The old
>> salts among us tend to cling to this bit of archaic nautical jargon
>> to remind ourselves of the days when the only toilet facilities
>> aboard sailing ships was to saunter up forward to the bow, or head of
>> the ship, and let your backside hang over the bulwarks to do your
>> business.<
>> mj
>>
>> Mark Weiss wrote:
>>
>>> Both bog and can refer back to pre-indoor plumbing--with the
>>> overtone of "bog people" in the one case and permission in the
>>> other. "Head" is too awful to talk about--would be nice to know the
>>> origin of that one.
>>>
>>> There's also "privy," presumably from "private."
>>>
>>> Mark
>>>
>>>
>>> At 10:37 AM 6/8/2005, you wrote:
>>>
>>>> A well brought-up British yob in my day, (cough, expectorate) would
>>>> say "bog".
>>>> mj
>>>>
>>>> Halvard Johnson wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Jun 8, 2005, at 10:13 AM, Mark Weiss wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Lavatory is accurate if you wash your hands in it. Crapper makes
>>>>>> the recipient the active party. Loo sounds like it's instead of
>>>>>> something. WC (watercloset) is just silly, tho the idea of a set
>>>>>> of shelves for water is kind of neat--like a wine cellar?
>>>>>> Harrington is too long--by the time you've asked where it is it
>>>>>> might be too late.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Leaving us with, among others, "head" and "can"--short and . . .
>>>>> well, sweet?
>>>>>
>>>>> Hal
>>>>>
>>>>> Halvard Johnson
>>>>> [log in to unmask]
>>>>> [log in to unmask]
>>>>> website: http://home.earthlink.net/~halvard
>>>>> blog: http://entropyandme.blogspot.com/
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> M.J.Walker - no webpage, no blogspot, no idea -
>>>>
>>>> nobody dies, 'nothing happens', we call it music,
>>>> it is time rushing past the shabby portals of our ear
>>>>
>>>> and I am just a terrible mistake.
>>>> Robert Kelly
>>>
>>>
>>
>> --
>> M.J.Walker - no webpage, no blogspot, no idea -
>>
>> nobody dies, 'nothing happens', we call it music,
>> it is time rushing past the shabby portals of our ear
>>
>> and I am just a terrible mistake.
>> Robert Kelly
>
>
--
M.J.Walker - no webpage, no blogspot, no idea -
nobody dies, 'nothing happens', we call it music,
it is time rushing past the shabby portals of our ear
and I am just a terrible mistake.
Robert Kelly
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