=======================================================================
<p>
L O W L A N D S - L * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
<p>
http://www.lowlands-l.net * lowlands.list@gmail.com
<p>
Rules & Guidelines: http://www.lowlands-l.net/rules.php
<p>
Posting: lowlands-l@listserv.linguistlist.org - lowlands.list@gmail.com
<p>
Commands ("signoff lowlands-l" etc.): listserv@listserv.net
<p>
Server Manual: http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html
<p>
Archives: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
<p>
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) [Please switch your view mode to it.]
<p>
Administration: lowlands.list@gmail.com or sassisch@yahoo.com
<p>
<p>
You have received this because you have been subscribed upon request.
To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
text from the same account to listserv@listserv.linguistlist.org or
sign off at http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
<p>
<p>
A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West) Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
<p>
=======================================================================
<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">L O W L A N D S - L - 16 June 2007 - Volume 05</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">=========================================================================</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">From: </span><span id="_user_sandy@scotstext.org" style="color: rgb(121, 6, 25); font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Sandy Fleming</span><span style="font-weight: normal; font-family: arial,sans-serif;" class="lg">
<<a href="mailto:sandy@scotstext.org">sandy@scotstext.org</a>></span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2007.06.17 (03) [E/LS]
</span><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;" class="q">> From: R. F. Hahn <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com">
sassisch@yahoo.com</a>><br>> Subject: Idiomatica<br><br></span><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span class="q">> Further on the semantic spread of loans of French commode:<br>><br>> German has Kommode 'chest of drawers', 'bureau'
<br>> Somewhat old-fashioned American English "commode" is used as a taboo<br>> replacement for "toilet".<br>><br></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">These two things seem to me to be related because in (just British?)
<br>English, a "commode" is a cabinet with a toilet in it (that is, just a<br>bowl that can be removed and cleaned out), which was brought to an<br>invalid and opened up so they could sit in it and do their business
<br>without having to use the stairs or else leave their room.<br><br>I don't know how things are done now, but when I was a student earning<br>extra cash as a nursing auxiliary in the 1970's, every ward had a<br>
"commode" which could be wheeled in for those too infirm to go to the<br>toilet or perform the peculiar sort of yoga necessary in using a bedpan.<br><br>Do you really mean that this word is used in American English as a
<br>euphemism? If someone told me they were going to use the commode, my<br>eyebrows would be raised!<br></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"><span class="sg"><br>Sandy Fleming<br><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://scotstext.org/" target="_blank">
http://scotstext.org/</a><br><br>----------<br><br></span><span class="q">From: R. F. Hahn <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com">sassisch@yahoo.com</a>><br>Subject: Idiomatica
<br><br>Hi, Sandy! Look whom the cat dragged in!<br><br style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">> Do you really mean that this word is used in American English as a</span><br style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">
<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">euphemism? If someone told me they were going to use the commode, my</span><br style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">eyebrows would be raised!</span>
<br><br>I've never heard it used that way. Old-fashioned as well as enduring euphemisms for that include "to go to/visit the bathroom/washroom/powder-room," "to wash one's hands," "to freshen up," "to visit the girls'/boy's/lady's/men's (room)," "to see a man about a horse," ...
<br><br>I associate "commode" for (ordinary) "toilet" with American east coast dialects (also "turlet" in and around New York and New Jersey). The focus here is on the physical object; e.g., "There's a commode behind the partition," "They had to replace the sink and the commode," "Our dog loves to drink from the commode," "You have an unobstructed view of the islands when you sit on the commode," "Even the commode is made of gold" ...
<br><br>Hope this clarified it.<br><br>I guess it all still boils down to "convenience" < "convenient."<br><br>Regards,<br>Reinhard/Ron<br><br></div><br style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">
•
<p>
==============================END===================================
<p>
* Please submit postings to lowlands-l@listserv.linguistlist.org.
<p>
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
<p>
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
<p>
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l")
<p>
are to be sent to listserv@listserv.linguistlist.org or at
<p>
http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
<p>
*********************************************************************