Whiz (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Wilson Gray]

Somehow, even though I'm from regions where the mule was the equine of
choice, except in the city of Saint Louis, where only horses were
used, I've always heard this expression as "see a man about a
_horse_." So far, I've never heard a woman use either version and,
with luck, I never will. Ugh! :-)

-Wilson

On 9/28/07, Mullins, Bill AMRDEC <Bill.Mullins at us.army.mil> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Mullins, Bill AMRDEC" <Bill.Mullins at US.ARMY.MIL>
> Subject:      Re: Whiz (UNCLASSIFIED)
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
> Caveats: NONE
>
> A lady (and I use the word in its best sense) I used to work with once
> told me she "had to go see a man about a mule".  It took a while for me
> to figure out that she went to the bathroom.
>
>
> >
> > What! Wilson surely you go back to "powder my nose" (if not
> > "straighten the seams on my stockings").
> >
> > dInIs
> >
> > >---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > >-----------------------
> > >Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > >Poster:       Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
> > >Subject:      Re: Whiz
> > >-------------------------------------------------------------
> > ----------
> > >--------
> > >
> > >I once heard a woman say, "take a dump." It sounded gross.
> > >Fortunately, I've not had the displeasure of hearing a woman
> > use any of
> > >the other forms. That may seem a little prissy, but, once
> > upon a time,
> > >even hearing a woman say, "I have to go to the bathroom,"
> > >grossed me out. The only proper usage for women for me, at one time,
> > >was, "Excuse me."
> > >
> > >-Wilson
> > >
> > >
> > >On 9/26/07, Charles Doyle <cdoyle at uga.edu> wrote:
> > >>  ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > >>-----------------------
> > >>  Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > >>  Poster:       Charles Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU>
> > >>  Subject:      Re: Whiz
> > >>
> > >>------------------------------------------------------------
> > ----------
> > >>---------
> > >>
> > >>  OK, a person (at least a male; do the same expressions commonly
> > >>refer to female activities of the corresponding sort?) can
> > "take a X";
> > >>X can be "whiz" or "leak" or "piss" or "pee" or "shit" or "dump" or
> > >>"dooky" or possibly other eliminations of a nether sort--but NOT
> > >>*"turd" or *"urine."
> > >>
> > >>  The object of "take" designates an action (an act of X-ing), not
> > >>just the substance deposited. Even though the permissible X's are
> > >>clearly nouns (preceded by the definite article), the allowable X
> > >>words can, in other environments, function as verbs, whereas "turd"
> > >>and "urine" can't.
> > >>
> > >>  There must be exceptions or outright contradictions to
> > this little
> > >>hypothesis!
> > >>
> > >>  And then there are upper-body eliminations: We can't
> > *"take a spit"
> > >>or *"take a vomit." In our expressions, "take" seems to imply
> > >>premeditation, deliberation, perhaps even a certain formality.
> > >>
> > >>  --Charlie
> > >>  _____________________________________________________________
> > >>
> > >>  ------------------------------------------------------------
> > >>  The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >--
> > >All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange
> > complaint to
> > >come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
> > >-----
> > >                                               -Sam'l Clemens
> > >
> > >------------------------------------------------------------
> > >The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> >
> > --
> > Dennis R. Preston
> > University Distinguished Professor
> > Department of English
> > Morrill Hall 15-C
> > Michigan State University
> > East Lansing, MI 48864 USA
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
> Caveats: NONE
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>


--
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
                                              -Sam'l Clemens

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org