Throne

Mon Dec 12 19:55:01 UTC 2011

For people who see "throne" meaning toilet as not being colloquial or
facetious, what written proof will make a difference?

JL

On Mon, Dec 12, 2011 at 2:23 PM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Throne
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> You can read the word "toothpaste" as having a colloquial or facetious nature if you want to.
>
> My claim is that those citations are good demonstrations that neither applies and exemplify how the word "throne" has changed for many speakers. >
> I got these citations with two fast and simple Google queries. Many more citations doubtlessly exist.
>
> Benjamin Barrett
> Seattle, WA
>
> On Dec 12, 2011, at 11:10 AM, Dan Goncharoff wrote:
>
>>
>> Which of these cites is not colloquial and facetious?
>> DanG
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Dec 11, 2011 at 10:09 PM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com>wr=
>> ote:
>>
>>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>> -----------------------
>>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>> Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
>>> Subject:      Re: Throne
>>>
>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
>> ------
>>>
>>> Here are some citations demonstrating that "throne" for "toilet" is
>>> neither strictly colloquial nor facetious:
>>>
>>> 1. "Stroke with no Insurance" by Kevin, 14 Jan 2008 (
>>> http://guaranteedhealthcare.org/your_story/stroke-no-insurance)
>>>
>>> -----
>>> I went in the bathroom and sat down on the throne. Very quickly I realize=
>> d
>>> what was happening, I could feel paralysis setting into my arm and leg. A
>>> constant stream of drool was comming from one side of my mouth, and I
>>> realized my face was paralyzed also . I realized I was having a stroke.
>>>
>>> I got myself off the throne with some trouble and went into the kitchen
>>> and put my coffee mug in the microwave.
>>> -----
>>>
>>> 2. "Lover Boys" by John Patrick, STARbooks Press, 2006, p. 155 (
>>> http://ow.ly/7VZPy)
>>>
>>> -----
>>> It just happened one time. Johnny went to the bathroom and I followed him=
>> .
>>> He sat down on the throne and I looked at his jewels: fat uncut dick and
>>> plump balls.
>>> -----
>>>
>>> 3. "On the Can Pretending I'm Jim" by Early Rahmer, 10 Sept 2010 (
>>> http://voices.yahoo.com/on-pretending-im-jim-6706888.html)
>>>
>>> -----
>>> Simultaneously, the other man walked in and made a beeline to the other
>>> stall. He flushed the toilet then sat down on the throne and the two of u=
>> s
>>> got down to business (I'll spare you the odorous particulars).
>>> -----
>>>
>>> 4-8: Comments found on the Home Depot site:
>>>
>>> 4. August 25, 2011 by diydi, http://ow.ly/7kJH9
>>>
>>> -----
>>> this is perfect for the men in my life, easy to install and works like a
>>> charm. my husband especially likes the slow close on this one. the perfec=
>> t
>>> seat for the throne in my house.
>>> -----
>>>
>>> 5. August 21, 2011 by sbains, http://ow.ly/7kJJ7
>>>
>>> -----
>>> The only complaint is the weight of this beast, it took a lot of strength
>>> to haul it, so I took it upstairs in pieces. But once installed, it is
>>> solid throne!
>>> -----
>>>
>>> 6. April 3, 2010 by phonejones, http://ow.ly/7kJKy
>>>
>>> -----
>>> Bought two to replace the throne in both bathrooms. A little heavy which
>>> makes it hard to install without help. I would have it installed by a pro
>>> if I ever do it again.
>>> The toilets are the fastest flushing I have ever see. The one peice makes
>>> it easy to clean especially with the new lids which detach with a flip of=
>> a
>>> tab.
>>> -----
>>>
>>> 7. January 24, 2011 by dtb136, http://ow.ly/7kJMH
>>>
>>> -----
>>> Having a heated toilet seat is great. My only complaint (and it's minor)
>>> is that even on the low setting it might be a little too hot and that's
>>> only if you linger on the throne. Otherwise it's great. My kids and wife
>>> battle for it.
>>> -----
>>>
>>> 8. February 28, 2007 by JayDee, http://ow.ly/7kJO4
>>>
>>> -----
>>> The Wellworth is a good quality, easy-to-install throne, in my experience=
>> .
>>> -----
>>>
>>> Benjamin Barrett
>>> Seattle, WA
>>>
>>> On Nov 5, 2011, at 6:59 PM, Ron Butters wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> nah, these are facetious usages. You will not find Home Depot
>>> advertising thrones for sale.
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my Droid Charge on Verizon 4GLTE
>>>>
>>>> ------Original Message------
>>>> From: Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
>>>>
>>>> When looking at the histories of words, I sometimes wonder how a word
>>> could have gained certain connotations and changed. An excellent point of
>>> reference is "throne," which is a bizarre contemporary example.
>>>>
>>>> The AHD labels the meaning of "toilet" for "throne" as facetious. The
>>> OED labels it as figurative and colloquial. The two most recent OED
>>> quotations have the word in quotes. Wiktionary labels it as colloquial.
>>>>
>>>> I think it's time to accept the fact that "throne" is here to stay and
>>> toss the labels. Here are two more citations. Both articles include the
>>> word "toilet" to prime the reader but it is only a matter of time.
>>>>
>>>> 1.
>>> http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/realestate/2016531611_realbathrooms=
>> 16.html
>>>>
>>>> "Bells and whistles descend upon the throne" by Sam Brobart, October 21=
>> ,
>>> 2011, from the New York Times.
>>>>
>>>> -----
>>>> The Numi costs $6,400 or 81 times the price of the basic throne at Home
>>> Depot.
>>>> -----
>>>>
>>>> 2. http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1882569,00.html
>>>>
>>>> "Edible Excretions: Taiwan's Toilet Restaurant" by Natalie Tso, March 2=
>> ,
>>> 2009.
>>>>
>>>> -----
>>>> Toilet creations aren't new to China. The ancient Chinese may have been
>>> the first to use the throne =97 a flush toilet was found in a tomb of a
>>> Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C. to A.D. 24) king =97 and they invented toil=
>> et
>>> paper in the 6th century.
>>>> -----
>
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