English euphemisms
 

My Spanish teacher and I were talking about the fact that the Spanish are very direct about saying they are going to the toilet and what they are going to do there whereas the English have a history of euphemisms. I wondered whether this varies from one area of the UK to another.

My uncle always said that he was going to Point Percy at the porcelain and one of my friends always said that she was going to twinkle.

Rosemary

Re: English euphemisms
 

I suppose 'toilet' is in fact a euphemism anyway.
An example of euphemism inflation.

I say that I am "going to see a man about a dog"

Re: English euphemisms
 

My Irish Grandaddy sometimes said that he was "going for a pony and trap."

When I was a bit older I thought it might have been Cockney, but they never went to London and ended up in Yorkshire ... so who knows?

Going for a twinkle is not new to me and people also said "spend a penny".

Re: English euphemisms
 

It's probably just because you don't know the Spanish ones, they have plenty the same as us. It's quite common to say simply voy al baño.
Talking of porcelain, they say "voy a visitar al señor Roca". Cambiar el agua al canario, I´ve heard. There are loads of them, some of them quite rude as would be expected.

Re: English euphemisms
 

I usually have to go see my arab friend..........



mustafa ....

:rofl:

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Re: English euphemisms
 

My dog is alert to a few key words. 'Whizz' means to go outside for a pee (it's all right... we live in the country). He wouldn't understand any of the others mentioned above.

Re: English euphemisms
 

My dad goes for a tinkle (not twinkle), my mum "powders her nose" and I just go for a pee. Wish I could think of something more poetic without sounding daft - perhaps we've lost something along the way!

Re: English euphemisms
 

In the Army we said "going to give birth to an ASM(Artificer Sergeant Major)" or officer etc, even back home in Uk it was used but the name for our local/regional rivals was inserted instead...not literally I hasten to add :eek: :rofl:

Re: English euphemisms
 

The most common expression when I was young was 'going to shake hands with Nelson'.

Re: English euphemisms
 

All Scottish probably, tinkle, tiddle, widdle, piddle, ben the lobby, through the hoose, little girls room, wee hoose. I think I mostly use, comfort break, comfort stop, use the facilities :-) ( posh days) and I need a pee/wee when needs MUST :rofl:

Edited to add .... hahaha shakedhands with my best friend I heard a lot :ohmy: :lol:

Re: English euphemisms
 

One I heard in Spain years ago was - voy a cambiar el aceite.

The use of the word dunny is considered very rude by some Aussies and is common parlance with others.

Shaking hands with the unemployed is one, as is, I'm off to strain 't' greens.

Re: English euphemisms
 

Another couple are: Syphon the python and on the "shake hands" theme, shake hands with the bairns father:D

edit: and "shake the snake"

Re: English euphemisms
 

OH says he is going to rinse vince...sounds vile.

Re: English euphemisms
 

more likely kicked out of people by the HR fluffy bunnies.

:thumbdown:

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Re: English euphemisms
 

LOL! I had a temp job as a receptionist once and part of the HR "training" was never to say "so-and-so has just gone to the loo" (as if I would!!), but instead to say "he's not at his desk right now".