Do Americans use the same sign language as the British? And what do Japanese people use instead of umm? Plus, why do we vote at polling places? What goes into file 13? All this, a word quiz, commode vs. toilet, saditty and bougie, and cute stuff...
Elaine in Redlands, California, grew up in east Tennessee using commode for the bathroom fixture, while her Ohio-born husband said toilet. Historically, a commode was a piece of furniture, sometimes one that held or enclosed a chamber pot, and the...
Jack and Jill bathroom n.— «Bathrooms may also have a lot of doors, as they were often placed between two bedrooms (sometimes known as a Jack-and-Jill bathroom).» —by Jane Powell, Linda Svendsen Bungalow Details , 2006. (source: Double-Tongued...
A San Diego listener has a weird word on her mind: biffy (meaning “toilet”). This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Biffy for Toilets, Outhouses, and Porta-Potties” Hi, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Megan from San Diego...
tropical shell n.— «Although there are no strict definitions, “cold shells” are generally facilities where tenants may have to install bathrooms, elevators and air conditioning. But that’s not as bad as an “arctic shell,” which doesn’t have much...
arctic shell n.— «Although there are no strict definitions, “cold shells” are generally facilities where tenants may have to install bathrooms, elevators and air conditioning. But that’s not as bad as an “arctic shell,” which doesn’t have much more...