useless information thread...

[mird-OC]

when someone says they're "going to the crapper", we all know what they mean. crapper is of course a slang word for toilet.

the origin or this word and it's use derives from the workmanship of englishman and plumber Thomas Crapper (http://www.thomas-crapper.com). Thomas Crapper produced a number of plumbing products in the late 19th century and early 20th century, including a line of Water Closets (http://www.theplumber.com/images/crapper.jpg) (that means toilets for you uncultured folk).

there is a myth that Thomas Crapper actually invented the toilet - he didn't - it's just his name is synonymous with it. it apparently sprouted from the WWI "doughboys" passing through england seeing the word "crapper" imprinted on the systen of nearly every toilet they blessed. when someone needed to answer the call of nature they said they were "going to the crapper".

so that's how crapper came to mean toilet.

there is a large amount of people who believe this is where the word crap comes from (and it does make sense). in actuality the origin of the word is still being debated. possible sources include the Dutch Krappe; Low German krape meaning a vile and inedible fish; Middle English crappy, and (of course) Thomas Crapper. where crap is derived from crapper, it is by a process know as, pardon the pun, a back formation.

[Binky Stunt Cat]

oooohhhhh
aaaahhhhh
[insert general amazement here]
:p

[Gh0s7 L3mUr]

I suppose it sort of like how some people refer to all vacum cleaners as hoovers although Hoover is just a brand.

I take it you have a great deal of time on your hand mird? :D *jks*

[mird-OC]

according to the 'American Heritage Dictionary' (http://www.bartleby.com/61/32/N0063200.html), the word 'nerd' first appeared in 1950 in Dr. Seuss's 'If I Ran A Zoo' - "And then, just to show them, I'll sail to Ka-Troo And Bring Back an It-Kutch a Preep and a Proo A Nerkle a Nerd and a Seersucker, too!”

nerd next appeared in 1957, in an issue of the Glasgow Sunday Mail. a regular column called 'ABC FOR SQUARES' described: "Nerd- a square, any explantion needed?".

the word next appeared in print in the US in 1970: "Nurd [sic], someone with objectionable habits or traits…. An uninteresting person, a ‘dud.’"

there is conflict as to whether the word which appeared in Glasgow Sunday Mail is actually derived from the word which appeared in the Dr. Seuss's book, although one theory is that young children picked up the word in the early fifties (from the book) and through the grapevine made it into teenage diction by 1957.

[Daza]

you cant blame a nerd for not going out much if they look like that

[Sydog]

Kinda like Xerox as well, ppl in the US call photocopiers a Xerox when they are just the best brand

[Deviant]

What about a 'megger' otherwise known as an electrical insulation tester, but just a brand. Comercial law states that when a brand name such as xerox, megger etc become the norm they lose their copywrite to the name. What do you think about that?

[Tojja]

More importantly, who gives a f**k.

What do I think about it? I don't.

Think about it. That is.

Bad day at work :)