Date: Thu, 16 Feb 1995 11:01:21 -0800

From: "Joseph B. Monda" monda[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]SEATTLEU.EDU

Subject: Re: jakes



On Thu, 16 Feb 1995, Bruce Gelder wrote:



Is anyone familiar with the use of the term "jakes" (or "jake" or "jake

house") to mean a privy or a toilet? The OED has it from c1530 on, but

almost all of DARE's contemporary evidence for it comes from Roman Catholic

clergymen! Is it more widespread than that? If you know it, please tell me

where and when you heard it. Thanks.



As a kid attending a boarding school, i heard the expression "jakes" used

to refer to the john.



That goes back to 1942-4. My father was also familiar with the term and

used it. I suspect he got it from the same kind of source. He was born

in1901.

Joseph B. Monda email: monda[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]seattleu.edu

smail: English Department Seattle University

Seattle WA 98122 (206) 325-3005