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