Talk:gardyloo
Later use[edit]
It was still in use as a warning in the 1960's in Edinburgh, for example when children were playing on an ice slide and calling "gardieloo" to warn people ahead. I have also heard it more recently (2009) on a golf course when the "Fore" warning was apparently ignored, used by a man in his 60's. — This unsigned comment was added by 86.134.67.122 (talk) at 19:15, 29 January 2013.
Etymology[edit]
Oh dear! This is an internet myth. The French for watch out for is gare à, which is an interjection. French garder means to keep, preserve! Take a little took at this - in Wiktionary itself:
- 'A common false folk etymology is that the word comes from the exclamation "garde à l'eau!" ("mind the water!") used when emptying a chamber pot out of a window onto the public sidewalk or street'. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/gardyloo Norvo (talk) 23:47, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
- The folk etymology referred to in the above quotation is that the word loo is derived from gardyloo, not that gardyloo comes from the French. — Cheers, JackLee –talk– 14:25, 22 August 2015 (UTC)
This appears in at least one old dictionary as an alternative form. No citation seems to be given. Equinox ◑ 22:22, 30 July 2015 (UTC)
- This appears to be a mistake: see the 1858 quotation. — Cheers, JackLee –talk– 14:25, 22 August 2015 (UTC)
This word appears in one citation given. What does it mean? Equinox ◑ 03:22, 12 November 2017 (UTC)