# I thought it was common-knowledge..... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 5, 2009, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402 "2009-05-05T11:48:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/41 "2009-05-05T21:48:10Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I think I’ve heard that term on “Are You Being Served?” wherever I heard it, it was def pronounced “kar-zee.” Now that you mention it, that is where I heard it. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen it written. But Mr. Mash used it somewhat regularly. Or said it, I guess. I never would have equated it with the OP’s spelling, though. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/42 "2009-05-05T22:02:47Z")
I had an uncle who always used to say he was going to “hit the head.” For about ten years or so I thought he was announcing that he was going to go masturbate. His brother, my other uncle, always said he had to “go see a man about a mule.” Even though that made no sense to me whatsoever, I just assumed he was also on his way to go jerk off somewhere. I didn’t particularly enjoy their visits. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/43 "2009-05-05T22:29:47Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Though as it’s an entirely made up word, a true [correct spelling](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/khazi) is arguable. So, where do the words that are not made up by people come from? Is there a word mine somewhere where they are excavated? “I just hit a vein of adverbs, I’m rich!” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/44 "2009-05-05T23:21:40Z")
I have heard, and used, the word khazi, but as a general word for loo, bog, toilet, whatever - not specific to long-drop toilets. However, I hadn’t heard of long-drop toilets till I went to Glastonbury a couple of years ago. I wonder if there’ll be people on here who won’t know why Glastonbury would make me realise what a long-drop is? Yeah, I could explain, but I’m curious as to how well Glastonbury’s known. > [@Revtim](#): > > So, where do the words that are not made up by people come from? Is there a word mine somewhere where they are excavated? “I just hit a vein of adverbs, I’m rich!” 😉 😃 ---
**Author:** ![manx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@manx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manx)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/45 "2009-05-05T23:33:27Z")
I know the word ‘long drop’, as well as ‘dunny’. Never heard ‘khazi’ before though. I’m a NZer living in London. **scifisam2009** , I’d heard of Glastonbury before I moved over - I sort of assume most people would know what you’re referring to. Am I right? ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/46 "2009-05-06T00:11:09Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Search me. > > I think the context made it quite clear, but apparently it wasn’t. Why would I insult someone who just did me a huge favor? Reminds me of a story that Branford Marsalis told about playing with Sting. He was a huge admirer of Sting’s music, and paid him what, in New Orleans among Marsalis’ peers, was a huge compliment- “Your music’s a motherfucker, man!” Sting was nonplussed, to say the least… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/47 "2009-05-06T00:45:43Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > We always called them kiboes (long i) when I was a kid. This was some vernacular picked up from my brother’s boy scout troop in California. I’ve never heard anyone else use the term since, though. My Boy Scout leader (or whatever he was called) often used the word KYBO, same pronunciation as yours; it stood for Keep Your Bowels Open. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/48 "2009-05-06T01:06:12Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > Dunny = Aussie bathroom. I have a coworker who referred to the dunny once and oddly I was the only person, in a room filled with people of a bunch of nationalities, who knew what she was talking about. Where I picked up the word, I have no idea. Did you ever see the book Dinkum Dunnies? ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/49 "2009-05-06T01:10:44Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > So, where do the words that are not made up by people come from? Is there a word mine somewhere where they are excavated? “I just hit a vein of adverbs, I’m rich!” 😉 My mother used to live near [Ka’a’awa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ka%CA%BBa%CA%BBawa,_Hawaii). My brother and I like trying to convince people that there’s a strategically important apostrophe mine there. Feel free to participate. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/50 "2009-05-06T01:18:09Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Barfing and pooping at the same time is referred to as " Two exits, no waiting." As someone who’s had more than his share of food poisoning, I call it “pinwheeling”. If you’re not getting the reference, picture a pinwheel firework and yourself as having a rotation point under your ribs from your right to left side. Then having enough propellant to start a slow, backward roll… For the OP, a Sydneysider checking in. Never ehard of a “khazi”, but I know full well what a “long-drop” is. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/51 "2009-05-06T01:23:21Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > So, where do the words that are not made up by people come from? Is there a word mine somewhere where they are excavated? “I just hit a vein of adverbs, I’m rich!” 😉 I’ve often wondered about that, actually. Obviously every word gets created by somebody at some point, but how does it become the definitive word? Especially in times when communication was so severely limited (in modern times it’s less surprising). Theoretically fifty people may invent a word for something, at around the same time, but only a few get picked up and spread wide, and then just one or two become definitive. Amazing stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Add99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/977dab/32.png) [@Add99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Add99)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/52 "2009-05-06T01:36:56Z")
Perhaps it was on Howard Stern that David Spade told the story of being backstage with Metallica as he told Lars that he played an instrument. When Lars asked which, David replied “the skin flute,” having no idea until later what that meant. He just overheard it somewhere. He said they looked at him strangely and walked away. ---
**Author:** ![Rack-a-Bones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rack-a-Bones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rack-a-Bones)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/53 "2009-05-06T01:46:54Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > Never heard the OP’s term, although I am an American, if that makes any difference. > > As to the other question, and in keeping with the scatological theme, I’ve used the phrase “the green-apple quickstep” to describe the scramble you have to do when you realize your bowels have turned to liquid and you have to get to a toilet NOW. > > People tend to look at me like this: 😕 That is what my dad called it. He learned it when he was a kid so it has been around a while. He grew up in the 50’s. ---
**Author:** ![AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/54 "2009-05-06T03:49:07Z")
> [@](#): > > I had an uncle who always used to say he was going to "hit the head. My dad says that ALL the time. It’s a nautical term (he’s really into sailing and boats) ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/55 "2009-05-06T04:11:30Z")
> [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](#): > > My dad says that ALL the time. It’s a nautical term (he’s really into sailing and boats) Hmm. Given that, although not about masturbation, the phrase ‘hit the head’ does till refer to taking your penis in hand, I think the nautical term explanation might be just one of things they tell kids. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/56 "2009-05-06T04:31:30Z")
> [@TroubleAgain](#): > > My family calls that the “back door trots.”😉 Wow, I just realized why my family sometimes called it the trots. My mind never made the connection between pooping and actual trotting. Maybe it’s because pooping is stationary, and if I’ve ever been in the “rush for the bathroom in a manner that’s as gentle on your bowels as you can be” situation, I sure as hell wasn’t trotting. I think the aforementioned “quickstep” is as accurate as you can be. When younger, the kiddy word we used for it was “soupy poops.” It rhymed. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/57 "2009-05-06T05:00:27Z")
Another Australian here familiar with the term “khazi”. But then again, my formative years were in the '70s and included watching lots of British shows on TV. I think “Are You Being Served?” is probably the common link here. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/58 "2009-05-06T05:18:12Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Years ago, I was music directing a show, and my then-GF had a lead role in it. We both needed a little help with the score, so we called on her good friend Steve to play some piano for us. Now understand that Steve is quite the accomplished musician, and is a hell of a sight reader. > > At the end of our session, we thanked him profusely. He said “I’m sorry that my sight reading was so terrible.” I replied “Are you kidding? Dude, you’re a monster!” > > Both he and GF got totally offended by that. I genuflected until my pants were baggy, trying to explain that it was the highest form of compliment. They remained convinced that I’d just accused him of being a pedophile. They never forgave me for that. > > Isn’t it common knowledge that “monster” is a compliment? Okay okay okay, let’s try this their way: “I’m sorry my sight reading was so terrible.” “Are you kidding? Dude, you’re a paedophile!” _Everyone in the room_ 😕 “What… what does that have to do with anything that just happened?” ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/59 "2009-05-06T07:28:58Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Okay okay okay, let’s try this their way: > > “I’m sorry my sight reading was so terrible.” > “Are you kidding? Dude, you’re a paedophile!” > _Everyone in the room_ 😕 > “What… what does that have to do with anything that just happened?” Yeah … even put their way, that doesn’t make sense. There’s something left out there, either in the explanation we’ve heard, or something missing in the poster’s memory (it was a long time ago), or there were things in the background. Either way, it’s not along the lines of misunderstanding khazi, but I’m guilty of posting only vaguely relevant posts myself, because you don’t want to post a whole new thread. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402/60 "2009-05-06T09:48:16Z")
I would consider the phrase “Long Drop Khazi” a tautology, as both phrases are sufficient of themselves to describe a toilet. And the biggest problem with a Long Drop that isn’t, is _splashback_. :eek: Si [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-it-was-common-knowledge/495402.md?page=4)