# What IS in that name?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-in-that-name/1008545>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 8, 2024, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-in-that-name/1008545 "2024-10-08T00:38:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2024, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-in-that-name/1008545/21 "2024-10-08T22:37:51Z")

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This is probably regional as I don’t use either word that way in Québec.

I never use _serviette_ in English, and in French it’s a term used for a towel or something to absorb liquid with; serviette de bain, serviette de plage, serviettes en papier (paper towels). Though we would call a maxi pad a serviette sanitaire.

Napkin, in English, is a napkin as you described, to wipe hands and mouths with.

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**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2024, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-in-that-name/1008545/22 "2024-10-08T22:47:50Z")

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> [@Beckdawrek](#):
>
> We have to remember a large portion of the world diapers their babies with _nappies_  
> I presume derived from _napkin_.
> 
> To me nappies is something altogether different.

Comedian Trevor Noah, who hails from South Africa, has a bit about this. He says a guy is telling him about how good this food truck is; it’s so good that you need a bunch of napkins.

Now, Trevor had heard of the reputation that Mexican food had with intestinal distress, so he was _horrified_ that this guy was lovingly talking about how you’d need a napkin to wipe up all the mess that would be made after you ate.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xoAU85wS1x0/maxresdefault.jpg ""My First Time Trying Tacos!" - TREVOR NOAH (watch Son Of Patricia on Netflix)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoAU85wS1x0)

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**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2024, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-in-that-name/1008545/23 "2024-10-08T22:50:18Z")

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> [@Beckdawrek](#):
>
> Bath tissue? What happened the last time you put TP in the bath/shower? Nope.
> 
> Ok. Toilet tissue? We all know it’s NOT for the toilet. Now, don’t we?

“Bath tissue” got coined because people were weird about saying “toilet” in public. My understanding is that, for much the same reason, Americans say “I need to go to the bathroom,” when what they are really going to do is go to the toilet.

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