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  1. Jan 2022
    1. The phrase “gardyloo” was shouted in medieval times to warn those below that toilet waste was about to be thrown out of the window. I learned the phrase at school, and have periodically told others of it since. I had always assumed it was used UK-wide, but apparently it was only used in Scotland. I wonder what they said in England. Or maybe they didn’t say anything on warn those below before throwing their toilet waste out of the window. (And yes, the English also threw toilet waste out I the window in medieval times.) While I’m here, I learned a few weeks back that “squint” in England only means to narrow one’s eyes, whereas in Scotland it can also mean wonky or askew, so all the times in England I’ve said something like “the picture’s a bit squint”, the English won’t have understood what I meant.

      A early cousin to the "shit hitting the fan".