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Wed 1 Jun, 2016 10:42 am
Where I live, 'pass motion' is commonly used to mean 'defecate'. I wonder what term native speakers use to refer to defecate?
Thanks.
There is no single word, phrase, or expression that native speakers, from Britain, America or anywhere else use for this. In situations where politeness is necessary, the things we do in the toilet are not talked about directly, even talking about the toilet can be seen as vulgar and crude. People being informal, especially boys and men, might say "take a dump", "have a ****" etc. There are probably hundreds of such expressions. It can, in informal, relaxed speech be an occasion for humour. Some British people talk about "dropping off a job lot". When the last Labour government was in power I used to call it "having a summit meeting with Gordon Brown"
When talking to a doctor or nurse people might say "go to the toilet" and let the context make clear whether urination or defecation is meant, or they might say "defecate", "pass motion", "pass stool" or "move my bowels". Again there are very many expressions to choose from.
In British hospitals, when a patient has had an episode of incontinence, the nursing staff, when talking about it to colleagues or summoning cleaners may save everybody's feelings by talking about a "yellow alert" or a "brown alert".
@Tes yeux noirs,
Thanks, Tes yeux noirs.
I am surprised that "pass motion" means "defecate". I cannot find this word in my dictionaries. Could you please let me know where I can find this term. Thanks.
@tanguatlay,
I've not only never heard 'pass motion' used in the US, I wouldn't understand it if I did.
@tanguatlay,
I've never heard that phrase used in that context. I wouldn't have guessed it.
@tanguatlay,
The term "pass motion" is often used in Asian countries such as India, Singapore and Malaysia to refer to defecation. In Malay, apparently, it is " buang air besar". In polite/medical British English, people may say "pass motion", or more often, "pass
a motion".
Oxford Dictionaries:
Motion, noun, 3rd of 3 meanings:
Quote:3 British An evacuation of the bowels: 73% of the patients had fewer than three bowel motions a day her mother put on her nappy for her to pass a motion
We excluded children who had had more than four bowel motions in the 24 hours before admission.
Symptoms include frequent bowel motions, a sense of fullness and often headache and anxiety.
It may also turn your urine very dark; bowel motions become pale.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/motion
Cambridge Dictionaries:
Motion, noun, 2nd of 2 meanings:
Quote:UK a polite way of referring to the process of getting rid of solid waste from the body, or the waste itself: The nurse asked if her motions were regular.
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/motion
The closest to that in the US is used in medical situations, such as when a doctor asks, "when is the last time you've had a bowel movement?"
Isn't passing a motion a parliamentary procedure? I think I've just nailed down the etymology.
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