Póg mo thóín is well known to mean 'kiss my arse', but in a similar question to the 'cac' thread that has gone in all sorts of interesting directions, I am wondering if the 'natives' use 'tóin' when talking to a child? The point was made in the other thread (viewtopic.php?f=28&t=959) that Irish does not use euphemisms in the same way as English. I would happily tell my young child to make sure she has cleaned her bum properly after going to the toilet, but wouldn't dream of suggesting that she clean her 'arse'! I have always used 'tóin', but am just wondering if it is the right thing to do.

It is too late if it's inappropriate as we have had years of 'glan do thóin i gceart' in our house!

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I can't speak for how people in the Gaeltacht use tóin, but I can tell you that tóin basically just means 'bottom' -
tóin na farraige = bottom of the sea.
tóin an bháid = bottom of the boat.

If anything, therefore, it's even more polite than 'bum'. (isn't that 'fanny' to the Americans? - a whole different discussion there!).

That makes sense. I'm glad that I haven't scarred the next generation!


Might have to split a thread there.......

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Yes, it is (which was another thing we had to teach that group of kids we took to London in 2005...not to call their "bum bags" "fanny packs" (which is what they're usually called here)).

Though it's actually a little old-fashioned anymore. You're more likely to hear "butt" (which was considered INCREDIBLY vulgar when I was in elementary school, but has lost that impact today), or "backside" or "hiney." My daughter's kindergarten teacher in North Carolina referred to it as "the back porch."

Redwolf