Bathroom / toilet

Hindi translation: Kakkoos is Malayalam for toilet

13:18 Jul 25, 2005

English to Hindi translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

English term or phrase: Bathroom / toilet

I am a teacher of autistic kids, and one of my students is Indian (from India). I'm not sure exactly what language is spoken in his home (Hindi, punjabic, etc.), but he always says a word that sounds like "cuscus" or "cacous" when he needs to use the bathroom. I am trying to figure out if it is a real word or something he has made up. Thanks!

Erin

Hindi translation:Kakkoos is Malayalam for toilet

Explanation:
I suspect that the child you are referring to is speaking Malayalam which is the language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala in south India.

In Malayalam (and also in Tamil, I think) the word Kakkoos is used to indicate toilet.

The word you have given "cacous" sounds very like "kakkoos", meaning toilet, and this is what the child is trying to say.

It means he wants to pass stool, or wants to visit the toilet.

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Note added at 1 hr 49 mins (2005-07-25 15:08:26 GMT)
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Can you make out to which part of India, the child belongs?

His name will also give us a clue. If he is a Malayalee, that is a speaker of Malayalam, he could have a surname like Nair, Menon, Nambiar, Panikkar, etc.

If you know the child\'s name, please post it as additional context and also any information regarding his place of origin in India.

But I am pretty sure he/she is speaking Malayalam or Tamil.

Selected response from:

Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 16:01

Grading comment

Thank you so much for figuring this out for me!! I really appreciate everyone's help and insights, especially since I posted this in the wrong language pair (I had no idea what language the word came from). Thanks again :)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +3

Ghusalkhana/ Shouchalaya

Ravindra Godbole

4 +4

Kakkoos is Malayalam for toilet

Balasubramaniam L.

5 +3

snaanaagaar/gusalkhana- bathroom: shouchaalaya

PRAKASH SHARMA

Snangrah, Snanaagaar

Arun Singh

Bathroom-Snangrih ; Toilet-Prasadhangrih

Anant Bedarkar

snaanghar - bathroom, paaaikhaanaa - toilet

priya raj

Answers

24 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

bathroom / toilet Ghusalkhana/ Shouchalaya

Explanation:
The words used above don't mean anything

Ravindra Godbole
India
Local time: 16:01
Native speaker of:

Marathi,

English

1 hr confidence:

bathroom / toilet Snangrah, Snanaagaar

Explanation:
This is a next choice for Bathroom, 'Gusalkhana' is more popular. For toilet, Shauchalya is popular. But the answer to the problem is yet to be answered!

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Note added at 1 hr 26 mins (2005-07-25 14:44:55 GMT)
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I am sorry, Prakash has already given good choices.

Arun Singh
Local time: 16:01
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Hindi
PRO pts in category: 24

1 hr confidence:

bathroom / toilet Bathroom-Snangrih ; Toilet-Prasadhangrih

Explanation:
These are regularly used words at the national level.

Anant Bedarkar
Local time: 16:01
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Marathi

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

bathroom / toilet

Kakkoos is Malayalam for toilet

Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 16:01
Native speaker of:

Hindi
PRO pts in category: 35

Grading comment

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

erinandharvey: Thank you so much!! This does make sense. At least now I know that what he is saying has linguistic meaning. I really don't know of his place of origin in India, but his last name is Mullonkal.

59 mins

-> Thanks.

agree

nlingua: Malabar coast? e.g. - http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/mullonkal/aboutus.htm

1 hr

-> Thanks. That is an interesting link. Though Mullonkal sounds Maharashtrian, doesn't it? Could be the family moved to Malabar and settled there long ago.

agree

Dr. Rajesh Kumar: I am in Delhi till 31.

10 hrs

-> You would now. Is it raining in Cochin?

agree

PRAKASH SHARMA: yes, i feel bala is correct and cacous may have linguistic meaning in malayalam language. Sorry, I'm a ZERO in Malayalam!

20 hrs

-> Thanks.

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

bathroom / toilet snaanaagaar/gusalkhana- bathroom: shouchaalaya

Explanation:
The correct translation is given above.

cuscus or caous seems to be self made word.

Just as some Indian kids uses the word 'susu' for urination and some uses 'chi chi' etc. These are some words that are taught by parents in their homes to their kids, which don't have any meaning in the lingistic context.

Hope it satisfies your query. If still suspicious, you can post a query or note in question. I'll try to sort out your problem.

PRAKAASH
+977 56 530738
Best choice for Hindi, Nepali, Sanskrit and English translation needs!

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Note added at 22 hrs 35 mins (2005-07-26 11:54:11 GMT)
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I feel bala is correct and Kakkoos may have linguistic meaning in Malayalam language. Please check it out. If it is linked with Malayalam, then I\'m Sorry for a misleading fact in this context.

But, it\'s true as well, as most of us can\'t understand the meaning of such pure regional words. :)

PRAKAASH

PRAKAASH

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Note added at 22 hrs 36 mins (2005-07-26 11:55:24 GMT)
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And then it means, that you\'ve posted this query in wrong language pair.

PRAKAASH

PRAKASH SHARMA
India
Local time: 16:01
Native speaker of:

Hindi,

Nepali

1 day 12 hrs confidence:

bathroom / toilet snaanghar - bathroom, paaaikhaanaa - toilet

Explanation:
snaanghar is a good term for bathroom.
paaikhaanaa for toilet is common for villagers in india. Both terms are hindi.
I am just trying to add insight with new term.

priya raj
Local time: 16:01
Works in field
Native speaker of: Nepali

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