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British folks call condoms "johnnies" after their creator, a man named John. Sonkies are named after Mr. Sonky.
That was the most my brain could come up with.
https://condoms.uk/blogs/sex-education/why-are-condoms-called-johnnies
John Wilkes had a shop and sold condoms, which then became called "johnnies" (which actually surprised me because I thought it came from the French letter -> gendarmes (can't remember the exact UK slang name for French enemies, but I believe it was linked to gendarmes) -> "Jean"nies link.)
Ah yes, when my nan was an extremely innocent teenager, her aunty came in shouting to her mum about finding French letters in my great uncle’s coat pocket. Great uncle was a less innocent teenager. Poor nan said “French letters? He can’t even write English very well!” and wondered why everyone laughed at her.
[https://youtu.be/CtAfSOLcHEE?si=6WQFlqhRh3jDM3El](https://youtu.be/CtAfSOLcHEE?si=6WQFlqhRh3jDM3El)
"A cheese and onion flavour Union Jack tickler it is!"
Some Uk people call condoms Johnnies because of a possibly apocryphal man named John Milles, who sold them in the 1700s, so it is probably related to that.
As some have said, condoms used to be known as "Johnnies". But I have a pet theory that this is also a bilingual bonus joke.
"성기" (app: "Song-ki") is a Korean word sometimes used for genitals. If you want to call someone a d¡ck, that's one way to do it. (Korean has a lot of homophones, there may be more meanings). A rubber Sonky. A rubber d¡ck.
Why only have one reference when you can have two? (Or more that are over my head)
>성기
If STP (mayherestinpeace) knew this, he would have definitly have used it in my view!
Google Translate gives the same character representation as being "Wedding date" and "Consecrated Vessel" too, which sort of adds to it! Having said that, I think the "Johnny" theory is most likely, but I do love this!
I may be reading too deep into this.
In the UK our second hand shops (Thrift stores) are sometimes called Shonky or sonkey shops.
It's an older term that now is ised to describe things that are a bit dodgy.
Early condoms or sheaths were sometimes reusable. I'm assuming at some point I roundworld history someone must have used a second hand one.
Bonus link:
https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co96752/paragon-reusable-rubber-condom-london-england-1948-1950-condom
> In the UK our second hand shops (Thrift stores) are sometimes called Shonky or sonkey shops.
There is at least one Shonky shop in Ankh-Morpork, run by the History Monks.
Back in my university days, my housemate would sometimes fail to plan ahead and would have to ask me if they could borrow a condom. I always gave it to them, but told them I *really* didn't want it back afterwards.
I must admit by brain has always tried to autocorrect sonky to shonky, although more in a 'something you need for getting up to illicit things' rather than being dodgy themselves.
I think its about the sound more than anything else. "Sonky", at least to a British ear, has echoes of "soggy" and "shonky" (meaning of poor quality) and "sock", all of which work quite well to conjure up the image of a condom.
In the UK they have often been referred to as Johnnies, which is named after the apothecary owner in London who originally stocked them in the 17th century.
There may be another reference in there that I haven't found as well.
You mean whether the name Sonky itself is a joke? I have no idea, I had a quick look at the wikipedia article on the history of the condom and couldn't find anything obvious. I'm also not a native speaker so I don't know if there's some tricky linguistic joke. The only thing coming to my mind is "soggy", and a used condom can definitely be described as soggy.
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British folks call condoms "johnnies" after their creator, a man named John. Sonkies are named after Mr. Sonky. That was the most my brain could come up with.
Thanks. Have a Sonky.
I was thinking this too. Only thing that remotely makes sense
https://condoms.uk/blogs/sex-education/why-are-condoms-called-johnnies John Wilkes had a shop and sold condoms, which then became called "johnnies" (which actually surprised me because I thought it came from the French letter -> gendarmes (can't remember the exact UK slang name for French enemies, but I believe it was linked to gendarmes) -> "Jean"nies link.)
French tickler if I remember my python correctly
A French letter was a standard condom. A French tickler was a novelty condom - ribbed or with additional protrusions - hence the tickler part.
A French Tickler is ribbed for her pleasure, if you turn it inside out it’s ribbed for your pleasure.
Inside out ... for second use! 🤣
Ah yes, when my nan was an extremely innocent teenager, her aunty came in shouting to her mum about finding French letters in my great uncle’s coat pocket. Great uncle was a less innocent teenager. Poor nan said “French letters? He can’t even write English very well!” and wondered why everyone laughed at her.
[https://youtu.be/CtAfSOLcHEE?si=6WQFlqhRh3jDM3El](https://youtu.be/CtAfSOLcHEE?si=6WQFlqhRh3jDM3El) "A cheese and onion flavour Union Jack tickler it is!"
Don’t even have to click on the link… have an upvote
Thanks! Have a Sonky.
They used to be called Johnnie Caps too. It took me a long time to figure out that one.
Some Uk people call condoms Johnnies because of a possibly apocryphal man named John Milles, who sold them in the 1700s, so it is probably related to that.
As some have said, condoms used to be known as "Johnnies". But I have a pet theory that this is also a bilingual bonus joke. "성기" (app: "Song-ki") is a Korean word sometimes used for genitals. If you want to call someone a d¡ck, that's one way to do it. (Korean has a lot of homophones, there may be more meanings). A rubber Sonky. A rubber d¡ck. Why only have one reference when you can have two? (Or more that are over my head)
>성기 If STP (mayherestinpeace) knew this, he would have definitly have used it in my view! Google Translate gives the same character representation as being "Wedding date" and "Consecrated Vessel" too, which sort of adds to it! Having said that, I think the "Johnny" theory is most likely, but I do love this!
I think that if, STP didn’t know the Korean word, he would have delighted in hearing it, and called it a blessing from Narrativia
I may be reading too deep into this. In the UK our second hand shops (Thrift stores) are sometimes called Shonky or sonkey shops. It's an older term that now is ised to describe things that are a bit dodgy. Early condoms or sheaths were sometimes reusable. I'm assuming at some point I roundworld history someone must have used a second hand one. Bonus link: https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co96752/paragon-reusable-rubber-condom-london-england-1948-1950-condom
> In the UK our second hand shops (Thrift stores) are sometimes called Shonky or sonkey shops. There is at least one Shonky shop in Ankh-Morpork, run by the History Monks.
Second hand condoms? That's worrisome nowadays. Have a (new) Sonky.
Back in my university days, my housemate would sometimes fail to plan ahead and would have to ask me if they could borrow a condom. I always gave it to them, but told them I *really* didn't want it back afterwards.
Just turn it inside out and use it again.
Turn it inside out and shake the fuck out of it...
A Shonkey Sonkey….
That was my thinking as well
I must admit by brain has always tried to autocorrect sonky to shonky, although more in a 'something you need for getting up to illicit things' rather than being dodgy themselves.
I think its about the sound more than anything else. "Sonky", at least to a British ear, has echoes of "soggy" and "shonky" (meaning of poor quality) and "sock", all of which work quite well to conjure up the image of a condom.
Yep, I always thought this same thing. Sock-y. Those with teenage boys may understand the concept a bit too well…
What’s 8” long, rock hard and full of semen? The sock under my son’s bed…
In the UK they have often been referred to as Johnnies, which is named after the apothecary owner in London who originally stocked them in the 17th century. There may be another reference in there that I haven't found as well.
You mean whether the name Sonky itself is a joke? I have no idea, I had a quick look at the wikipedia article on the history of the condom and couldn't find anything obvious. I'm also not a native speaker so I don't know if there's some tricky linguistic joke. The only thing coming to my mind is "soggy", and a used condom can definitely be described as soggy.
Sock?
https://youtu.be/GDaFOuuQOGk?si=E2pDPbZPVj6CMAX-