animal waste

[keannu]

By "animal waste", do you mean "excrement like dung or pee" or "animals' dead body"? The translation goes the former, so I'm confused.

gibon98
ex)Sometimes you have to eat things you don't like, but don't complain. Just be grateful you're not a dung beetle. They eat nothing but animal waste...

[Raymott]

By "animal waste", do you mean "excrement like dung or pee" or "animals' dead body"? The translation goes the former, so I'm confused.

gibon98
ex)Sometimes you have to eat things you don't like, but don't complain. Just be grateful you're not a dung beetle. They eat nothing but animal waste...

It means the former: animal waste = animal faeces.

[emsr2d2]

"Dung" is a word for animal excrement. If you look up information on the dung beetle you will see what a delicious diet they have! Though I have to say they are incredible animals, very organised and incredibly strong. I could watch them for ages when I was in South Africa.

[keannu]

I thought dung is a general term both human beings and animals. Then should you use "poo" for human beings?

[emsr2d2]

I thought dung is a general term both human beings and animals. Then should you use "poo" for human beings?

"Dung" might cover people (not literally!) but I wouldn't use it that way. "Poo" is a rather childish word for it. I would use "stools" if I were talking to my doctor, or I would use "faeces" or "excrement" elsewhere.

[BobSmith]

In AmE it's "stool" (no S) and "feces" (no A). Dung would only be used for animal (non-human) waste, but it does mean the same thing. I don't think it's that common actually.

[Raymott]

I would use "stools" if I were talking to my doctor, or I would use "faeces" or "excrement" elsewhere.

When I was a doctor, many patients would simply call it "shit". But then, in many areas where I worked, the people did not have such a refined command of euphemism or "register". And I have to admit, I always understood immediately what they meant.

[emsr2d2]

In AmE it's "stool" (no S) and "feces" (no A). Dung would only be used for animal (non-human) waste, but it does mean the same thing. I don't think it's that common actually.

Can I just clarify something for my own curiosity? You would go to a doctor in the USA and say "I have found blood in my stool", not "I have found blood in my stools" - is that correct?

[SoothingDave]

Can I just clarify something for my own curiosity? You would go to a doctor in the USA and say "I have found blood in my stool", not "I have found blood in my stools" - is that correct?

Yes, and he'd then ask you for a "stool sample."

[emsr2d2]

Yes, and he'd then ask you for a "stool sample."

That part is the same in BrE, but we definitely say "blood in my stools", presumably to literally refer to each individual, um, "sausage of poo" (suggestion from my little cousin!)