Oh, and by the way, when I went to the Philippines (where English is an official language), they're called "comfort rooms." I half-expected someone to give me a hug when I went in there....
So . . . comfort rooms, restrooms, toilets, washrooms, outhouses, cans, bathrooms, powder rooms, loos, water closets (I'm curious...explain this one to me), does it really matter what we call them? We have to relieve the strain on our anal sphincter and detrusor muscles somewhere, and you guys are arguing over what to _call_ that place! lol
"Toilet" impolite my arse.
How a simple word for an everyday thing came to be considered impolite is beyond me. It's a toilet. It is what it is. How can you be so tight-arsed as to find offence in the word? Why go around inventing silly words which pretend to mean something else?
"Comfort room"? Here's another absurdity. How many toilets have you ever found comfortable? Even if they are comfortable, that's beside the point, you don't go there for comfort but relief. CIV, you wrote "'Restroom' probably came about in America (only my speculation) because most toilets in America also have a bath and sink in there. Hence, 'bathroom' or 'washroom.'" but this still doesn't make sense.
After using a toilet you normally want to wash your hands so it's no supprise to find a sink in the room. However, washing your hands and resting are two completely different things, "restroom" is still illogical. "Washroom" is illogical too because, while you might wash your hands after the dirty deed, washing is not the purpose of the room.
If there is a bath in the room then it makes sense to call it a "bathroom" but why say you're going to the "bathroom" when it's the toilet that you're using? Why try to deceive people? Also the presence of a bath hardly makes the room a "restroom". You might rest in a bath but baths were primarily designed for washing not resting. Besides the "rest" in "restroom" like the "wash" in "washroom" refers to the toilet not the bath.
Sure, if I want to go and relieve myself, I probably wouldn't want to broadcast the fact. I might try find some way around mentioning where I'm going but I'm not going to pretent that I'm going for a bath, a rest, a wash or even comfort. Normally I'd say "Excuse me.", "I'll be back." or something.
If you have to mention the name of the place and you can't handle the word "toilet", what's wrong with "the ladies", "the gents" or "the lavatory". At least with these words you're not pretending to be going somewhere that you're not. Also the words "loo", "can" and "dunny" are okay: there's no deception here. There is no excuse for stupid words. They should be thrown out.
No..because they so like their own system of words don't they the yanks. I agree Jim there is no excuse for these silly words they have invented as they serve no purpose.
They'll try and bring their americanisms over here next. They're so arrogant. Bet when they are looking for the loo here they'll say something like...wheres the bathroom?
It is totally inappropriate.
Toilet, impolite? Please. 'I'm going for a shit.' That is impolite.
Does nobody else use the word 'bog'? I wonder if this is a most archaic survival?
I use bog, but to poke fun at my friends...in Are You Being Served the caretaker, Mr Harmen, calls it a kharzi, it sounds like that anyway!! So many words for a convenience nowadays!! Toilet is my favourite however cos its the correct word!!