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Washroom, restroom, bathroom... What term do you American's use when referring to that little room with the toilet in it?

(By the way, once I get the answer, I plan to make this thread one of my favorites so that I can come back and look at it everytime I write a story )

ML

We'll use any or all of the above. I would tend to use the word "bathroom" in somebody's home (even if the room did not contain a bathtub) and "restroom" or the phrase "ladies' (or men's) room" when in a place of business.

We do *not* use "loo," "toilet," or "water closet" to refer to the room.

Joy,
Lynn

Actually, no, washroom is *not* a common choice for Americans. Bathroom and Restroom are both common, but I'd say bathroom is slightly more popular - depending on the person's preference and the company one is with.

Another choice some people use is the "powder room." I doubt you'd hear this at, say, a department store, but it would be more common as a guest in someone's home. (And, I have no proof of this, but my gut says it's more of a "high class" thing.) (My friends, for example, would never ask me where the powder room is. :p )

Bethy

I agree with Bethy that "washroom" is nowhere near as common as the other terms in the U.S.; also, it tends to be used by older people. It is still in use, though. I would guess that the frequency of its use may also vary by region.

You can find here more than you probably ever wanted to know about the term "washroom".

Joy,
Lynn

Thanks, guys. I just did a find and replace and took out nine uses of the word washroom.

ML

Interesting link, Lynn. I am *really* amused by the fact that they say that washroom is still common in Chicago - I've been here 3 years, and it's my second stint here, and I would *not* say that it's a common term heard here.

(For the record, speaking of "regional" use - I've lived in CA, MI, OH, IL {Chicago, obviously}, and TX, and it was never a commonly heard term in any of those regions.)

Also, just remembered another one - was watching a tv show and it reminded me - the "little girl's/little boy's room". Similarly, in public settings - restaurant, store, etc - people would ask for "the men's room" or "the ladies' room". Much more uncouth - "the john" or "the can".

And then the one my friends and I learned while playing a board game - the thunder mug.

And now I need to get my mind out of the toilet and back to studying.

Bethy

A euphemism which I don't hear much nowadays is "the facilities." Another way of asking for the restroom is to mention that you'd like to "wash your hands." The tacit understanding is that you wish to wash your hands after using the "Facilities." I have also seen references to "the necessary room," although I believe that is an archaic 19th century usage sometimes put on the wall of restaurants trying to justify their expensive food and drink with ambiance.

In the book "Cheaper By the Dozen," the parents of the twelve Gilbreth children invented two euphemisms for the "necessary break" when taking automobile trips. They were "Visiting Mrs. Murphy" and "Examining the rear tire." I have no idea where they originated, but both Mr. and Mrs. Gilbreth refused to allow their children to enter the restrooms at the gas stations they encountered (this was in pre-Depression America, not long after the Great War). At that time, most gas station toilets were poorly maintained and filthy outhouses, assuming they didn't just point to the nearby woods and warn you to look out for the poison oak.

There is a toilet cleaner commercial now showing on TV which lists close to two dozen different names for that marvelous invention, which I occasionally refer to as "indoor plumbing." I know, that also includes all the water-using appliances in the house along with the attendant pipes, valves, and manifolds, but when someone mentions the potty, that's the first thing which pops into my mind. It's one of the reasons I never liked hunting.

"Washroom," while not the most common term used, was by no means unusual to hear when I was growing up along the southern border of New York State. It may very well be that our use of the word was influenced by our proximity to Canada.

While we are discussing alternate terminology, people in the military refer to a bathroom as "the head"

Joy,
Lynn

In restaurants, airports, museums and other commercial entities, the signs say "Restrooms". Once you get there, there can be different names for the individual doors. Ladies/Women and Men are the most common. If it's a themed restaurant, you get Wahine & Kane (Hawaiian),Damen & Herren (German theme), Senioritas & Caballeros (Mexican in the west) or little diagrams, round for women, triangle for men, or pictures of a figure in a skirt and one with pants.

Artemis - an expert on the "facilities"
P.S. I first learned "thunder mug" while in Minnesota in a farm house with only an outside privy and it was raining so hard you didn't dare go out to dash to it.

Oh yes, we also used the terms "lavatory" and "lav". I've heard those terms mainly in the school setting.

Terry, I have one friend who refers to the "porcelain facilities"; but I've never heard anyone else use that particular phrase. ("Facilities" I have heard others use, but I've only heard my one friend say, "porcelain facilities".)

Joy,
Lynn

Guys (and gals), this thread is absolutely hilarious (as well as educational for a poor non-native speaker). Thunder mug, indeed! I'll have to remember that one. The funny thing is we have a similar expression in German (Donnerbalken) which I always assumed to be related to certain noises people cause when, well, sitting there. I might be wrong, though.

Someone said something about "going to the lavoratory" recently. I'd forgotten that euphemism until then.

Bathroom: Any room with a toilet in it.
Restroom: Any such room in a place that's charging you money somehow.
Washroom: same as bathroom, but used by people who want to sound more polite.
Powder Room: same as washroom, but for ladies. From the excuse "I must go powder my nose."
Lavatory: Like washroom/powder room, but for people who either belong to a country club or want you to think they do.

I find my word choice depends on who I'm asking. Close friend - Bathroom. Stranger - Restroom. Little old lady -- Washroom. Sometimes I get paranoid and believe that saying "bathroom" to an elder is vuglar or something! 'Tis silly.

A few times, I've heard the phrase "worshipping the porcelaine goddess," in the case where one is on his knees in front of it after a wild night of drinking. *cough* I mean, in case of food poisoning.

Julie

No, no, that quite fits. Except, it refers to just one particular form of outside facilities.


Michael

Interesting that you associate lavatory with "country club," Queenie - I associate it with airplanes!

Bethy

Michael, I know exactly what a Donnerbalken is (since yesterday). Until then, I only knew it as an euphemism for a primitive toilet (which is another definition given in the Duden).

I'm also familiar with the (German) expression "worshipping the porcelain god" for the very same situation (food poisoning or morning sickness, that is. Never, ever for a hangover. )

I have also heard "calling Ralph on the porcelain phone" for attempting to reposition the contents of one's stomach from said stomach to the porcelain receptacle.

"Ralph" is onomatopoeia for the sound one sometimes makes when - well, I'm sure you get the idea.

Heh heh. This is quite a lovely thread.

I also tend to use "bathroom" with people I'm close to and "restroom" to be more formal. I have also recently started saying "the facilities," though I'm not sure why.

Terry--I love that: "calling Ralph on the porcelain phone." Hahahahah. Great!