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Different Countries' names for their public lavatories

 

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  #1  
Old February 22, 2011, 05:24 PM
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Different Countries' names for their public lavatories

For people who travel to different countries, it must be a good thing to know what the public restroom is called in each country that they visit.

US = Restroom
Philippines = Comfort Room or CR
Britain =?
Canada =?
France = ?
Spain = ?
Mexico = ?
Japan = ?
China = ?

Etc....?
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  #2  
Old February 22, 2011, 09:49 PM
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Chile = Baño o Water (éste último ya casi no se usa y ya se utiliza más para la taza del baño)
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  #3  
Old February 22, 2011, 11:06 PM
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Vita32, how about "casilla"? (Nasa'an casilla?) I've also heard "comfort station". That was from a Cebuano speaker.

In the USA I have heard: john, crapper (sounds vulgar but it's not), head (mostly US Navy and US Marines), head (mostly US Army), KYBO (almost exclusively Boy Scouts), loo (almost exclusively women), ladies room, gentelemen's room, powder room (women), little boys room, little girls room (both used by adults), lavatory, "place where I can wash my hands", bathroom (usually in a private home), restroom (usually public), the can (men), etc.
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Old February 23, 2011, 12:16 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vita32 View Post
For people who travel to different countries, it must be a good thing to know what the public restroom is called in each country that they visit.

US = Restroom
Philippines = Comfort Room or CR
Britain =?
Canada =?
France = ?
Spain = servicios (common), lavabo (some places), baño
Mexico = ?
Japan = ?
China = ?

Etc....?
Good question.
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  #5  
Old February 23, 2011, 03:29 AM
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BrE: Public Toilets

The bog
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  #6  
Old February 23, 2011, 01:19 PM
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@Perikles: I've seen some of my British friends use "the loo". How often is it heard?
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Old February 23, 2011, 01:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar View Post
@Perikles: I've seen some of my British friends use "the loo". How often is it heard?
Interesting question. It depends on the social circles you move in. I remember as a student being asked by a high-class girl where the nearest loo was. I was around 20 years old, and I'd never heard the word before! She then rolled her eyes when she realized she was speaking to one of oi polloi, and she said lavatory, thinking this was a word I would understand.

Anyway, the word loo is nowadays quite well known. Its etymology is not so well known. Some think it is because this facility was often room no. 100 in a large building. Others think that it is because old French toilets used to have two small holes o o in the door the see whether it was occupied, so it was called l'o o'
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Old February 23, 2011, 04:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Perikles View Post
Interesting question. It depends on the social circles you move in. I remember as a student being asked by a high-class girl where the nearest loo was. I was around 20 years old, and I'd never heard the word before! She then rolled her eyes when she realized she was speaking to one of oi polloi, and she said lavatory, thinking this was a word I would understand.

Anyway, the word loo is nowadays quite well known. Its etymology is not so well known. Some think it is because this facility was often room no. 100 in a large building. Others think that it is because old French toilets used to have two small holes o o in the door the see whether it was occupied, so it was called l'o o'
Peep holes in toilet doors!!!
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  #9  
Old February 23, 2011, 04:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Perikles View Post
Interesting question. It depends on the social circles you move in. I remember as a student being asked by a high-class girl where the nearest loo was. I was around 20 years old, and I'd never heard the word before! She then rolled her eyes when she realized she was speaking to one of oi polloi, and she said lavatory, thinking this was a word I would understand.
Thank you! I shall make sure to use the word only among people who have used it before.

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Old February 23, 2011, 09:55 PM
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En México: el baño
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