Switcher
  • Home
  • About
  • Archives
  • Contact
November 16, 2008 @ 5:29 pm | 17 comments

Expressions by country

By: Mona
.......................

Since I lived in USA and Canada, some particular expressions always pondered me. Why are public bathrooms or crappers called “washrooms” in Canada and “restrooms” in USA? What’s the difference?

I know there are people who use both terms interchangeably, but this is the general usage of the terms.

Also, what do you call it? And where you from?

VN:F [1.9.13_1145]
Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

Confused, Random Thoughts

Sign up below to receive Rebellious Arab Girl's articles daily to your email box.


Enter your email address:


Comments (17) Trackbacks (2)
  1. JJDW
    November 16th, 2008 at 18:15 | #1
    Reply | Quote

    lol crappers…

    I say bathroom around family and friends and restroom to people I don’t know very well. I didn’t realize I do this until this question made me think about it. For some reason restroom sounds a lot better to tell someone than bathroom.

    Washroom sounds European and a lot more formal.

    I’m from Iowa in the United States. We also say pop and not soda in the Midewst. :)

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  2. Meyrick Kirby
    November 16th, 2008 at 19:13 | #2
    Reply | Quote

    The loo.

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  3. Meyrick Kirby
    November 16th, 2008 at 19:20 | #3
    Reply | Quote

    Or even better, the laddies and the ladies, which after several pints are a right bugger to tell apart :D

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  4. Sabeur
    November 16th, 2008 at 19:34 | #4
    Reply | Quote

    Toilet or loo

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  5. selma
    November 16th, 2008 at 19:38 | #5
    Reply | Quote

    I say either bathroom or washroom..even though calling a public washroom a “bathroom” isn’t correct at all since there is no actual bathtub haha

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  6. da wolfe
    November 16th, 2008 at 20:41 | #6
    Reply | Quote

    “Washroom sounds European and a lot more formal.”

    lol, that’s how I feel about restroom. When I was at a New Years thing in Indiana my cornbelt freinds from Chic-ah-go kept getting me to say C-ehanada and Hahhckey. (hockey) Actually people I know from Ontario say Canada like that too.

    The loo rules the roost.

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  7. Stephen
    November 16th, 2008 at 21:30 | #7
    Reply | Quote

    In Ireland, we call it “the Jacks”, I believe the equivalent in the US is “the John”.

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  8. pinkie
    November 16th, 2008 at 21:59 | #8
    Reply | Quote

    I live deep in the heart of Texas
    and I say restroom for a public place
    and bathroom for one in a home..since it
    has a bathroom
    but my boyfriend calls them all toilets lol
    idk why I say restrom I guess I was taught
    that it was the more appropriate thing to
    say when out in public…

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  9. Rahul
    November 16th, 2008 at 22:20 | #9
    Reply | Quote

    Humm…. okies… we don’t use those sorts of terms over here. jus simply bathrooms.

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  10. Dwayne from Probably Sucks Blog
    November 17th, 2008 at 00:22 | #10
    Reply | Quote

    I’m from Australia and it’s called so many things over here;

    * The Loo;
    * The Crapper;
    * The Outhouse;
    * The Toilet;
    * The Shithouse;
    * The Shitter

    I’m sure there are others. In Australia a bathroom is not the same as the toilet. A bathroom over here is where our showers and baths are, not toilets.

    Dwayne.
    http://probablysucks.com

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  11. Brian
    November 17th, 2008 at 09:53 | #11
    Reply | Quote

    the porcelain throne

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  12. Mrs.S
    November 17th, 2008 at 12:43 | #12
    Reply | Quote

    My father calls the restroom the water closet when we have guests and the toilet when it’s just the family. He picked it up when he learned English. Like Dwyane mentioned, though, these terms (at least to my father) do not include the actual shower or tub. Most of the time our family just calls it the hammam.

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  13. Kevin
    November 17th, 2008 at 14:36 | #13
    Reply | Quote

    My mom called it the Facilities. I call it Restroom, but I don’t get much rest in there.

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  14. NY Arab
    November 17th, 2008 at 15:46 | #14
    Reply | Quote

    “bathroom” when it has a tub in it..and “restroom” for public bathrooms ;) We NEVER, under any circumstances, say “washrooms” :)
    NYC

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  15. Kiwi_Canada
    November 17th, 2008 at 23:16 | #15
    Reply | Quote

    I call it “toilet” when I’m outside a home/house, or the bathroom when I am a home… or plain and simple “the loo”.

    I don’t understand why in North America they call it a restroom… where do you REST exactly??

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  16. juneyor
    November 18th, 2008 at 22:02 | #16
    Reply | Quote

    Well if it was my dad saying it he would call it the “head” but he’s an old salty dog and they call it that in the Navy. Now if it was me I’d call it the “pisser” kind of catches people off guard and thats probably why I like to say it.

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  17. history teacher
    February 6th, 2009 at 18:53 | #17
    Reply | Quote

    I have to explain the term “restroom”. Early in the 1900′s in the U.S., many women and children worked long hours in factories and their health was suffering. Labor laws were passed which kicked children out of the factories altogether and gave women short breaks during the day. Cots were provided to help women get off their feet, especially if they were pregnant or frail. (In those days, women tended to faint a great deal because of full length and tightly waisted clothing.) These cots or couches were put in their bathroom areas, transformed them into “restrooms”.

    Men have never had “restrooms”, although I’m sure there have been a few who were invited into the women’s restrooms.

    True original restrooms are dying out very quickly. The space is being converted for handicapped access and infant diaper changing stations.

    This is called an anachronism.

    VA:F [1.9.13_1145]
    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
  1. November 16th, 2008 at 20:00 | #1
    Expressions by country | Randomblog blog
  2. November 19th, 2008 at 18:56 | #2
    The odds of finding one is slim to none | Rebellious Arab Girl™
Comments are closed.


Coffee is the final judgment? Is it that powerful? Videocasting: The Eye is Red

MY MUSIC MOOD


WAYS TO STAY IN TOUCH:


   


Sign up below to receive Rebellious Arab Girl's articles daily to your email box.



 Your email address:

FAVOURITE QUOTE


"All man’s miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone”

Blaise Pascal

POLL


Why am I back?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

LATEST BLOG COMMENTS


  • Mona said: @Ali Yep!! Am I an expert yet? Hmm… companies want an...
  • Ali said: You could look at the positive side and see that you are so...
  • Mona said: @Meyrick I have stopped volunteering… I will tell you...
  • Meyrick said: He was not happy. I would remind you that people like...
  • Ali said: This is not our grandparents day. We live longer, eat...
  • Meyrick said: That’s when I realized as a 19 year old that I am not...
  • CaJoh said: I have complete confidence that you will move in the right...
  • Cherry said: :lol: I looove FouseyTube!! All of his videos are...
  • Kl said: Don’t give up on anything, Mona. If you want a change...
  • Oussama said: So move out and get your own studio apartment, consider...
  • Y said: lol honestly, i always stood by pali guys are hands down some...
  • Y said: “It’s ok! I just gave up with I realized, well, I am not...
  • Mona said: @Jenny I love you tooooooooooooooo!!!
  • Mona said: @Fred Ollinger Hiiiiiiii!!!! Thanks for coming back!! I...
  • Jenny said: You really desperately need a hug, attention or something...

Facebook Network of my Friends!


Follow this blog


...........
Copyright © 2005-2012 Rebellious Arab Girl | Designed by Mona - Rebellious Arab Girl