Why oh why?

[Viking_UK]

I do, but that's just a plumbing feature not a room in itself.

The term washroom works for me. I've never seen a room with a toilet that didn't also have a sink for washing your hands afterward. I hope I never do.

The first place I rented in London was like that. They'd built a wall up the middle of the original bathroom, separating it into a small room with a toilet and a larger room with a bath and basin. Not the nicest or most practical arrangement.

 

[Mr. Snakey]

This site is patronised predominatley by Americans so can any one of you tell me why you call a room that hasn't got a bath a 'bathroom'?
Or if not called a 'bathroom' you call it 'the John' again why?
We call a toilet a toilet or the more posh of us call it a lavatory but never a bathroom.
Our bathrooms are rooms that have a bath within.
Jack

I've never seen a bathroom that hasn't a toilet a sink and bath tub or shower to wash in. In hotels our homes.

YouTube - Frank Zappa - In France

 

[Sergeant_Torpedo]

I can appreciate why some polite souls feel compelled to use euphemisms. As a technical term I would use water closet to differentiate it from an earth closest (oh yes there are still places where you can't easily flush with cheap water) but in polite and educated society claokroom or lavatory is prefered over the prissy terminology of the lower middle classes (whether you aspire to it or not) but fashions change. Of course if you are a Londoner or live in Essex, after you have used the lavatory you will of course want to wash your hands in a bison.

 

[scrumpyjack]

Have you never heard the phrases bathe your hands or bathe your face? you only need a sink for that. Nevertheless, this is just an example of house languages evolve in different cultures. To me a term like water closet is completely ridiculous, or using the loo? Typically I say bathroom when in a home, restroom in a public place. Lavatory is saved for airplanes and opera houses, the head is for when on a boat. If you speak English you should be well aware there are multiple correct terms for the same concept.

OK you pedantic bloody Yanks, you bathe your hands and face but there is no bath so its NOT a bathroom so how about, cos the room invariably has a sink or as YOU lot call it a wash basin, so why not call it, cos you don't like toilet albeit there is a toilet in there!!, the 'Wash basin room!
Simples!
But it ain't no way a bloody bathroom. Get over it. If you must bugger up our language at least don't call things that aren't what they are in our language something else.

 

[silvertriumph2]

Damn, some people get their knickers all twisted out of shape for the strangest things.:frown1:

Whoever thought the various names (regional, linguistic, cutural, or otherwise) for a place to wash or defecate would be such a problem and cause such vitriol and name calling by some.

What the hell difference does it make..:shrug:....unbelievable!!!!

 

[cyravance]

Hey, we're Americans...we LIVE to confuse the rest of the world. Ask us why we drive on the parkway and park in the driveway...

 

[scrumpyjack]

Hey, we're Americans...we LIVE to confuse the rest of the world. Ask us why we drive on the parkway and park in the driveway...

Oh so true!
I conceed defeat!
Bon chance America
I'll go and measure my willy!