TOILET / UNITAZ

[Paul B. Gallagher]

Josh Wilson wrote:

> Americans (at least in the northwest, where I am from) most often
> call it the "bathroom" - whether the room actually has a bathtub in
> it or not.

In private homes, I agree. In public accommodations such as malls, 
restaurants, etc., we normally hear the euphemism "restroom." By far the 
most common everyday term is "bathroom."

In a real estate context, my home is said to have "two and a half 
baths," which means two rooms each with both toilet and bathtub (plus of 
course a sink), plus one smaller room that has only a toilet and sink. 
This latter is often called a "powder room," but only in a real estate 
context. It would be highly unusual in an America home to find a room 
with a bathtub or shower stall but no toilet; however, I have 
occasionally seen shower rooms in factories.

> As they often occur in Russian apartments (with toilet and shower in
> separate "closets,") doesn't really happen in America and is 
> something you'll likely need to footnote if to give a true definition
> of what the word in Russian refers to. That said, when I am in a
> Russian apartment and speaking English, I find I refer to that place
> as simply "the toilet," as the "room" is entirely defined by that
> fixture... (i.e. Q - "where is your bathroom?" A - "The toilet is
> down the hall and to the left.")

Agreed -- people do sometimes refer to the room as "the toilet," but 
it's a bit lower in register to do so; most of the middle class and 
above will euphemize a bit as described above. If you want a word for 
the fixture proper, "commode" will do, but it's not what you're looking for.

> I think calling it the "toilet room" will make you sound silly, IMHO. 

Completely agree. This really isn't a plausible option.

-- 
War doesn't determine who's right, just who's left.
--
Paul B. Gallagher
pbg translations, inc.
"Russian Translations That Read Like Originals"
http://pbg-translations.com

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