Water Closet or Loo?
 

Hi there,

What is the correct terminology for a US citizen like myself, to inquire about a restroom in London? Shall I ask for the "loo" or the "water closet?" I'm not sure if one is considered slang or inappropriate if I'm in a nice restaurant.

Thanks! Dana

The term I heard most was "toilet," which seemed to refer to the room and not the porcelain object.

ask for what you need - a "toilet"

Of course loo and WC are heard too - but it is the "gentlemens' toilet" or the "ladies' toilet"

You should ask for 'the Ladies' or 'the toilets'. Nobody ever says water closet.

Oh great, good to know! I will ask for the "ladies" or "toilet" when referring to the room.

Cheers!

I always liked calling The Ladies ~

I just wander around looking confused and someome always points the way!

Why ever do they still refer to the toilts as the "cloakroom"? I haven't worn a claok in all my years...the pashmina room , maybe!!!!!!!!!!

About as silly as calling it a bathroom -- like I'm going to take a bath between courses? Or the restroom -- think I'll take a nap. Most Brits I know ask for the Gents or the Ladies. I don't think I ever hear the term water closet -- but w.c., yes.

A few hundred years ago it was common practice to move from the table to the wall of the room and...........

Has it changed?

If you want to be archaic, you can say you've got to go "spend a penny." This is more or less the equivalent of going to "powder your nose." (It used to cost an English penny to enter the stall.)

What happened to that quaint old euphemism "lavatory"?

30 years ago it was considered very non-U to say "toilet" and most certainly very U to say "lavatory". Does this change in U-sage indicate that the class differences in the UK are being flattened out?
Haven't I read in this forum that Queen EII's English has moved from the far right towards the centre, likewise indicating some erosion of traditional class barriers?

It is still U to say lavatory. But far fewer people care.

"Toilet" was considered non-U by one member of the Mitford family (who hadn't lived in England for decades), one otherwise unheard-of academic who joined Ms Mitford in making money out of the idea, and a few irrelevant old fogeys, who spoke a bizarre dialect of English that was simply incomprehensible to the rest of us.

The other 50-odd million Brits said "toilet". And "mirror" and "serviette" and all the other perfectly normal words this batty woman repaired her finances by spuriously castigating.

Try, "Ladies? or ladies room?." Or..inquire as to the correct/preferred appellation. Try more than one source. Report back, please.Polish system.."WC?", acronym for water closet.

Posh restaurant: "Toilet" (NEVER "lavatory") or "Ladies"

Not posh reataurant: "Khazi".

very un-posh restaurant: "The Bogs"

LOL!

Dana, practice saying
'Sorry, where's the ladies please?"

Just don't call it a bathroom or restroom. HTH!

Don't worry about it. "loo" is a generally-accepted term without much in the way of inherited cultural associations, but anyone will know what you mean if you say what you say at home (we do see quite a lot of American films and TV, you know). They might tease you a little by pretending they think you do want to take a bath or a rest, but if you put on a sufficiently agonised look as you frantically search the cupboard doors at the back, your need should become clear....

A restaurant that takes offence at your choice of terminology is not, in my book, a nice restaurant and not worthy of your custom.

Of course you could always ask to be shown 'the geography of the house'....

Come to think of it, I had a fearsome Edwardian great-aunt who lived in Australia for some years. When she came home she told a tale about being in a hotel somewhere when a real "ocker" Aussie asked her where the dunny was. According to her, she fixed him with a look and said 'Over there, there's a door marked 'Gentlemen', but you just ignore that and go through.'

I don't think people will say that sort of thing any more.......

actually - "loo" is a more acceptable term than "toilet" in a posh restaurant, as it's short for lavatory. "Toilet" is more frequently used by the lower class.

(if you don't believe me - this website on etiquette backs me up! http://www.imagecounts.co.uk/etiquette.htm)

also worth noting is that you should say "napkin" rather than "serviette".