This post is more about usage than grammar and underscores a difference between American and British English. While the use of the word toilet is, in my experience, perfectly normal in the UK, it has taken on an indelicate connotation in American English. As a matter of fact, saying you're going to the toilet is almost vulgar in American English. This usage is encouraged in many non-Americans by cognates prevalent in various European languages, German and French leaping immediately to mind.
Just a heads up for those who might be traveling across the pond. More common and/or polite in American English is to use "bathroom" or, even more politely, "restroom".
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2 comments:
Does the term "toilette/toilet" then have a different meaning, bring any unwanted associations with it or does it simply have this vulgar touch?
It's essentially an indelicate way to refer to a bath room. The term is therefore used to describe places that are undesirable, as in "This place is a real toilet".
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