h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Going to the loo is a social event and a respite from the smoke or noise of the pub. That's why women go in twos.

But to get to another point made just there: Why are the Men's and Women's toilets made the same size? Why not in a ratio of 2/3 to 1/3 or so. Anyone who has arrived in a coach at a motorway services station will know what I mean.

At a guess, it's because the toilets are made as small as they can possibly be while still passing the regulations. The regulations do not specify that there must be twice as many toilets for women, so there aren't.

I heard comedian Richard Jenney this morning, talking about why women go to the bathroom in groups. He concluded that women are from another planet, and their headquarters is in the bathroom. That's why they always go in groups... they're having meetings. And that's why the men don't get to have a couch in their bathroom... no meetings, no couches.

Are there regulations? Whaddayaknow!

But the overall size could remain the same, just the proportion shifted slightly. Anyway, I've never been embarrassed to go in the Gents if needs be.

Ha! You've found us out Colonel. Now you must DIE! But before we have to kill you, could you tell me why Americans call the toilet the "bathroom"?

I was just kidding about killing you, by the way. Relax

Or, stranger still, why they call it the "Rest Room"

It can't be because you rest there - at least, I don't remember seeing any beds...

Perhaps it's because that's were you deposit the "rest" of your meal. (Sorry, but etymology knows no shame)

Well we're just as bad. We call it the WC or Public Convenience.

But Peregrin, those are accurate description. WC just means "water closet" which is a lavatory, the pan of which is flushed by water. And a public convenience is there for the convenience of the public.

A bath room on the other hand, is a room with a bath in it and a rest room is a room where you rest.

Re posting 83.

Is the headquaters thing connected to dancing round handbags? Ooooh scary.

Water Closet is probably the most accurate description of the place we go to relieve ourselves. The word "toilet" is an old word which means to wash your hands, so it is just as inaccurate as the America "bathroom".

Loo?

The word Loo comes from "origin unknown" apparently. It's funny, a lot of words come from that phrase!

My theory: it is short for "Waterloo", a joke name for "Water closet".

It could also come from the French word "lieu" meaning "the place".

Little boys' room?

The strangest to my ears is the American Vet who said "if your guinea pig is having problems going to the bathroom, you may be feeding him the wrong food".

I never hear the word 'latrine' in the UK.

Have you ever heard the term 'comfort station'? (No kidding)

where did dunny come from?

Terry Pratchett uses the word "dunnykin" as an old word for cess-pit, but I haven't been able to find it in a dictionary. Perhaps "dunny" comes from that. Or perhaps he made it up to sound like that.

New automatic toilets have been introduced in some parts of Ireland. These have an automatic door. After you leave the toilet, the door closes and the entire toilet is cleaned from top to bottom to make it ready for the next occupant.

Another feature is that if you wait inside for 15 minutes, the door will open automatically.

Latrine is normally only used in the army.

Other words: bog, khazi, jakes (pr. jacks), toilet, loo, smallest room, WC.

Strangely 'latrine' is derived from 'latrina' the Latin (or Latrin) for 'bathroom'. Seems confusing the place where you bathe for the place where you dump is not a recent thing.

The dunny is an important fixture in Antipodean culture, particularly in the rural settings. The word is Australian in origin, coming from 'dannaken'. 'Danna' meaning 'dung' and 'ken' meaning 'place'.

The classic dunny or long-drop (etymology self-explanatory) is an outhouse found on remote locations such as near the shearing shed or the holiday beach residence. Design varies according to the remoteness of location and the taste, whimsy or comfort thresholds of the user.

Basic construct requirements include a big hole in the ground (about 2.5 metres deep), something to sit on with a reasonably-sized hole in the middle, and a one-person shed-like construct to keep the rain off.

A good design allows for plenty of fresh air to flow through.

Optional extras:

Toilet paper
A front door
A toilet seat with a lid

Luxury accessories:

A chemical loo arrangement
Air freshener
Candles
Toilet bowl
Toilet roll holder