Bathroom Humor.

You know if a conversation diverts to bathroom humor, it's somehow a conversation gone wrong, or perhaps just not a conversation for the refined.  So what if it happens in the classroom?  As teachers we're taught to capitalize on 'magic moments' that are unplanned for but yield significant moments of teaching.  So, when my student yesterday evening returned from the restroom and asked, 'Sherise, what's the difference between restroom and toilet?' I seized the opportunity to deliver to my students the cultural know-hows of labeling where we do our business. 

First, I asked the students all the words they use for the bathroom in their native tongue.  The most common is the English translated 'toilet,' which is reason for the misused 'Teacher, I need to toilet.'  Now, I may be wrong, but do any of you say in English that you're going to use the toilet?  (I think it a bit crass)  Granted, we see signs for 'Public Toilet,' but if you were to ask someone where the toilet is in the States they might raise a quizzical brow before pointing you in the right direction.  I then asked them why they don't more often say the more refined version 'washroom' in their native tongue.  One of my students said it's a bit qi guai (strange).  Then my students explained that back in the day, and even today there aren't exactly sinks to wash your hands.  Hence the more crude label, 'toilet.'  Washroom is reserved for those more uppity bathrooms, like in a hotel.  'Oh right,' I replied.

Now on to English versions.  I taught them the commonly used 'restroom' and 'bathroom.'  I had to explain the whole 'WC' label, so off I went into more British versions.  I then nixed the whole 'toilet' idea out of their heads and went on to more informal ways of nomenclature.  The 'can,' or the 'potty,' and oh wait, I forgot 'the throne room.'  I also explained squattie potties as ubiquitous around these parts and forgetting the Ch. way to say squattie potty I opted to draw a telling picture on the board.  I was about to squat and demonstrate but then I remembered, 'oh wait, I belong to the refined...' 

Hehe.