海外文化:时下英美的quot;厕所quot;怎么说
<p>汉语“去方便一下”是一句婉转语，即“去洗手间”。如今在一些正式场合，很少有人会说“去厕所”。在过去，“厕所”本来也是婉辞，原意是“侧面的房子”。（“茅房”过去也是婉辞，因为居住的正房多用瓦盖，而厕所则比较简陋，通常用茅草盖。）</p><p>英语里表示“厕所”的婉辞更多。在多年前的英语课堂上，我们认识了<span word="washroom">washroom</span>和<span word="WC">WC</span>（<span word="water">water</span> <span word="closet">closet</span>的缩略语，原指“盥洗室”）。这两个词如今在美国已很少被使用，现在美国人一般说<span word="restroom">restroom</span>或<span word="bathroom">bathroom</span>，英国人则多说<span word="lavatory">lavatory</span>（在美语中，只有火车或飞机上的厕所才被叫做<span word="lavatory">lavatory</span>）。此外，英国人常用<span word="toilet">toilet</span>指厕所或马桶，而美国人则只用其指马桶。</p><p>一些文化人还给“如厕”起了许多有趣的名称，比如:<span word="comfort">comfort</span> <span word="station">station</span>, <span word="cloakroom">cloakroom</span>, <span word="retiring">retiring</span> <span word="room">room</span>, <span word="public">public</span> <span word="convenience">convenience</span>, <span word="house">house</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="amusement">amusement</span>, <span word="chamber">chamber</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="commerce">commerce</span>, <span word="old">old</span> <span word="soldiers">soldiers</span>\' <span word="home">home</span>。</p><p>在英国，人们有时将“厕所”称为<span word="loo">loo</span>，据说由于英国许多门牌号为100号的房屋多为厕所，<span word="loo">loo</span>与数字100形似，故而得名。</p><p>在一些非正式场合，表示“想去方便一下”的说法则更多：</p><p>男士：<span word="I">I</span>\'<span word="d">d</span> <span word="like">like</span> / <span word="I">I</span> <span word="want">want</span> / <span word="I">I</span> <span word="am">am</span> <span word="going">going</span>...</p><p><span word="to">to</span> <span word="go">go</span> <span word="somewhere">somewhere</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="go">go</span> <span word="into">into</span> <span word="retreat">retreat</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="go">go</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="bank">bank</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="go">go</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="john">john</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="go">go</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="private">private</span> <span word="office">office</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="go">go</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="Egypt">Egypt</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="go">go</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="tap">tap</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="kidney">kidney</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="cash">cash</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="check">check</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="pluck">pluck</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="rose">rose</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="shake">shake</span> <span word="hands">hands</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="old">old</span> <span word="friend">friend</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="ease">ease</span> <span word="oneself">oneself</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="shoot">shoot</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="lion">lion</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="release">release</span> <span word="one">one</span>\'<span word="s">s</span> <span word="nature">nature</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="water">water</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="lawn">lawn</span>, <span word="to">to</span> <span word="shake">shake</span> <span word="dew">dew</span> <span word="off">off</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="lily">lily</span>.</p>
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