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洗手间现在不能叫WC了吗？Why can't the toilet be called W.C. nowadays?
Thread poster: Huijun Suo
Huijun Suo
Huijun Suo  Identity Verified
China
Local time: 22:41
English to Chinese
+ ...
Sep 22, 2010

今天在网上看到一条让我感到很震惊的说法，说是像北京、上海、广州这样的大城市在公共设施标识中已经不再将洗手间译为WC，而是统一为Toilet. 这消息应该出来有一段时间了，可能是我以前没有注意到。据说依据是有些语言专家认为，WC这种说法已经过时，而且很粗俗，国外很少用了。请问是这样吗？

Today I was shocked to read online that in some Chinese cities, including Beijing, S... See more
今天在网上看到一条让我感到很震惊的说法，说是像北京、上海、广州这样的大城市在公共设施标识中已经不再将洗手间译为WC，而是统一为Toilet. 这消息应该出来有一段时间了，可能是我以前没有注意到。据说依据是有些语言专家认为，WC这种说法已经过时，而且很粗俗，国外很少用了。请问是这样吗？

Today I was shocked to read online that in some Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, the public sign post for a toilet must be standardized as "Toilet", because the popular epithet "WC" is denounced by some language experts as "outdated and crude." Is it really so? Does this viewpoint reflect the language realities in English-speaking countries?

[Edited at 2010-09-22 16:36 GMT]

[Edited at 2010-09-23 07:01 GMT] ▲ Collapse
 
Cynthia Ho
Cynthia Ho
Local time: 22:41
English to Chinese
I think it is quite true. Sep 22, 2010

See how the term was described on Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flush_toilet#Water-closet_.28WC.29.2C_the_name

Actually it is seldom called W.C. nowadays. What I see is that it is usually called ladies'/men's room, restroom, lavatory, etc.
 
Adsion Liu
Adsion Liu  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 10:41
English to Chinese
+ ...
Sure Sep 22, 2010

According to my experience abroad, I have never seen any toilet market as "WC", nor in books...And only we Chinese still talk about WC now:-)
 
Huijun Suo
Huijun Suo  Identity Verified
China
Local time: 22:41
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Convinced after some research Sep 23, 2010

看了一些网上的帖子，确实如此，看来我真的是out了。如果整天做专业领域的翻译，无暇关注最新实事动态，很容易产生与鲜活语言的疏离感，大家引以为戒。
 
DingXiaolin
DingXiaolin

Local time: 22:41
Chinese to English
+ ...
Something better? Oct 14, 2010

My American friends told me that in the US, toilet was not common either. They use wash room, or ladies/men's room. Toilet is often taken as just the "坐便器".

[Edited at 2010-10-14 19:07 GMT]

[Edited at 2010-10-14 19:16 GMT]
 
wonita (X)
wonita (X)
China
Local time: 10:41
德国的厕所很多叫WC Oct 16, 2010

Huijun Suo wrote:

看了一些网上的帖子，确实如此，看来我真的是out了。如果整天做专业领域的翻译，无暇关注最新实事动态，很容易产生与鲜活语言的疏离感，大家引以为戒。

恐怕是非英语国家的误区。
 
王 甲甲 (X)
王 甲甲 (X)
China
Local time: 22:41
Japanese to Chinese
没注意过 Oct 24, 2010

没注意过
 
Peishun CHIANG
Peishun CHIANG  Identity Verified
Japan
Member (2004)
English to Japanese
+ ...
日本也常常用ＷＣ Oct 24, 2010

在日本，　我们经常可以看到ＷＣ，但是（（我感到））没人认为要把这改为ｔｏｉｌｅｔ。
 


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洗手间现在不能叫WC了吗？Why can't the toilet be called W.C. nowadays?






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