我们读中学时，学了“W.C.”, 当我们急需时, 就很文雅地借用. 到了美国, 才发现美国人不懂WC. 读了这篇文章, 又有新发现! 打来与老同学一笑!
Water Closet
An English schoolteacher was looking for rooms in Switzerland. She called upon the local schoolmaster to help her find an apartment that would be suitable. Such rooms were found, and she returned to London for her belongings. She remembered that she had not noticed a bathroom, or as she called it, “a water closet." She wrote to the schoolmaster and asked if there was a "W. C." in or near the apartment.
The schoolmaster, not knowing the English expression, was puzzled by the "W.C.", never dreaming that she was talking about a bathroom. He finally sought advice from the parish priest. They concluded that she must mean a "Wayside Chapel"(路边礼拜堂)
The lady received the following letter a few days later.
Dear Madam:
The W.C. is located 9 miles from the house, in the heart of a beautiful grove of trees. It will seat 150 people at one time, and is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and SUndays.
Some people bring their lunch and make a day of it. On Thursdays there is an organ accompaniment. The acoustics are very good. The slightest sound can be heard by everyone. It may interest you to know that my daughter met her husband at the W. C.
We are now in the porcess of taking donations to purchase plush seats. We feel that this is a long-felt need, as the present seats have holes in them. My wife, being rather delicate, hasn't been able to go more often. I will close now with the desire to accomodate you in every way possible, and will be happy to save you a seat either down front or near the door as you prefer.
Your sincerely,
网上找来的中文版：(不是翻译上文）
一位英国女士去瑞士旅行。
她在一家小旅馆住下了，这家小旅馆属于当地的一位校长。她非常关心这家旅馆是否有厕所（WC）。她把这个问题写在纸上，交给了校长。
这位校长，英语不是十分精通，于是他去请教当地的牧师，问他是否知道WC的含义。他们一起研究了这个缩写的可能含义，最后一致认为，这位女士想知道的是：旅馆附近是否有一处路边的小教堂（Wayside Chapel）于是校长这样写到：
亲爱的女士：
我非常荣幸地告诉你，WC在离本旅馆9英里的地方。它坐落在松树林中，周围有可爱的草地。它可以容纳299个人，它在星期天和星期四开放。夏天许多人都喜欢去那里，我建议您尽量早点去。虽然有足够的位子，但是，如果您不是准时去的话，您可能赶上非常不好的位子。
您也许对此有些兴趣：我的女儿就是在那里举行婚礼，她也是在那里认识他的丈夫。那是个伟大的时刻，每排位子上都坐了10个人。他们的脸上是那么的幸福。我的妻子，很不幸，恰巧病了，不能去那里。她最后一次去那里已经是一年前的事了，为此她很伤心。
我愿意告诉您非常令您高兴的事情：很多人带着午餐去那里，在那里呆上一整天。其他一些人则宁愿等到最后一分钟，然后准时赶到。我建议您最好星期四去，那时有风琴伴奏。那里的声音效果非常好，再纤细的声音您也能听得到。
最近那里又增加了一个铃铛，每当有人进去时，它就响了起来。我期待着亲自护送您到那里，并把您安排在一个显著的位置，所有的人都可看到您。
您最最忠实的朋友
| 呢喃 (2013-02-02 10:35:19) |
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哈哈，笑S了，我也刚写了涉及WC的文章，稍后再贴上哈。 |
| 飘尘永魂 (2013-02-02 13:09:29) |
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| 予微 (2013-02-02 22:28:41) |
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好啊，呢喃，等看你的文章！（我很小心的避免了说：等看你的笑话。这又是很容易口误的啊。哈哈） |
| 予微 (2013-02-02 22:29:23) |
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| 予微 (2013-02-02 22:30:01) |
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熊猫宝宝，收集了摆上来啊。 |
| cathay活着 (2013-02-03 08:01:53) |
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哈哈～～在中国中学学英文都说WC，去了加拿大说washroom或bathroom才有人知道你有三急。而到了美国只有说restroom或powder room才有人帮你指路。这是我的经历。 |
| 予微 (2013-02-03 23:41:09) |
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在我周围的美国人，比如在办公室，女士会说：I will go to lady's room，一般人多用Restroom，就是公共厕所，比如购物中心或餐馆。如果去别人家做客，就问有没有Bathroom。不能问restroom. 就是因为我们读中学时，用WC，所以读这篇文章时，才特别有共鸣。 |
| panda13 (2013-02-05 17:07:50) |
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英美的好些俚语不同，所以很容易闹出笑话。比如buns，在英国，到店里要买两个buns再正常不过，在纽约，你要管女招待要两个buns，she'll probably have you arrested...再比如，rubber 在英国means口香糖，在美国却means eraser。。。I once got an american colleague shocked because a visiting English lady was asking me for a piece of rubber and said that she would enjoy chewing it... |
| 牧童歌谣 (2013-02-07 19:38:58) |
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在美国rubber也是避孕套的意思。 小孩和老师都说eraser，不说rubber。 |
| panda13 (2013-02-07 22:58:47) |
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冷汗淋漓。。。俺以前还管老板借过rubber，还好他没有误解。谢谢牧童歌谣！ |
| 桑妮 (2013-02-08 03:02:53) |
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在国内学的英语太不实用。记得在网上读到这么一个故事：一个英语很好的女生被安排接待外宾，陪老外参观校园。中途老外问：Can I use bathroom? 这女生不知道这个词，便想：Bath是洗澡，Bathroom一定是澡堂。于是便答：我们学校的Bathroom一三五对男生开放，二四六对女生开放。老外问：我现在就要用。女生答：今天是星期天，Bathroom不开放。 |
| 予微 (2013-02-08 04:18:22) |
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哈哈，牧童。 |
| 予微 (2013-02-08 04:21:37) |
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哈哈，桑妮，这老外好可怜，要憋到星期一！ |
