The familiar letters WC on the toilet door do not raise questions for anyone. This inscription denotes these institutions around the world. And yet it is interesting to know what this abbreviation means, how does WC stand for? This is what will be discussed in the article.
How does WC stand for English?
WC is translated from English as water-closet, which literally means “water, plumbing” - water, “office, private room” - closet. As you can see, the lexical translation of this phrase into Russian will mean something like “water cabinet”, well, or “closed water”. And if we go to the meaning of the phrase, it will mean "an enclosed space with a water supply (drain)". This is how WC stands for in English.
Dictionaries of foreign words in Russian give the following definition of the combination water-closet: a latrine with a plumbing device for flushing. That is, it is mandatory in such a room to have running water and the ability to wash hands. For this reason, the usual country toilet cannot be called "water-closet".
Now it becomes clear how WC stands for.
Other options
Knowing how WC stands for toilets, it is worth noting that the abbreviation WC is found mainly in European countries where English is the official language of communication.
The institution we describe is called differently in other languages and countries. For example, in the USA - "rest-room" or "lady-room" ("women's room").
Also, the restroom can be indicated by the English letters M (men - man), W (women - woman).
In Russia, a toilet is called a toilet, a latrine, a place of public use, a latrine. By the way, the word "toilet" is not Russian, it comes from the French verb sortir, which translates as "to get out." History reports that the toilet became a toilet in Russia after the French who were in the country said: Je dois sortir (“I need to get out”).
Interestingly, there is also the name "powder closet". Such a toilet is so named because in it the waste is treated with powder - peat or ash. Because the feces are sprinkled, “powdered”, the institution got its name.
Toilets in private homes are called "backlash closets" due to the presence of a cesspool and forced ventilation.
Interesting facts
Surprisingly, there is a World Toilet Organization that deals with the problems of water closets and other similar establishments. It was created in 2001 at a congress of delegates from around the world, held in Singapore. This city was not chosen by chance. It is in it that the latrines have amazing cleanliness.
Then November 19 became World Toilet Day. And in 2013, this initiative was supported by the UN. Every year, the WTO holds summits and thematic exhibitions.
The organization's activities are aimed at improving the legislation of different countries in the field of equipping toilets. It is known that a large number of people in the world today suffer precisely because of the lack of latrines built in compliance with all sanitary and hygienic standards. Unsanitary conditions are the cause of many dangerous diseases leading to death, including dysentery.
So, we learned how WC stands for, and considered a lot of interesting facts related to the abbreviation.
