BATHROOM, WASHROOM, RESTROOM in sign language

"How do you say these terms 'bathroom', 'restroom', 'bathroom', 'toilet', 'lavatory', etc. in American Sign Language? These English terms generally mean the same thing which is a place to relieve oneself. In ASL, there is one general sign for these concepts -- a common denominator for its purpose -- the toilet.

ASL signs for TOILET

Meaning: A room containing a toilet and sink and typically also a bathtub or shower.

Pronunciation (sign description): Dominant hand with the "T" handshape shakes sideways a few times in space. The palm faces outward.

In most contexts, the part ROOM of this compound sign is omitted.

Vocabulary

Related words: WATER CLOSET (WC), RESTROOM, TOILET.

In the bathroom, one probably does BATH in their BATHTUB or maybe just SHOWER.

More: SINK, SOAP, SHAMPOO, SLIPPERS, BATHROBE, HAIRDRYER, TOWEL, FAUCET.

Baby signing

For potty training toddlers, the ASL word TOILET isn't easy to manually "pronounce" in the same way the English word "toilet" is hard to pronounce for hearing toddlers. What Deaf parents usually use with ASL-speaking kids is the ASL sign, the equivalent to PEE and POOP.

Note that "baby sign language" is a cultural-lingual appropriation. It's inappropriate to use the terms such as "baby signs". As both spoken and signed languages are on the same level of language acquisition and linguistics. Signed words are no easier than spoken words. Some words are easier in one language than the other language and vice versa, regardless of signed or spoken. One doesn't label the English words "pee", "poop", and "loo" as "baby speech". Parentese exist in throughout languages/cultures.

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