Comments on: Toiletology

By: Multilingual Commanding Urgency from Garbage to COVID-19 – Language on the Move

Sat, 27 Apr 2024 09:53:17 +0000

[…] in this episode include Cuteness and Fear in the COVID-19 Linguistic Landscape of South Korea, Toiletology and the study of language ideologies, so if you liked this episode be sure to check those […]

By: ResearchBlogging editor’s selections: bilingual animals, horse-hunting hyenas, the nature of dark matter and toiletology | Skulls in the Stars

Thu, 02 Oct 2014 02:53:07 +0000

[…] Toiletology. What can the signs describing a toilet tell us about the inclusiveness of a society? Ingrid at Language on the Move explains. […]

By: Lisa Fairbrother

Lisa Fairbrother — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:19:06 +0000

I recently found a good example in the Waseda University (Tokyo) School of Social Sciences (of all places). All the signs in the toilet cubicles were written in both English and Japanese except the following, which was in English only:
“Please dispose of used toilet paper in the toilet bowl and flush it properly. And be reminded the separately attached container is only for use of pad disposal. Thank You.”

By: Lisa Fairbrother

Lisa Fairbrother — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 06:37:36 +0000

Then of course there are all the sociocultural aspects of “toiletology” to navigate, such as how to tear non-serrated toilet paper in a straight line (that took me a couple of years to figure out) and how to leave the toilet politely for the next user by folding the edge of the toilet paper into a triangle. With all the recent advances in toilet technology in Japan, just figuring out how to flush the toilet can be an ordeal. In some recent designs the flush is a nicely hidden button on the top edge of a panel on the side wall. In a restaurant near my home with this type of toilet there is now a paper sign in Japanese posted on the wall explaining how to flush, so it’s obviously not just non-Japanese who are having difficulty fathoming this out.

By: Lisa Fairbrother

Lisa Fairbrother — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 06:17:26 +0000

The study of “Toiletology” can also go beyond the use of signs. For example, there seem to be different conventions regarding the use of toilet space for chatting. In the UK it’s quite common for two women chatting upon entering the main toilet room to continue their conversation after entering their own separate cubicles by shouting out to each other over the top of the doors. This is far less common in Japan. My Japanese students insist that it does happen but after almost 20 years in Japan I have yet to witness once.

An American graduate student of mine also pointed out that she often feels uncomfortable chatting in Japanese toilets because often there is no door separating the main toilet room from the outside corridor so anyone passing by outside can overhear the conversation and any other noises. Noises from inside the cubicles can of course be hidden by using the “oto-hime” (the sound princess), a device that plays the sound of flushing water.

By: Terminologia etc. » » E-Bidet e differenze culturali

Terminologia etc. » » E-Bidet e differenze culturali — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:42:25 +0000

[…] in tema, Toiletology (Language on the Move) fa un’interessante analisi sociolinguistica dei cartelli in bagni […]

By: Khan

Khan — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:28:53 +0000

Very interesting and important interpretation of toilte signage. As you have pointed out that selecting particular languages for these signage can be very offending to the self-esteem of people whose languages have been spotted which is so true. Looking it from CDA perspective, it also tell us the power inequalities in the multiculatural Australia? There are those who are the prodcuers of these text and there are those who only consume them without asking anything.

Who is excercising power in these toilete signage?. The one who has literally written these? or the people behind the scene? The mere selection of the languages reinforce the popular discourses around the speakers of these languages in Australia and elswhere.

There must be ethical codes and procedures in place for putting up these signages because languges are such important aspect of one’s identity, image, values etc. The world has to realise the importance of languge use in Public.

By: Jack L. Yohay

Jack L. Yohay — Thu, 27 May 2010 10:19:09 +0000

In late 2003, a sign above the urinal(s) in the men’s toilet serving the immigration office in Yokkaichi, Mie-ken, Japan said, “Don’t discard chewing gum here” in English and Portuguese but not in Japanese (nor Chinese nor Korean).

In October 2009 the sign was no longer there. While serving (us) client / petitioners, the immigration officers no longer smoked, nor did anyone else.

By: Ingrid Piller

Ingrid Piller — Sat, 15 May 2010 03:37:09 +0000

Thank you, Xiaoxiao! That’s why I’m blogging 🙂

By: xiaoxiao

xiaoxiao — Sat, 15 May 2010 03:29:43 +0000

An afterthought about my previous comment: I wonder if it’s possible to spread or broadcast the messages of such blogs to the relevant people or government agencies. The frequent exposure to such messages will at least make them think about what they can do to improve the current public signage. Or they do have access to such messages, but they simply ignore?

By: xiaoxiao

xiaoxiao — Fri, 14 May 2010 12:51:13 +0000

Wow, so much can be read and wrritten out of toilet signage. It’s something totally new and enlightening! We can surely learn a lot from this blog. But how about those people who work on such public signage? If they could keep reading Ingrid’s blogs, they would make this world a place to live in for all of us, despite our color, race or gender.

By: ResearchBlogging.org News » Blog Archive » Editor’s selections: bilingual animals, horse-hunting hyenas, the nature of dark matter and toiletology

Mon, 10 May 2010 15:26:25 +0000

[…] Toiletology. What can the signs describing a toilet tell us about the inclusiveness of a society? Ingrid at Language on the Move explains. […]

By: Jenny Zhang

Jenny Zhang — Sun, 09 May 2010 23:43:44 +0000

As an Asian, I do feel uncomfortable using public sit-on toilets, taking hygiene into consideration. As Ingrid said, providing flexible choices of toilets in Australia with a large influx of immigrants and visitors would be a concrete step towards a more democratic and inclusive society.

PS: “Toiletlogy” could be a new area of inquiry in sociolinguistics soon.

By: Pictograms taking care of business « Panther Red

Pictograms taking care of business « Panther Red — Sat, 08 May 2010 15:36:56 +0000

[…] symbol wheelchair, international symbol woman, pictograms | Leave a Comment The other day, Ingrid Piller’s “Language on the Move” blog showed a number of signs that are posted in restrooms in Australia. The purpose of these signs is to […]

By: Joanne Hong

Joanne Hong — Fri, 07 May 2010 00:49:01 +0000

Really appreciate for your sharing this great idea. It’s amazing that such a small place (toilet) can bring this kind of discussion…. I really love the term ‘toiletology’…. ^^
I also usually enjoy reading something scribbled (saying something very directly ^^) or advertisement or promotion (particularly the items or the titles) on the toilet door or wall … while I’m sitting on the toiletbowl(^^)….

By: Kimie Takahashi

Kimie Takahashi — Thu, 06 May 2010 23:57:44 +0000

Admiring your photo collection, now toilets have a new level of sociolinguistic significance to me. Well said about the flexibility of choice – it never occured to me, but it makes perfect sense…