why do people tell you that they are going to the bathroom?

Question

i find that no matter where i am or who it is ,that people tell you that info.but when you ask someone what they are doing or where they are going in general they are mostly vague.when somebody leaves the room to use the bathroom ,wouldn't it be better to say ,i will be right back or excuse me for a minute?
is stating your private bodily functions a universal thing ?

Answer 1

Funny that somebody noticed... In my native Russian culture if you need to use a bathroom, then you would say pretty much what you had suggested, "excuse me for a minute", or "I'll be right back" - or just slip out of the room without saying anything, if possible. My American friends always laughed at us for being so shy about the bathroom matters and joked that a Russian would come up with any outworldly excuse to avoid saying "I need to go to the bathroom" (proper Russian phrase, like Swedish, would be "going to the toilet") I guess our culture expects us to pretend that we have no bodily functions at all :) So no, it's definitely not a universal thing, and it took me some time to get used to this openness in the States.

Answer 2

Going to the bathroom is not stating a private bodily function-- that would be "going to take a piss or a crap". Going to the bathroom is the act of going into the bathroom for whatever reason. In sweden they say "going to the toilet" (of course, in Swedish) so that is much more concrete!

Answer 3

well some pepole do say excuse me or i'll be right back but for i know for me i play cards with my roommates and i'm pregnant and i don't want to just up and in the middle of the game leave the room and them get mad at me or if someone is gettin in the shower and i have to go then i have to say it or wait till they get out and a lot of them (my roommates) take a long time in the bathroom. also little kids are use to sayin i need to ude the bathroom b/c they have to tell there parents that they need to go or else go everywhere and they grow up to say that and not excuse me or i'll be right back.

Answer 4

Perhaps it is the most easily understood reason for leaving the room. No subterfuge or extra explanation is needed. So say it like it is.

I think any other reason for leaving a room is, curiously, more of a private mission, because the person is doing their own thing, so to speak, and may not want to enter into a complicated explanation of their motives, etc.

Answer 5

Well, there are things to do in a public restroom other than use the toilet. You can blow your nose, wash your hands, wash your face, comb your hair, just look in the mirror. Adjust your bra, check you run in your panty hose. I'm a larger woman. I'll go in the restroom sometimes to wipe sweat off that accumulates in places that could cause a rash.

The ROOM is refered to in casual conversation anyway, as a bathroom. They're telling you where they are going. They're not necessarily telling you what they're doing.

Answer 6

I think that most people in company of others who leave the group normally say excuse me but...

I have to use the phone
I have to go to the bathroom
I need to go to my car for a moment

I don't know too may people who will tell any of this to a perfect stranger next to them at the restaurant.

It is meant to be polite so that your company doesn't feel like you don't want to be there with them.

Answer 7

Well, it could be worse. They could return and tell you all about the results.

Seriously, a polite person simply says "Excuse me," and leaves the room.

Answer 8

Some say 'going to use the john'
some say 'going to use the mens room'
some say 'going to take a dump' or 'take a leak'
It varies, everyone is different. This is not univeral.

Answer 9

They should just say excuse me for a moment or be right back. It's better manners

Answer 10

yeah man it's even worse when someone says, "Hey I am going to pee!" or, "hey I am going to take a dump!" IT ANNOYS ME SOOOOOO BAD, and no, I doubt stating that kind of stuff is not universal.