To think saying I want to use the toilet is strange

[User67770]

It’s a need not a want

Totally reasonable and normal thing to say. Strange to find it strange.

Oh good grief 🙄

🤨

Not necessarily!

You may want to use it now, but not absolutely need to (yet).

If you need it, you need it NOW.

They definitely need to urinate/defecate.
They want to use your lavatory. As opposed to having a shit in the garden.

This

Errr, what?

You have way too much time on your hands OP

Probably need to stay out of the sun.

You might find more kindred spirits over in Pedant’s Corner, @User67770

I wanted to use the toilet earlier when we were out to clean my sandals that had all dust stuff on them from our long walk. I didn't need to but I wanted to.

They NEED to wee or poo.
They WANT to use the toilet as a receptacle.

I don't think people think that deeply about every sentence they say.

I thought this was going to be about the word 'toilet' being non-u (we were always corrected as children). I've read too many class threads I think!

In BSL the sign for 'Want' and 'Need' is the same, except it is a bigger gesture for Need. I think that is linguistically interesting.

My daughter says it fairly often and she is correct.

She wants to but she doesn't need to. If she wishes she can take a dump in her nappy

This definitely whiffs a little of a wee/pop troll...

It's only fairly recently (18th century or so) that "want" has come to primarily mean "desire". Before then, any examples are at best ambiguous and by far the primary meaning was lacking or needing something, rather than just desiring it. So it might not be incorrect to say "want" to mean "need", just really, really old-fashioned

Really? They're becoming more subtle if so!

Please tell us some other things you “find strange”. Are you constant bemused and befuddled by things that others people seem to find straightforward and normal?
Is it very hard being you?