Dear Epit,

Yes, you are right, if you are thinking of UK English.

Generally speaking, you find a �wash-basin� in the Bathroom; you find a �sink� in the Kitchen, but the word �sink� is being more widely applied to a variety of appliances.  A �wash-basin� usually has taps as part of the fitting.  A �sink� very often has separate taps.

Nowadays, both are made of a wide variety of materials, but, particularly in the past, a �wash-basin� was made of fine material, such as vitreous china, but a �sink� was made of coarse material, such as earthenware, because the servants used heavy, metal buckets.

However, in wealthy houses, kitchen sinks were often made of wood, (teak), to avoid breaking delicate bone china.

In public buildings, and particularly in hospitals, there are numerous types of �sink� --- Cleaner�s Sink; Bed-pan Sink; Chemical Sink; Operating-Theatre Sink; Fume-Cupboard Sink; etc.

Be careful not to confuse technical descriptions of appliances, as they appear in Building Documents.

A Kitchen Sink might be described as a Stainless Steel Sink (Left-Hand Bowl, Right-Hand Drainer).

The pan for a toilet is called a WC pan, or a Water Closet, (because the original was an Earth Closet).

The wash-basin for the Bathroom is called a Lavatory Basin, (from the Latin �lavare� = �to wash�).

END OF LECTURE

Les