Job Discussion Forums

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Good Day Forum:

Here's a sentence taken verbatim from the grammar reference of Unit 13 of the English textbook entitled "Matters", Upper Intermediate level:

"He handed the papers to the invigilator."

Well, I'm no genius, I'll admit it. But I do take a certain amount of pride in knowing the meaning of most words which pop up from time to time in these English textbooks, but ... to be perfectly honest, "invigilator" has me stumped.

So I did the logical thing and searched the word on www.wordsmyth.net; Nada. Then I opened my mini Oxford dictionary; Nada. Looks like nobody's heard of invigilator. Sort of sounds like something you'd find in a bad porn film?

Then I said to myself, (in an irritated and frustrated tone) "What the hell is this word doing in a textbook for EFL students?"

Anyway, I'm sure someone out there will shed some light on this little mystery, but it reminded me of just how many times I've been stumped over the years by the little differences between British and American English vocab.

Like, "Put your suitcase in the boot." huh ??

or

"Teacher, can I borrow your rubber?" ummm ... Are you sure you want to do that?

and so on...

Anyway, I thought it might be fun for everyone to contribute their favorite textbook bloopers and/or weirdest British/English vocabulary anecdotes for all of us to enjoy.

So, have fun ... and be sure to turn off the invigilator before you come to bed honey.

Yours,
keNt

_________________________________

If I don't know what it means, it can't be important.

[scot47]

KENT K :

"invigilator" in Britspeak is someone who supervises an examination. I believe the Yankspeak equivalent is "proctor".

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Howdy scot47:

Thanks for the speedy and informative reply. So, can I use it as a verb and an adjective too?

Regards,
kENt

[R]

I worked one summer as an invigilator. I invigilated! I spent part of the summer invigilating! I had a job in which I had to invigilate! I guess I'll have to call it something else on my CV...

BritRob (tm)

[johnslat]

Dear kENt,
If a British gent tells you he's going to knock you up, don't get too alarmed. It means merely that he'll come by to visit.
Regards,
John

[richard ame]

Hi the word you searched so hard for does come up all the time in my neck of the woods there seems to be a boat load of Americanisms flying around the place which I have to teach and usually give the (correct) British English equivelant one of my least liked words is "semester" which I always avoid using and "student"which I can't avoid except when I slip in "kids" or "muppets" they seem to prefer the British vocab more and admit that the cross Atlantic way of speaking is a lot more difficult to follow as most U.S residents have difficulty enunicating their speech correctly but thats a different thread and I don't feel obliged to go down that road just yet . cheers !

[baby predator]

British gent? Excellent oxymoron.

Where do you come from Mr Slat? Where I come from, if a British gent tells me he's going to "knock me up", that means he's going to put a bun in my oven (and I'm going to give him a Glasgae Kiss).

[R]

Where I comes from, it be meaning both, that what you be saying 'bout knockin' up, like.

[Stephen Jones]

Dear R,
'Inviligator' is fine for your CV. You should call it something else in your resume though :)

[johnslat]

Dear baby predator,
Sorry - perhaps I should have said " English gent ". I come from that other part of the world, the USA ( you know, there's the USA and then there are all those foreign places ). But one of the hazards of travel is that one occasionally comes into contact with foreigners. By the way, I'd be interested in knowing what a " Glasgae Kiss " is - if you can get it onto the forum without its being censored. I suspect, though, that it may be something like a punch in the kisser, delivered by a native of Glasgow.
Regards,
John

[R]

Is it the same as a Chelsea smile?

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Hello Again:

Just for fun, here is a short list of the more common UK-USA vocabulary differences. For newbies from the USA who plan to teach in Europe, this list could save your life.

On top, the USA version. Under it, the UK version:

apartment
flat

argument
row

baby carriage
pram

band-aid
plaster

bathroom
loo or WC

can
tin

chopped beef
mince

cookie
biscuit

corn
maize

diaper
nappy

elevator
lift

eraser
rubber

flashlight
torch

fries
chips

gas
petrol

guy
bloke, chap

highway
motorway

hood (car)
bonnet

jello
jelly

jelly
jam

kerosene
paraffin

lawyer
solicitor

license plate
number plate

line
queue

mail
post

motor home
caravan

movie theater
cinema

muffler
silencer

napkin
serviette

nothing
nought

overpass
flyover

pacifier
dummy

pants
trousers

parking lot
car park

period
full stop

pharmacist
chemist

potato chips
crisps

proctor
***invigilator***

rent
hire

sausage
banger

sidewalk
pavement

soccer
football

sweater
jumper

trash can
bin

truck
lorry

trunk (car)
boot

vacation
holiday

vest
waistcoat

windshield (car)
windscreen

zip code
postal code

Well there you have it folks. OK; I have to run now. I have places to go and people to knock up.

Best wishes,
KENt

[baby predator]

Mr S.
A Glasgae kiss is a particularly effective method of foreplay practised by us Picts. It is most commonly achieved by propelling one's forehead (or indeed any part of one's noggin) in a swift forwards movement to render one's "partner" unconscious, thus making the business of "knocking up" a lot simpler for everyone concerned.

Mr R.
What EXACTLY is a Chelsea smile? I always wanted to know, but I was afraid to ask the tough kids.

[R]

1. open victims mouth.
2. place knife/sword horizontally across mouth, so that blade is touching both corners.
3. push blade towards head, this significantly widening mouth.

I believe this was a favourite of the Kray "they're alright, they only hurt their own" twins, but I may be wrong.

I believe a 'Columbian necktie' involves slitting the victim's throat and pulling the tongue out through the hole. I may only be imagining this, though (I'm slightly worried if I am).

[R]

Also:

check
cheque

suspenders (for holding up trousers)
braces