Job Discussion Forums

Sashadroogie · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 7:19 am Post subject:

'Men's movement' - not just the whole idea, but the appellation peeves me to within inches of insanity. Sounds quite....cloacal

'Stalinski' Sasha

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

"Cloacal"? Enlighten me please. I don't see the connection. Intestinal? Cesspool(ish)?

johnslat · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 12:41 pm Post subject:

Dear johntpartee.

I believe the connection has to do (or do-do) with one of the meanings of the word "movement."
Of course, I imagine that "Women's Movement" would provoke the same reaction in Sashadroggie. thus absolving him from a charge of sexism.

Regards,
John

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

Bizarre, convoluted.....I LOVE IT!

Sashadroogie · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 6:06 pm Post subject:

'Women's movement' has no unspeakable 'cloacal' associations, as women don't do things like that. Really! What were you thinking? Certainly not about knitting patterns or recipes.

On to peeves. 'Brand manager'. A term I've come to despise over here in the Wild East, where every rubbishy little school seems at one point to have decided that they needed one. (Or rather, a 'brentmenejer', or whatever.) I realise this is probably a legitimate job description elsewhere, but over here, in Teflland, it is quite laughable. It therefore makes the official peeve list, hrrumph!

Sashadroogie · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 6:49 pm Post subject:

Further peeve. Whether are not they are in the feminist movement, only women should be described as virgins. To misapply this word to a man is simply... peevish.

Am I guilty of holding sexist views? But the very word itself is sexist, in more ways than one. Blame the language.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Hmmm. Brand Manager. I picture a guy with an iron initial at the end of a pole, an open fire, and some poor calf with his feet tied together about to undergo a major trauma.

Glad you're still around to evoke such curious images, Sasha:)

Sashadroogie · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:13 pm Post subject:

Don't worry. I'm still here. Clinging on, but also eyeing up that bottle of hemlock. Maybe tomorrow... For now the vodka will suffice. Almost as deadly anyway.

Well, I once had a high-level learner in a well-known pharmaceutical company who called himself a line-manager. I don't need to tell you the mental images that evoked.

johnslat · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:38 pm Post subject: Pimp My Job Title

All of which brings up yet another pet peeve: euphemisms in job titles:
"A person who pumps gas is known as a retail petroleum distribution engineer.
Painters? They are liquid recoating specialists.
Teen-age lifeguards? How about calling them aquatic oversight engineers?
Or the guy who moves computers and connects cords can be called the company's hardware architect.
" . . . sanitation engineer for janitor, or 'transparent-wall maintenance officer' for window cleaner, are cited humorously more often than they are used seriously. Another example is Henny Youngman's joke that his brother-in-law claimed to be a "diamond cutter" � his job was to mow the lawn at Yankee Stadium. Less extreme cases, such as custodian for janitor or administrative assistant for secretary, are considered more terms of respect than euphemisms. Where the work itself is seen as distasteful, a euphemism may be used, for example "rodent officer" for a rat-catcher, or "cemetery operative" for a gravedigger. In the British comedy series Yes, Minister episode The Skeleton in the Cupboard, the civil service in general and Bernard in particular refers to civil service rat-catchers as "environmental health officers"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphemism

I suppose I could call myself a Communication Facilitation Specialist.

But euphemisms can come in handy:

Euphemisms for Teachers
Euphemisms for Teachers Writing School Reports

What to write - What you mean
Needs praise and encouragement - Thick as two short planks
Expresses himself clearly - Foul-mouthed
Keen to do well - Egotistical
All his work is of high standard - He has ambitious middle-class parents
Does not accept authority easily - Dad's doing time
Is easily upset - Spoilt rotten
Often appears tired - Stays up till all hours watching horror movies or is into sniffing glue
Works better at practical activities - Totally illiterate
Good with his hands - Light fingered
A rather solitary child - Smells or has nits
Satisfactory Progress - I can�t think of a single interesting thing about him/her
A born leader - Runs a protection racket
Easy going - Bone idle
Lively - Thoroughly disruptive
Good progress - If you think the work is bad now, you should have seen it a year ago
A sensitive child - Never stops whining
Helpful - Creep
Reliable - Grasses on his mates
Adventurous - Will break his neck before the year is out
Has difficulty in forming stable relationships - I can't stand him either
Expresses himself confidently - Cheeky little bast*rd
Enjoys all PE activities - Thug
Has a lot of minor illnesses - Truants regularly
Friendly - Never shuts up
Easily distracted - Hasn't produced a single piece of good work all year

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/14136-Euphemisms-for-Teachers

Regards,
John

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

There is a difference between secretary and administrative assistant. I wouldn't really call it a peeve, since so few people know it, but since I once was an AA, here goes. "Administrative Assistant" includes SOME duties pertaining to budgeting, payroll, etc.; some number crunching. I'm the first to admit it's a vainglorious title for a clerk, but..... Plus it's a better word for a male pencil pusher.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2010 5:23 am Post subject:

TEFLy job titles can peeve also. How many of us are truly 'lecturers' or 'professors'? 'Tutor' has a range of applications, so one can get away with that. Even 'language instructor' isn't so bad. But calling oneself a 'lecturer' or 'prof' just because one works part-time in a two-bit private institute reminds me very much of a student of mine who called himself a bank manager because he worked in the basement of a bank where he filed documents (data management). To be fair to him, I think the bank actually gave that title officially. Some compensation of sorts for the derisory wage, as is typical in Russia. But TEFL teachers should know better!

Sashadroogie · Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2010 6:25 am Post subject:

Etc. Handy phrase. But strangely enough, should be pronounced quite closely to how it is written in full - et cetera. And NOT as eksetra! Grrrrr!!!!

Also have a localised peeve to complement this crucial point. Russians tend to print '& etc.' on menus and shop signs... & etc. This really peeves me no end. But I temper my outrage with the realisation that they probably really don't know what it means. They have their own (non-Latin) expression, so are not very likely aware that the 'et' part makes the ampersand redundant. In fact I think the ampersand symbol is based on 'et' originally.

All waitresses and shop staff have always been ever so gracious and grateful whenever I point this out to them.

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

Okay, redundancies! ATM machine, PIN number, etc.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2010 10:37 am Post subject:

Yip. PIN number in strange. A redundancy, but think about the possible confusion sown were the bank teller to ask you to enter your pin.

I think 'PIN code' is the best way out.

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

"Personal Identification Number code"? Nah. By the way, Sash, alot of typos in your last message. A peeve of mine.