Job Discussion Forums

Boy Wonder · Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 453 Location: Clacton on sea

On Friday we had 3 teachers resign in one foul swoop.

That makes 8 resignations since I joined the buffoon clinic 4 months ago.

What I wonder is the record number of resignations in any one day you have encountered in TEFL not including end of contract decisions?

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

150 teachers, but those were layoffs.

carnac · Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 5:07 pm Post subject:

The resignations may have been "foul", but the phrase is a "fell" swoop".

See, for example, http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mfellswoop.html

"Fell, from Old English, means awful, terrible or horrible. The word's stem can also be seen in "felon," which now is mostly used to mean someone who has been convicted of a felony (a serious crime), but which formerly meant one who is terrible, horrible or awful in behavior. The "swoop" is an onomotopoeia, indicating a fast movement. All together, "one fell swoop" means a swift, horrible blow.

"Shakespeare, originator of so many English catchphrases, may have dreamed up this one too. It appears in "Macbeth": "What! all my pretty chickens and their dam/At one fell swoop?" (act IV, scene 3) laments Macduff, upon learning his wife and children have been killed by Macbeth. This appears to be the earliest recorded use of the phrase, although it may have been in common usage before Shakespeare wrote it down.

"It's interesting that "one fell swoop," which originally had such a dire connotation, is now a mild term meaning "all at once." A similar fate has befallen the expression "fey charm." Few people know that "fey" is an old Scottish term meaning (a) fated to die soon, or (b) full of the sense of approaching death (these definitions from the American Heritage Dictionary). So if you say someone has a certain fey charm, you're saying he or she exerts that morbid fascination associated with imminent death."

I just know your day is complete now... Smile

dyak · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 630

Although maybe boy wonder had taken the above knowledge and cunningly changed fell to foul in order to express his disgust at this cull of teachers?

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

I like "foul swoop" - kills two buzzards with one stone

spidey · Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:10 am Post subject:

16 in 1 day decided not to renew their contracts for the following year. 25 had resigned by the end of the year. All due to poor management and unscrupulous behavior on the part of the administration.

Not a good track record. They're still feeling the aftermath 5 years later.

S

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

To put that "record number" of resignations into context boy wonder ought to have added the reasons - if known - and the location of his school.
Maybe they got poached by a competitor?

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Sheep-Goats · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 527

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

1950s?
Nope, better go back farther. It because of Webster`s dictionary that Americans spell color without the `u`.

Cardinal Synn · Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 586

Boy Wonder · Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 453 Location: Clacton on sea

Jesus.H. you lot......can't you answer the question.....

I didn't intend this to be an examination of phrases by anoraks and TEFL geeks.....foul swoop or fell swoop...I couldn't give a rats ar$%!!

The question was about resigs......before the end of contract and not inc lay-offs!

BTW Roger I am in Italy working for Inlingua and those that left on Friday did so in disgust and out of pocket.

I repeat ...can anybody better this record.....and re the anoraks.. keep your geekism to other threads please.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946