Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Snowkr]

Today I was asked if a "Police Station" and "police stand" are the same thing.
I've never heard of a police stand in my life. Korean teachers are using this word and it has come up on an exam recently in which a student has argued that the two are different.

I agree with the student. I don't think police stand exists in our usage but then again...? I've lived in the U.S. most of my life.. with the exception of 3 years spent in Australia. I never heard of "police stand" there either.

I would appreciate quick responses! Apparantly, this word is in the dictionary. What do you all think??

[normalcyispasse]

Police stands are fairly common in Korea and Japan. I think they're just not popular in America, but I do believe they exist.

[Snowkr]

The Korean teachers want to know if native speakers use the words "police stand".

Regardless of whether they exist here and in Japan, is the term used by British and North American native speakers of English.

Perhaps in the U.K., police stands do exist. I wouldn't know!

[Smee]

I suppose the ones in the middle of Times Square would qualify as a stand. Maybe a booth. Try and get them to explain the difference between stand and station. Stand just handles traffic/tourist information and emergencies?

[Bibbitybop]

I'd say that phrase is adequate. "Police" is just describing the "stand." You can have a "police car," "police uniform" and "police brutality," so why not a "police stand?"

[mrsquirrel]

Ask Dr. Who.

[Snowkr]

I did try to explain the difference between a stand and a station. I think the Korean teachers understand but they themselves were taught that a stand is the same thing. This is what they're teaching the students.

One student in 600 argued that a stand is not the same thing as a station. I applaud him. According to the K-teacher, the word "police stand" is in the English dictionary and in their textbook and it's used in the same way as station.

Brits, do you use this at all?

[mrsquirrel]

[Snowkr]

LOL Mrs Squirrel.

That's cute. I will print it out and show my co-workers who will also get a big kick out of it.

I told them not to make such a big deal out of this one thing. Since it's on the exam and a student is insistent that a "police stand" is not a "police station", it became a pretty big problem yesterday.

It seems as though I am right in saying that "police stand" is not part of our usage regardless of it's presence in a dictionary or Korean/English textbook. That's not to say that it can't ever be used though...

[Young FRANKenstein]

[nobbyken]

Maybe at a special event, show or musical event, there could be a stand dedicated to being a 'face to face' contact point between police and public.
I have also seen Dr Who boxes or portable cabins for ocally investigating major crimes.
I would not be surprised to hear the phrase police stand used in these contexts.

[MarionG]

One of the things that I've found frustrating is that Korean teachers, who speak little eto no English, tell me I'm wrong about English.

I've been told "The boy was frighted" is correct, among NUMBEROUS others

[Snowkr]

I know this is frusterating but think how frusterated the Korean teachers feel when they see a word in an English dictionary and then a native speaker tells them it is incorrect.

[Boodleheimer]

is a police stand like a newspaper stand? i'll take two PCs, hold the guns.

[Juregen]

I thought in the old days there were police stands in the middle of busy crossroads.

This way the policeman was somewhat protected from traffic and they could see him clearly.

Now we have traffic lights everywhere.

I think what they mean is the Booths or Boxes that are strewn all over traffic roads with either a military guy or a police guy in it.