Practice as a noun is used in two main ways. Firstly. it is used to describe a group of professionals such as a medical practice -- a group of doctors operating from the same surgery; or a legal practice -- a group of solicitors (lawyers) working in the same offices. Secondly, it is used in phrases such as "Practice makes perfect" and "I'm only doing it for the practice".

In British English, words like "organization" and "organisation" are interchangeable, with either spelling acceptable. The majority in Britain spells such words with an "s", but the spelling with a "z" is used by a good minority. As always with English, there are numerous exceptions; some words are spelt with an "s" always, some always use a "z". Take a look at Fowler for a definitive list.

I don't use toast racks at home, but then I'm a slob. I take the toast from the toaster and put it directly onto my plate. If I ate breakfast sitting at a table with a starched tablecloth I would probably use a toast rack. As it is I generally eat walking about or sitting in an armchair.

Mrs Bucket, pardon me, Boo-kay, of "Keeping up Appearances" would not approve.

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bring back one of my favorite threads...

Spending this week in Mexico City at an international conference of course has brought up some interesting cultural differences. First, I always have read how much people in other countries are more hospitable when you at least try to speak their language. I tried to brush up on my Spanish, but it is far from perfect. Yet, I have found that the Mexican people here actually seem embarrassed when they don't understand English. They have all been so very wonderful.

Secondly, a Canadian was speaking and used the term, "thump the tub." I hadn't heard of it, but the context, to me, seemed to be "to brag." When I look it up, it actually means "to promote something vigorously." Have you heard of it?

I haven't heard it used as a verb but I have quite often heard the noun form "tub-thumping" .

I wonder if it is seen more frequently in Canada, England and Australia, than in the U.S. After I posted about it, I looked up "tub thumping" again and found that a synonym is "rant." I kind of like it! World Wide Words says the allusion was to nonconformist preachers. However, they also said there may be a connection with literally thumping on tubs (used as informal lecterns). That makes sense.

On the subject of Americans in foreign countries, we were in the Museo de Antropologia (excellent!) today in Mexico. My American colleagues said, "I am surprised that the signs aren't in English." When some of the Spanish-speaking people tried to explain that after all this is Mexico, they really didn't seem to understand. I am beginning to see why Americans aren't always that popular throughout the world!

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It is my understanding that the stereotypical "Ugly American" is being replaced by his or her German counterpart. Happily, this is at least in part due to a rise in the awareness of the average Yank that the world does not revolve around him as it appeared to have done so around his father.

Having lived overseas for much of my illustrious military career, I'd like to think that I was a good influence in this direction. Rarely would I miss an opportunity to gently yet firmly slap a countryman down if the need arose. Two major pet peeves along these lines:

American (upon being given local currency in change following a purchase) "No, give me real money."

or, worse:

American (upon seeing underarm hair on a woman) "Ewwwww! That's so unnatural!"

Me: You idiot, it grows there! It couldn't be any more natural!!"


Some people...

Kalleh, quoting a tourist, " "I am surprised that the signs aren't in English." unquote

At the archeological sites and in the museums in and around Oaxaca, the signs and labels are in three languages: Spanish, English, and ... Zapotec !!"

FWIW .... over the door of a tavern in Interior, South Dakota, is a sign in Lakota Sioux language. Translated, it says, "No Indians Allowed." LOL

I received a link to an article about a British student who is studying law for 6 weeks in the states. Supposedly he is working for a mitigaton specialist. Shu says the word mitigation is used commonly enough in law, but he hasn't heard of "mitigation specialists." Is this a British specialist? If so, what does it entail? Or...did the article merely misspell "litigation?"

From QT again (Chicago Sun Times):

We have often heard here about how ignorant Americans are about history. Here is what QT reports, though he doesn't give a source so it could be balderdash:

"31% of Britons do not know in which war the Battle of Britain occurred, according to a survey."

"31% of Britons do not know in which war the Battle of Britain occurred, according to a survey."

I'm sure it's an age thing. If you lived throughit or lived with folks who did you wouldn't likely forget when it happened. I was tutoring some high school students a while back, and they had difficulty placing Franklyn D Roosevelt in a decade. Any decade.

At the archeological sites and in the museums in and around Oaxaca, the signs and labels are in three languages: Spanish, English, and ... Zapotec !!"

In Palenque (a huge archeological site in Chiapas), far south of Mexico, the signs are in Spanish and Maya. That's it. I had fun trying to learn some Maya using these mini-Rosetta Stones.

quote:

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From QT again (Chicago Sun Times): We have often heard here about how ignorant Americans are about history. Here is what QT reports, though he doesn't give a source so it could be balderdash:

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I will not accept maligning on QT. : ) He is always right on with most things, and is single-handedly trying to preserve the English language. : ) Anyway, I would trust the statistic as coming from a somewhat reputable source. I've been reading the column for 5+ years now, and he is always spot on.

As to the question?

Battle of Briton: WWII?

Seanahan, you must be thinkiing of the Battle of Brighton.

"Brighton becomes a gathering place for Mods and Rockers who clash at the 'Battle of Brighton' 17-18 May 1964. Brighton is a popular holiday resort and epitomises the traditional English seaside."

I've been reading the column for 5+ years now, and he is always spot on.

Oh, I couldn't agree more, Sean. Besides, he has written about wordcraft and OEDILF, so he is our hero!

The survey was published over here by the BBC, and for those who believe that the schools no longer teach our children adequately it provided lots of ammunition. There were several similar questions that showed sizeable minorities did not know the about some of the landmarks of British history.

Here's a link to a press relase.

quote:

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Almost half of 16 to 34-year-olds questioned didn't know Sir Francis Drake fought in the battle against the Spanish Armada, one of the most famous British sea battles in history. One in five 16 to 24-year-olds said it was the explorer and discoverer of America, Christopher Columbus. Horatio Hornblower, the fictional commander in the CS Forester books, was the answer from one in five 25 to 34 year olds. And Gandalf, the wizard from The Lord of the Rings, was the choice of more than one in twenty 16 to 24-year-olds.

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One of the problems with this survey is that it used multiple-choice questions. Inevitably, if you put in a fictional character as one of the distractors, some will choose that answer as a guess, rather than not answer at all.

Open answer questions will usually get a more accurate result but, of course, they take far longer to mark and analyse.

While, thankfully, this hasn't happened to me (Yet!), I read a hilarious column today about a middle-aged woman who was asked if she wanted a senior citizen discount. Apparently the woman was asked this at a very busy time (10 people in line) in the grocery store. She screamed at the cashier, saying, "What about me looks 65? Tell me, and I'll have it changed!" While the cashier struggled to apologize, the woman proceeded to ask each person in line the same question. All commerce stopped. The over-40 customers were extremely sympathetic, and one man even tried to hit on her, to make her feel better.

The gentleman who wrote this column concluded: "Rule 1: Never ask a woman in America if she wants the senior discount. If you estimate her age to be 107, don't ask. If she's wearing a button that says, 'Willard Scott wished me Happy Birthday,' don't ask. If she tells you, 'Today is my 100th birthday,' don't ask. If she is your grandmother, and you absolutely positively know she's over 65, don't ask. There is no Rule 2."

I couldn't agree more with the above! Is it the same elsewhere in the world? Or, are we Americans (especially women) more obsessed with age than other cultures?

The woman's actions seem a little extreme. but I should think most British women would have a similar reaction.

We women aren't obsessed about our age. Society has forced us to be obsessed about our age. Whereas traditional male beauty is about rugged good looks, traditional female beauty is about flawless skin and softness - i.e. youth. That's why men age better - both genders become more rugged with age, but with men it's OK, even preferred.

I've just won a legal case and I'm thinking of spending the money on having the lines around my eyes lasered off. I'm only 29, and already I feel old.

Sorry - feeling particularly unconfident tonight.

According to Australian speaker Amanda Gore, women tend to have a very low self-image and age is only part of it.

When a man looks at himself in a mirror in the morning it is to comb his hair, shave his beard or check that his tie's straigh.

When a woman looks in a mirror it's to view and criticise her body. It's too fat, too thin, too tall, too short. Her breasts are too big, too small or too saggy. Any characteristic will be a cause for doubt and dissatisfaction.

This self-doubt she will carry with her all the time which is why women are constantly seeking approval from others, both men and women, to try to reassure themselves.

When did you ever hear a man ask another man, "Does my backside look to big in these trousers?" or, "does my hairdo look OK?"

I'm not saying it never happens - but it's certainly never happened to me. And of course,few men ever think to reassure their partners of their attractiveness and desirability since, to them, it's just not an issue.

I suspect that most men, like I, am happy enough in their bodies and, so long as they work OK, just get on with living in them.

So far as age is concerned, it is my experience that men are proud of their years, not ashamed of them.

When did you ever hear a man ask another man, "Does my backside look to big in these trousers?" or, "does my hairdo look OK?"


I believe what women are complaining about is that this is all learned behavior / cultural. Folks tend to think of it as being hardwired. I know women who could care less about how they looked; and, likewise, I know men who are obsessed with their appearance. When I'm sitting in another boring meeting I look around at the bad dye jobs and comb-overs and they're all men. At least women tend to go to professionals to get their hair done. Teenagers of both sexes are obsessed with their looks down to the microscopic level. It's just something you learn to live with in a materialistic, consumer society. Men are just taught from an early age not to discuss it. Woman are taught to fret about it audibly.

I'm only 29, and already I feel old.

Oh, Cat, you are soooo young and beautiful. Don't let society get to you (at least until you are 40 or so! )

I remember when I was in my early 20s, I was on a date, and he and I were in my apartment with my roommate. My roommate mentioned that I had lines on my forehead. I was shocked and said "No I don't!" My date said, "Yes, there are some lines there." Needless to say, I never saw that dolt again!

After I posted this, I remembered a recent exchange I had with our nurse visitors from Jordan. We had been very nervous about having them and stilted at first. However, after spending a whole day with them showing them an American Hospital and nursing school, we were relaxing together on the way home, talking woman to woman...shopping, etc. I asked them how old they thought the dean was of the nursing school. She is 70, but I swear she looks 50. I, of course, thought they'd say 40, and I would shock them. They said, "Oh, about 70." The Americans with me, and I, were shocked! We all said, how did you know? They (4 of them) said, "Oh, it was easy. Did you see her neck?" We all decided to get our necks "done" after that! At any rate, that dialogue made me realize that, though Jordan seems so very far and so very different, all across the world we have a lot in common.

Cat: I've seen the photos and I second Kalleh.

Quote "...though Jordan seems so very far and so very different, all across the world we have a lot in common..."

When I was in Jordan I spent a whole evening with a crowd of Jordanians talking about beer (and drinking it too)

Apart from the different accents it could have been anywhere.

quote:

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I spent a whole evening with a crowd of Jordanians talking about beer (and drinking it too)

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Strange how often the subject tends to get around to beer when you're around, Richard.

How did you get on in Saudi Arabia?

Quote "...How did you get on in Saudi Arabia? ..."

Actually, I've never beer there. The nearest I've been is to Qatar and there I had to survive on cannned Guinness as being the best of a bad choice. At least Guinness, even canned, has some modicum of the flavour that is completely absent from the likes of A-B Budweiser.

quote:

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Originally posted by Richard English:

Actually, I've never beer there.

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Was that a deliberate typo, Richard?

Thank you, Kalleh and aput . I posted that on the spur of the moment after something happened that wobbled my already-very-shaky confidence. Amanda Gore is spot on about the low self-esteem and self-criticism (and of course the sociological fact that men generally go more by looks than women so women have more to worry about) - the face I see in the mirror must be vastly different to the one others see, because unless I'm wearing make-up and standing in low light, I just can't see what others do.

I can't believe what those people said to you in your 20s, Kalleh! How rude! I hope you weren't too gutted. Some people really should be gagged for their own safety.

I'm off to Paris to a friend's wedding tomorrow, so I won't be posting for a few days. Better get packing, I suppose.

You caught Richard's Freudian slip, too, Cat!

Have a great time in Paris. What a great place to get married...not that I've ever been there, but it sounds romantic.

To change the subject a bit, having posted with Brits for over 2 years now, I was confused when I read an article recently about a new British law...known as the ASBO (anti-social behavior order). Some examples given were: A teenager is forbidden to say "grass." A great-grandfather is banned from being sarcastic. And two record companies are told not to put up advertising posters.

Now, I thought Brits were very independent. I remember the stories of guffaws in Parliament and the smirks at American's Victorian ways, etc. This law sounds more American than British.

Tony Blair said, "It doesn't always get the headlines, but if you've got really difficult people living next door or down the street...it makes life absolute Hell." The article did mention one critic of the law; Nick Cohen, in the Guardian, says, "The last time I looked it wasn't a crime to be sarcastic." He slammed the government for the "criminalization of everyday incivility."

What do our Brits think of this law?

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