UK English vs. American -- another odd one

[tedster]

We've had several threads here about the differences between the UK and American brands of English, and I just stumbled on another one.

Apparently in the UK "public school" means a school that is NOT run by the government. The idea is, I assume, that such a school was created by the public sector.

In the US, "public school" means just the opposite -- a school that is open to all public because it IS run by the goverment. Non-government run schooling is called "private school" in the US.

Do I have that right?

[SlowMove]

It would seem to be at least 100% correct from this side of the Atlantic.

[tedster]

Which side of the pond is that, SlowMove?

[SlowMove]

Sorry. West.

[Jenstar]

LOL. What do you call schools that ARE run by the government in the UK?

[mole]

The reason why they're called 'public schools' in the UK is that they're open to all members of the public - as opposed to the state run schools which usually mean you have to meet entrance criteria like, for example, living close by.

[ukgimp]

How about this to confuse.

If you work in the "public sector" you are working for the government or state owned thingumies which is strange when you mention public school as that is a "private schools".

I will let you have that one tedster, we are weird :)

Mind you at least we spell and say aluminium correctly :)

[tbear]

>>Mind you at least we spell and say aluminium correctly

LOL and polystyrene........ ;)

[mikeH]

plus there are 'private' schools in the UK also, which cost a fee to go to. Not too sure the difference between 'private' and 'public' schools in the UK, apart from 'public' schools being more expensive to attend and more upper class such as Eton.

[Shak]

at least we STOP going to school in our late teens :)

I always laugh when a 28 year old in the USA, says they are going back to school....

College, University is fine, but NOT School.

Shak

[Hawkgirl]

Yah, Shak laughed when this thirty-something said "I'm going back to school!"

Now he's got me trained and I tell friends in the UK that I'm back at University.

But I must've conjured up images in his brain of me sitting in one of those little teeny short desks in a row with a bunch of nine-year-olds! :)

Interesting catch, Tedster. I think there are also differences here in the U.S. in terms of school districts. I'm used to a school district being set by county lines (Washington Metropolitan area) ... down in Texas they're set by "Independent School District (ISD)" boundaries ... and if I'm not mistaken, in Louisiana they're set by Parish (Parish = County?).

[dan the whaler]

"Public" school in the UK is becoming less common, the schools themselves refer to themselves as "private" schools, "public" is an odd anachronism that has hung on for years and has been dropped by the education sector itself as it is so confusing.

From a teacher in the state sector.

[davesp]

You say tomato and i say ....