[QUOTE=elmwood]
Is the speech pattern common among Scots-Irish? If so, it might explain its use in certain regions of the United States (Appalachia, some parts of the South) where Scots-Irish were a large percentage of early settlers/
[/QUOTE]
I’m not entirely sure to be honest. You might want to axe one of the Norn Iron dopers like Pushkin or Irishgirl. The usage is claimed to come from Gaelic and I’ve no knowledge of how many of the Ulster-Scots/Scots-Irish spoke Scots Gaelic and how many spoke Lallands/Scots-English.
[QUOTE=snailboy]
I’ll note that in Canada and perhaps Britain, colleges and universities are completely distinct. Here, universities are just large colleges. So even if we go to a university, we’re still going to college. They can only go to college or university, not both. (Well not at the same time anyway.)
[/QUOTE]
My university had several distinct (though small; it was a small uni) colleges: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Architecture, etc. etc.
So my degrees say __________ ___________ University, College of Arts & Sciences. A friend’s degree says _____________ _____________ University, College of Engineering. And so on.
I’m born and bred American but I use the uni/university phrasing as well; it just makes sense to me in the context of the uni I went to.
[QUOTE=Colophon]
…
E.g. Americans don’t say “I’ll be late for the school” …
[/QUOTE]
No
[QUOTE=Colophon]
… or “I have to go to the school in the morning”, would they?
[/QUOTE]
I would interpret this along the lines of “I’ve got to swing by the school to pick something up”; not “I’ve got to attend class.” For that you’d leave off the “the”.
And, as everyone else has said, the problem (to U.S. Ears) with “Go to University” is not that “the” is missing, but that Brits use “university” where we use “college” to generically refer to higher education.
“She’s going to college” means “she’s gong to a school of higher learning” (one that most likely has “University” in the title instead of “college”).
[QUOTE=SeanArenas]
Here in America, I have heard nurses of different doctor’s offices refer to their doctor as “Doctor,” not “Doctor so-and-so,” and not, “The Doctor,” just “Doctor.” As in:
Doctor will see you now.
Make an appointment with Doctor.
Doctor has given you a referral to the lab.
[/QUOTE]
Does Nurse know how to speak English? I think the op is referring to British English as spoken by professionals.
[QUOTE=Rucksinator]
No
I would interpret this along the lines of “I’ve got to swing by the school to pick something up”; not “I’ve got to attend class.” For that you’d leave off the “the”.
And, as everyone else has said, the problem (to U.S. Ears) with “Go to University” is not that “the” is missing, but that Brits use “university” where we use “college” to generically refer to higher education.
“She’s going to college” means “she’s gong to a school of higher learning” (one that most likely has “University” in the title instead of “college”).
[/QUOTE]
That kinda makes sense. Same thing for hospital? I’m amazed how far the language has changed since our last tea party. So much of it is bracketed in the form of expressions that don’t make literal sense. But somehow it all comes out in the wash and Bob’s your Uncle.
[QUOTE=zweisamkeit]
My university had several distinct (though small; it was a small uni) colleges: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Architecture, etc. etc.
So my degrees say __________ ___________ University, College of Arts & Sciences. A friend’s degree says _____________ _____________ University, College of Engineering. And so on.
I’m born and bred American but I use the uni/university phrasing as well; it just makes sense to me in the context of the uni I went to.
[/QUOTE]
Almost all American universities are organized in this manner, with the university being subdivided into schools and colleges. Still, Americans say “I went to college at X.” Substituting “university” for “college” in this sounds distinctly like non-American usage.
[QUOTE=amarone]
I sometimes think that questions beginning with “Why” should be banned from GQ. And especially if it relates to how people speak because the answer is pretty much always “because”. There’s no logic.
[/QUOTE]
I agree. It seems a lot of the threads around here lately have become big appeals to authority*. I think because some of the more obscure factual questions that have gotten answers here, people think the SDMB is a big fount of wisdom and insight. I also think some people just get some kind of kick out of asking really obscure, really specific questions (teachers praise and reward children for asking these types of questions so it stands to reason that some people would continue the practice of trying to come up with the most obscure, most specific questions well into adulthood.) The clear answer to a question like this, that should be obvious to anybody, is, “I dunno.”
*I realize that is not the precise, common accepted usage of the term appeal to authority, but use context to figure out what I mean here
[QUOTE=susan]
Go to a nursing home or similar environment. “Doctor” is used as a proper noun when talking down to patients. I’ve heard this usage in the mid-Atlantic, Midwest, New England, and Northwest regions, as well as in Canada.
[/QUOTE]
I’m in the Mid-Atlantic area, and I do spend a lot of time in nursing homes as well as hospitals. I’ve never heard it here.
[QUOTE=acsenray]
Almost all American universities are organized in this manner, with the university being subdivided into schools and colleges. Still, Americans say “I went to college at X.” Substituting “university” for “college” in this sounds distinctly like non-American usage.
[/QUOTE]
Well, I only bothered to specify because the person I quoted said:
Which is completely different than universities being divided into several/many colleges.
And yes, I know what the vast majority of Americans say. I’m just saying that I don’t and tried to explain my reasoning why (I don’t really look fondly upon my time at the College of Arts & Sciences. I look fondly at going to the university that housed that college. Makes sense to say uni instead of college to me. :: shrug :: I don’t care what anyone else calls it; it all means the same colloquial thing).
“Mr. Burkemsham?”
"Me Doctor?
“No, me Doctor, you Mr Burkemsham”
“But my wife, Doctor!”
“No, your wife patient. You Mr Burkemsham, me Doctor!”
“Mr Burkemsham?”
“Me sister?”
“No, she sister, you Mr Burkemsham”
“But my wife, sister…”
“No, your wife patient, she sister, you Mr Burkemsham, me Doctor!”
“No Doctor”
“No doctor, call ambulance, keep warm”
[QUOTE=zweisamkeit]
Well, I only bothered to specify because the person I quoted said:
Which is completely different than universities being divided into several/many colleges.
[/quote]
It reflects two different meanings of the word “college” as used in American English.
The primary meaning of “college” is as a synonym for “university.” They are, for the most part, interchangeable.
The second meaning of the word “college” is as a subdivision of “university.” But this meaning is highly dependent on context. In most cases, “college” means “university,” unless it’s already clear from context that you’re talking about a subdivision of a university.
ONe of the major ignorance-fighting things for which I am very grateful, and which has disabused me of a particular snobbery, is the fact that this board has taught me that British/Commonwealth English isn’t somehow better than US English. I’ve seen a lot of Americans get taught the reverse lesson too. Too many threads to list (or even find), but over the years, I’ve seen both sides meet and match claims with evidence to the contrary.
“Color” might still grate slightly to me, but I don’t find it somehow wrong any longer. But there are a few things which are demonstrably “better” on both sides - only a few, mind - and the Commonwealth usage regarding “hospital” and “THE hospital” is one which I will defend as such. This is simply because it provides greater subtlety and reduces ambiguity. I can’t think of any off the top of my head, but there are some Americanisms I prefer for the same reason.
Edited to add: I’ve thought of some American stuff I like - things like “Fall” for “autumn”. “Fall” is actually the original (it’s the Brits who changed), and although they are both equally useful words, “fall” is just straight out prettier.
I think the op is referring to British English as spoken by professionals.