Jonathon Coombes wrote:
On Wed, 2005-08-31 at 09:16 +0100, James Tappin wrote:
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 07:19:42 +0000 (UTC)
Andrew Brown <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
AB> Reg Kennedy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in news:43154C99.7030809
AB> @dnainternet.net:
AB>
AB> > Then, up comes the UK Thesaurus!! Of course, that's useless if I have to
AB> > work in US English!
AB> >
AB>
AB> Colo(u)r me stupid, but does it matter what dialect the thesaurus is in? I
AB> can see that it makes an important difference with dictionaries. But the
AB> word meanings really aren't that far apart except in slang, and that won't
AB> be covered by a thesaurus anyway.
AB>
To take one (potentially embarassing) example:
UK: solicitor = lawyer
US: solicitor = prostitute or door-to-door salesman
Hi James,
Interesting example you use here. I know that in UK/AU terms,
the adjective form - to solicit - can have that meaning, but
not the noun form. May I ask how this ties in with the
US Solicitor General position? :)
Regards
Jonathon
"To solicit" is a verb. Adjective form?????????
It means: to approach with a request or plea.
It is often used in relation to sales, and in fact most
prostitutes are trying to sell something. Anyone who
engages in soliciting is a solicitor. When used to refer
to an attorney/lawyer/barrister, the request or plea is of
a different nature.
I really don't see all that much difference in the meanings
of words... just in common usage.
I can understand how someone who thinks "to solicit" is an
adjective would have trouble understanding this.
--
Dale Erwin
Salamanca 116
Pueblo Libre
Lima 21 PERU
Tel. +51(1)461-3084
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