For the love of God can adults please stop saying uni

[CressidaEgg]

Let's reclaim the five syllable word. University. It grates to read MNers talking about their DC going off to "uni" or even about their own time at "uni". Just call it what it is: university.

The "Do" thing is not affected, it's correct in the right context. It could be deemed sarcastic if said in a smug tone. as could many words and phrases. it's all about the intention.

Soz(?) for typos(?)

because to a Brit's ear, when you say 'the hospital' it seems to imply a particular place, whereas 'hospital' without the definite article means any hospital. So if you don't know which hospital the person is in it makes more sense to just say 'hospital'.

To us, hearing just hospital without any article at all sounds odd. I'm an HCP and we generally say someone has "been hospitalized" if the specific hospital is unknown or assumed. Outside of large cities many areas have a regional hospital that everyone would go to first for acute care, then they might be transfered to another facility if specialized care was needed.

I think it came here on Neighbours in the ‘80s - from Mike went to uni in his ute!!

In the US it's this college.

And in Greek it's Panepistimio try saying that instead

Well universities have been so downgraded in the past 23 that they might as well be known as "unis".
But I agree with the original OP, sloppy language.

In US it's actually 'school' as opposed to high school which is our school. That is weird too.

In US it’s school
Folk asking what school I attended mean,what uni did I go to

Agree that 'college' is not appropriate not only because it's usually used to denote a sixth form / FE college, but also because it's problematic for collegiate universities

'Sixth form college' is a uniquely British institution.

While there are colleges within American universities (College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, etc) Americans use the term 'college' for university. When I was at university in Dublin in the mid 80s people in Ireland used that term too. This had nothing to do with the fact that the two biggest universities were University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin - students at other universities that did not have the word 'College' in their names also used the term 'college'.

Americans also use the term 'school' for university/college. Some use the term School interchangeably with College in the name of a College within a university and if you google (for eg.) 'school of liberal arts university of minnesota' your result will be the College of Liberal Arts at U Minn.

Your neighbours might ask, 'Where is Prudence going to school?' This would not mean, 'What high school will Prudence be attending?' 'Going-to-school' means 'going to university' (aka college). They might also ask, 'Where is Prudence going for school?' This means the same thing.

In a lot of cases there is no need to ask where anyone is going to high school - you go to the local public school.

Sixth form college' is a uniquely British institution. Actually It’s English and Welsh thing
No 6th form colleges in Scotland

For the record, dh got into UCL in 1977 or thereabouts after having bombed his A-levels (and his GCSE's weren't much better). Did eventually get a perfectly respectable 2:1- but there's no way that could happen today.

So few people did (the very demanding) A Levels back then that offers were often low. I was offered anything from BBC to CCD to read languages in 1977. Many of those who actually sat A Level would have got into university with grades towards the lower end of the A - E spectrum. This was not uncommon.

Furthermore, GCSEs did not come onto the scene until the late 1980s. He would have sat O Levels or CSEs in the 1970s.

TKMaxx are fans of the word, evidently! (Hope the pic works- never tried adding one before).

Well John Lewis haven't gone over to the lite side yet. The sign in their store window said "off to university"

Lite side? Yet you’re aghast at uni.how very contrary

I stand corrected..

I’m no being chippy, it’s just 6th form college isn’t a Scottish thing
We have school 5th & 6th year. The 5th year is highers and can go to uni then
Or if you stay for 6th year advanced highers
Or go to FE college for highers

In England it’s two 6th year, upper & lower,is that right?

Fuck off

OP I'm with you. Heard "uni" years ago when I lived in Australia and hated it then. It's now here in the UK unfortunately.

Yooni

First time I heard it called uni was on neighbours (during the Scott and Charlene era) we never called it that here then but it must have caught after I graduated at some point (we lived stateside where it's college) now back in the U.K. all the teens say uni

I’m no being chippy, it’s just 6th form college isn’t a Scottish thing
We have school 5th & 6th year. The 5th year is highers and can go to uni then
Or if you stay for 6th year advanced highers
Or go to FE college for highers

In England it’s two 6th year, upper & lower,is that right?

Depends where you live. Rural areas tend to have 11-18 schools. We have 14-18 colleges (very unusual and being changed) big cities tend to have 11-16 secondary and 16-18 college but the years are year 12 & year 13 now not lower and upper, however catholic schools are often 11-18 even in cities

25 years ago when my ds went off to uni I found it difficult to get used to it. It seemed like a 'student' word.

Nowadays it's common usage.

I went to a uni in the North of Scotland in 1986, it was definitely referred to as Uni then.

What’s more, you could buy a cling film wrapped polystyrene tray of pakora with a pot of chilli sauce made by Edinburgh-based company Mrs Uni’s.

Oh, and Neighbours has started by then, the TV room in halls was crowded at 1:30pm to watch the exploits of Des & Daphne et al.

Yeah, so basically you’re wrong so put that in your pipe and smoke it

Sorry - didn't mean to come across as chippy either.