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.

It's pronounced "sammich" in some parts here.

Sanger?

To some American ears, it sounds similar to other diminutives that British speakers use, like ciggie, biccie, pressie, postie, sammie, etc.

Nappy...

It's a monkey tail.

Just when I think I've got the hang of this country you throw me a curveball.

Google says that's a Dairy Queen product?

Brownie
Cookie
Rookie
Roomie
Civvy
Wedgy
Hippy
Roadie
Indie

are all very American words to me.

Never heard of a monkey tail?

allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/23777/chocolate-monkey-tails.aspx

(As opposed to the banana flavoured kids medicine which was called 'monkey vomit' when we were kids)

I've always found the term stupid tbh. We call university college in the US, with no childish abbreviation of the word.

Or more usually on the East Coast at least, just plain School. I don't know if it is a Boston snobbery thing, but I've been told that calling it anything other than School, or the name of the school itself, is considered to be an indicator that third level education is not the norm for your family.

Colleges are different in the UK - usually for 16-19 year olds, or constituent parts of universities eg at Oxford/Cambridge or London.

No, we used to say that we were at College in the 80s. I don't remember anyone saying university and certainly not "uni". It seemed a bit superior to say you were at university rather than a Polytechnics and College of Higher Education.

Yes, many do at least some of the time.

Did they go to a university when there were also Polytechnics and Colleges of Higher Education though?

Really springsnow? I have two daughters with firsts, and they called it Uni.
I called it Uni in 1987, but I might fall into your category as I only got a 2:1

I don't know if it is a Boston snobbery thing, but I've been told that calling it anything other than School, or the name of the school itself, is considered to be an indicator that third level education is not the norm for your family.

I think there is some truth in this. It's kind of a reverse snobbery. But it's also true that universally in the US, "school" can mean anything from nursery to getting a PhD at Harvard.

And some towns are so closely identified with the university that people just use the name of the town as in "she's a freshman at Chapel Hill" (University of North Carolina).

People say 'school' in the midwest too, and friends of mine who are Canadian (graduates of Toronto and McGill) also use the term, along with college.

Uni is just a shortened version of uni. Oops sorry I mean uni. Oh university is just far too old school and too long.

I’m from Boston and yes, I’d ask what school someone went to, but I’ve never heard of the not calling it school is an indicator of third level education not being the norm in your family.

Reading that post is 20 seconds of my life I'll never get back

Uni obvs

I just read my emails and i have been accepted on a masters “uni” course YAY!!!!!!

Did they go to a university when there were also Polytechnics and Colleges of Higher Education though?

Yes, in my case 1979-1985. I can't remember how I referred to it then but I'm perfectly happy with 'uni' now, though depending on the context when talking with DD I might talk about her college. You seem to have some strange assumptions!

Congratulations Custard!

😀spot on!

I called it Uni in 1987, but I might fall into your category as I only got a 2:1

I don't remember anyone saying "uni" in the UK at the time (although I obviously didn't know everyone). Didn't you feel a bit embarrassed at saying you were at "uni" though considering that there were also Polytechnics and Colleges of Higher Education?

Yes, in my case 1979-1985. I can't remember how I referred to it then but I'm perfectly happy with 'uni' now, though depending on the context when talking with DD I might talk about her college. You seem to have some strange assumptions!

I'm not making strange assumptions. I just don't know anyone of my age (50s) who says "uni" . Generally, I would just say the place where the university is e.g. she's studying at "Durham" or "Manchester" or I would say "College"

and then do you say x is studying at university or reading at college, so is it studying or reading???

Even worse than that: I use "doing" physics / golf course management / nursing.

and then do you say x is studying at university or reading at college, so is it studying or reading???

Studying.