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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

For the love of God can adults please stop saying uni

686 replies

CressidaEgg · 23/08/2018 09:09

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.

OP posts:
YetAnotherSpartacus · 23/08/2018 09:53

My BIL used to call it 'school', both when I was a student and a lecturer he doesn't have a degree. I figured that speaking the words 'university' or 'uni' made one's penis shrink. Anyway, I call it uni.

SimonBridges · 23/08/2018 09:54

When I was at school I was taught to put an apostrophe in front of ‘bus and ‘phone.

I assume you do the same op.

Aethelthryth · 23/08/2018 09:55

YANBU

PurpleDaisies · 23/08/2018 09:57

When I was at school I was taught to put an apostrophe in front of ‘bus and ‘phone.

I think the English language has moved on since then.

UsernameMum · 23/08/2018 09:58

I graduated in the 90s and non-one called it uni then, always university. I am pretty sure we have the Australian TV series Neighbours to blame for the term Uni. Interested to see if other mid 40s and older people have the same opinion?

Lepetitpiggy · 23/08/2018 09:58

I agree. It grates so much

OliviaStabler · 23/08/2018 09:59

No, shan’t Grin

I love it when someone brings out their inner Dudley Grin

UsernameMum · 23/08/2018 09:59

Btw the term uni always grates on me. Don’t know why. I refuse to say it!

00100001 · 23/08/2018 09:59

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

Wink
Shoppingwithmother · 23/08/2018 10:00

I know it’s against the general consensus, but I agree, OP, I hate hearing everyone call it uni.

I also agree that it started with Neighbours.

ShadyLady53 · 23/08/2018 10:01

YABU even though I also can’t stand it! It’s only started grating on me recently since a 30 year old that I know can’t stop saying, “sorry I’ve got uni on that day” and “I’ve got a uni assignment” and worst of all “I’ve got my uni graduation.” She’s using her “uni” excuses to shirk all responsibility at work and takes her assignments into work (lets say she works as a nursery assistant) and does them on the office computer instead of doing her actual job looking after the kids and expects everyone to pick up her slack because “I’VE got uni”.

She doesn’t go to an actual university, she goes to the local non-selective college. She’s working towards a degree, yes, but she’s on a course that included an access to FE year because she didn’t have any a-levels or decent GCSE passes. When she was banging on about her “graduation” this year and making a big deal about her results and the fact she expected graduation gifts for her “uni graduation ceremony” she failed to mention she hadn’t actually completed the degree course yet and in won’t for another year or two and that the “graduation” ceremony was actually for a Level 4 Diploma. Which almost all of the other people she works with already have and never expected a grand fanfare for! So anyone saying “uni” now drives me insane. IAMBU and I know that.

Nevermindhey · 23/08/2018 10:02

I always called it college when I went but now I say uni as everyone else does Smile

Antigon · 23/08/2018 10:03

Who cares?! I got a first in English at a UCL uni and I still say uni.

DarlingNikita · 23/08/2018 10:03

I don't mind uni. It's been around at least since Neighbours in the 80s Grin

I HATE 'mat leave' though.

UsernameMum · 23/08/2018 10:04

That reminds me of the other great gift of Neighbours - if you didn’t like someone you called them a “dag”. (To save you googling, dag is poo dangling from a sheeps bum in Australia I believe!!)

luckycat007 · 23/08/2018 10:04

@CressidaEgg it annoys the shit out of me too.

AlliKaneErikson · 23/08/2018 10:05

I absolutely did call it uni in the 80s and I shall continue to do so!

Glumglowworm · 23/08/2018 10:05

YABU

lots of words are shortened, language evolves, blah blah

RoseWhiteTips · 23/08/2018 10:09

ShatnersWig

I will. If you stop saying "let's" and use "let us".

Oh, and if you stop saying MNers rather than Mumsnetters.

Oh, and if you stop saying DC rather than dear children.

Touché! Maybe the OP has a deep deep respect for august institutions and wishes to demonstrate that? Be fair...!

RoseWhiteTips · 23/08/2018 10:09

Did you go to uni, OP?

DarlingNikita · 23/08/2018 10:09

UsernameMum YES. I still say 'dag' and 'daggy' usually about myself

And ute. And flaming galah.

Lots of useful vocab in Neighbours.

RoseWhiteTips · 23/08/2018 10:10

Varsity is quaint! Very Biggles.

MilkTrayLimeBarrel · 23/08/2018 10:10

I agree with you OP! I hate shortened forms of words - 3 of the worst are uni, invite and advert! What is wrong with university, invitation and advertisement? I never shorten any of these.

M3lon · 23/08/2018 10:11

I work in a uni and often send emails to other people who work in the same or other unis. We always type uni....though I don't think most would actually say 'uni' out loud....it makes less time differential when speaking over typing...

So Yanbu so long as you mean the spoken work. YABU if you expect anyone to type out university more than once a day.

RoseWhiteTips · 23/08/2018 10:11

Students are adults - allegedly - and they call the place uni.