Do you know the meaning of this word?

[Missingmybabysomuch]

Just that really, my DD was doing descriptive writing at school about a fire. She wrote about "acrid" smoke and her teacher hadn't heard of the word and had to look it up. My DH hadn't heard of it either. It surprised me as I didn't think it was a particularly unknown word but now I'm doubting myself! So I just wanted a hive mind poll to see whether it's a word generally known or not.

YABU - It isn't a word I've come across before.

YANBU - I know what acrid means.

Agreed!

As a retired teacher I think the emphasis on targets and rigorous testing over the past 20 years has led to children being less likely to read widely and for pleasure. This, in turn, leads to poor vocabulary and grammar so, sadly, I am not surprised. My grandchildren's teachers come up with some real howlers.

Like others have said it's a word that's so commonly used when describing smoke that I'm surprised an English teacher was unfamiliar with it.

Just like most people would know the word dulcet in relation to the phrase 'dulcet tones'. Same with 'verdant landscape'.

YANBU. I know what it means but I am a reader. I notice that most who struggle with rarely used descriptive words don't read a lot, my DH included.

That is shocking! Can’t say I’m altogether surprised, though.
Isn't it high time trainee teachers had to pass a reasonably demanding English test (I don’t think GCSE is much of a reliable indicator any more) and be required to undertake extra training if they fail?

As an A level student in the late 70s I had to take a Use of English exam alongside my A levels. Is this still the case?

This!

I meant in the sense that she wouldn’t be correcting (or not) dds’ English in essays, etc.

I've heard this word many times and I know what it means.

I don't understand why so many people are criticising the teacher for not knowing it, though. I think they modelled the perfect response to hearing a word they don't recognise, which is to take a minute to look it up and find out. I'd much rather have my kids taught by someone who's happy to show them how to learn, rather than telling them they should be ashamed of not knowing already.

Apart from the oft quoted (or used to be) 'every teacher is an English teacher', there is plenty of written work to deal with in a fully timetabled Home Economics/ Food Technology / Food and Nutrition / Textiles teacher's working life. (The various titles reflect some of the changing nomenclature over the decades).

I guess your DD had a very basic experience of the subject, verging on the tedious, if making a cookery apron was the best the school could come up with.

On your point, I would say that practise as a verb is not understood by at least 75% of the UK population, judging by online posts. This isn't helped by US English not differentiating at all and so defaulting to practice.

I can confirm that a majority of lawyers in my firm, who practise English law, and each have a “Practising certificate” do not know that the verb is “practise” not practice. It drives me mad! Yet they have no problem at all with “advise” and “advice”.

cf the almost-standard use of “license” as a noun by what seems like everyone in the UK these days.

The headteacher of my son's school wrote my an e-Mail recently. "Too and from" was written in the subject line ... I give up!!

I've definitely heard of it. It's not uncommon but levels of literacy in teachers is worryingly not high.

Not Yr6 Maths, obviously. It was Level 6 Maths for the SATs. A different kettle of fish entirely.

YANBU

It's a pretty common word, surely?

The only word I've come across recently that was completely unfamiliar to me was 'eburnean' (relating to ivory). Used of a character's teeth in a PD James novel.

YANBU. It's not a rare word - sad a teacher didn't recognise it. 🌹

Yes I’ve heard of it. Thought it meant dry like acrid desert but apparently not. Still heard of it though

He also pronounced it 'maca-bree'. After telling DD that she must have made the word up, he asked her to show him it in the dictionary. So she did. He did apologise after that.

I know every word in this thread and I know who Stan Lee is, but I have never heard of acrid.

Maybe I'm an idiot, maybe Canadians don't use it much, or maybe I'm a Canadian idiot.

Maybe Green Day will write a song about Canadian idiots next and dedicate it to me.

Ive never thought of myself as stupid until now

That's "arid" for a desert, only one letter difference!

Could be worse I suppose - a friend of mine was shouted at and called a liar by her teacher in the 1970s for saying her family had gone somewhere exotic on holiday. She came from a low income area and the teacher assumed she was making it up. Her mum wouldn’t let it go and demanded a meeting with the head and an apology from the teacher.

Lol Maybe we don't read enough books about fires?

Its not particularly unusual either - I see it written in novels all the time. Very very concerning that there are teachers who are so ill informed about language.

@Josette77 It's on my "to do" list now 😂

I once used the phrase 'guttering candle' in a homework assignment. My English teacher insisted that guttering was a made up word and humiliated me in front of the class...

So I brought a dictionary in and showed her the word guttering listed in it, with a definition that matched the way I'd used it. She was so embarrassed but still wouldn't back down.

Petty, moi?