What does the phrase "acting up" mean to you?

[mrsbabookaloo]

To me, it means misbehaving, of a child or a machine. eg "Dd1 has been acting up all morning" or "My washing machine's been acting up"

At the college where I work, everyone persistently uses it to mean "acting", as in taking up a post temporarily when someone is on maternity or sick leave, or a post hasn't been filled yet. So they say

"An acting up arrangement has arisen for a blah blah blah. The acting up will be for one term, until blah blah."

Has anyone else heard of this? Please agree with me and say it's just ugly and wrong. It's "Acting Head of blah blah blah"....isn't it?

I would say the child or washing machine is 'playing up'. I would use 'acting' for someone doing a job as you discribe.

the title of the person doing the job is "Acting Head of whatever" but to describe what they're doing most people would say acting up. (I think!)

(I would also say playing up re child/washer)

To me acting up is as you describe and the using the term to describe temporary cover is odd. I therefore agree with you

Of course I can't spell so shouldn't be posting here at all!

nagynolonger - don't worry, it's traditional to spell something wrong when you post in pedant's corner.

...I mean pedants' corner!

No, the child/washing machine thing is 'playing up'.

When you're temporarily covering a post of a higher position than your own, e.g. covering for your manager, you are 'acting up'.

I used to use the phrases 'acting up' and 'playing up' interchangeably, like the OP, but I think that LowLevel is correct - in modern business parlance 'acting up' means taking on a role normally adopted by someone senior.

I agree with you, OP. It is ugly and wrong. Having said that I have seen it before, but I don't see why people in management have to keep dreaming up strange phrases for pretty normal activity. In particular I shall shoot the next person who says "going forward" when they mean "in the future" or "from now on". But I suppose if they didn't spend all this time convoluting the language they would have absolutely nothing to do.

Acting up = playing up.

If I ever heard 'acting up' to mean temporary promotion, I think I'd giggle. Fortunately I've not encountered it - there are plenty of other ways of expressing that situation.

Acting up = playing up
However in military terms one is sometimes awarded "Acting Rank", this means you fill a job of a higher rank (only one up), and are paid for higher rank, even though you are yet to formally qualify for it. Acting Rank can only be awarded if there is a financial slot available to p[ay for it IYSWIM.

.....oooohh, sorry, check before pressing post!

Prism -

"But I suppose if they didn't spend all this time convoluting the language they would have absolutely nothing to do."

• you are spot on. I work in education and this drives me NUTS.

We were just asked to come up with a three word phrase as a "strapline" for our college, and I wanted to suggest "No More Buzzwords"

ROFL, LOL and . I wish I could believe for one moment that they or indeed anyone would adopt that slogan.

Incidentally I suggested one the other day for a new Free School in Hammersmith (I am offering them a child to sacrifice on the altar of education)- to wit, "I hear, I watch, I learn". Except it obviously ought to be in Latin, when it would be "Audio, Video, Disco"