There are many differences between American and British English on the subject of education. Here are some of them.
In the UK, students go to a university for an academic degree and to a college for more skills-based vocational training; in US English, college also refers to a university in which one gets their bachelor’s degree.
In the UK, a student is someone studying in a college or university, while a child in elementary — or primary — school is called a pupil. In the US, a student is anyone studying, from elementary school up through university. Someone in the US who has completed their bachelor’s degree and is pursuing a further degree is called a graduate student; in British English, the term is postgraduate student. The system used in the US to refer to the four years as an undergraduate — freshman, sophomore, junior and senior — is not used in the UK, where they simply say first/second/third and final year student.
In both countries, the word “class” refers to the unit of people you are studying with (as in, “I was in the same class as your brother in senior high school”). In the US, a class is also a course of instruction in a given subject (as in, “I’m taking a class in math”) but in the UK this would be called a course (“I’m taking a course in maths”). The idea of class collectively referring to every student graduating in a certain year (“I was in the class of 1997”) does not exist in the UK.
Finally, in the US, class is the specific period during which you are taught (“What time is your math class today?”) but in the UK they would use lesson for this (“What time is your maths lesson?”).
(Paul Cooper, Taipei Times)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
照片：維基共享資源
美式英文和英式英文的教育用語有許多差異，此處介紹幾個例子。
在英國，學生到「university」（大學）去攻讀學位，而到「college」（學院）去接受比較屬於技能方面的職業訓練。在美式英文中，「college」也指可修讀學士學位的大學。
在英國，「student」（學生）是指在「university」或「college」就讀的人，而上小學──「elementary school」（或「primary school」）的孩子則稱為「pupil」（小學生）。在美國，從小學到大學的學生都可稱為「student」。已獲學士學位並繼續深造的學生，在美國稱為「graduate student」（研究生∕博士生），而英式英文則是說「postgraduate student」。美國稱呼大一生至大四生的用語分別是「freshman」、「sophomore」、「junior」、「senior」，但英國並未採用這套用語，而只是稱為「first year student」、「second year student」、「third year student」，以及「final year student」。
在英、美兩國，「class」都是指「班級」──例如，「I was in the same class as your brother in senior high school.」（我高中和你哥哥同班）。在美國，「class」也是一門課的教學課程──例如，「I’m taking a class in math」（我修數學課），但在英國則是用「course」這個字──例如，「I’m taking a course in maths」。美國的「class」也有「屆」的意思──例如，「I was in the class of 1997」（我是一九九七級／一九九七年畢業的一屆），但在英國並沒有這樣的用法。
最後，「class」在美國也指上課的特定時段──例如「What time is your math class today?」（你今天幾點上數學課？），但在英國則是用「lesson」這個字──「What time is your maths lesson?」。
（台北時報林俐凱譯）
After the death of Pope Francis on April 21, the Vatican’s papal conclave on May 8 elected a new leader for the Catholic Church. Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, who chose to be called Leo XIV, became the 267th pope, spiritual leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. But what exactly does a pope do? Here is a rundown of his main responsibilities. CATHOLIC LEADER The word pope comes from the Greek “pappas,” meaning “father, patriarch,” which is why believers call him the Holy Father. He is considered the successor of St Peter, to whom Jesus Christ is said to have entrusted
If you could nominate any toys for the Toy Hall of Fame, what would they be? Iconic playthings like yo-yos, toy cars, or video games seem like obvious __1__. Classic toys such as jacks, playing cards, and board games like Chess, Monopoly, and Uno have brought endless joy to generations. Overall, there are countless toys that __2__ in the Toy Hall of Fame. The National Toy Hall of Fame was __3__ in 1998 at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. The Toy Hall of Fame aims to __4__ items that have been cherished for generations, and several
Have you ever wondered who decides what we see in a museum or how one artwork seamlessly connects to the next? Behind every thoughtfully arranged gallery space stands a curator, a skilled professional who combines art and storytelling to craft meaningful experiences. The term “curator” originates from the Latin word cura, meaning “to care.” Curators were originally caretakers of museum collections, but over time, their role has grown to include a broad range of responsibilities that extend far beyond preservation. Today, curators manage, organize and interpret collections in cultural institutions like museums and libraries. They research, acquire and catalogue
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang However, not every toy has its moment. Some fans were __8__ that simple classics like balloons—a universal symbol of celebrations—haven’t made the cut yet. With their lightweight charms and transformative puffs of air, balloons have __9__ millions for decades and will have to wait at least another year for a chance to be inducted. As the Toy Hall of Fame continues to celebrate toys that __10__ creativity and joy, we can only wonder which treasures will earn a spot next. Will the widely adored balloon finally take its place in 2025? Only time will tell, but one thing is
RSS