[HPforGrownups] Re: British question

[Alix Petty]

No: HPFGUIDX 544


----- Original Message -----
From: Pam Scruton <Pam at barkingdog.demon.co.uk>
To: <HPforGrownups at egroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2000 9:45 AM
Subject: [HPforGrownups] Re: British question


>
> --- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, summers.65 at o... wrote:
> >
> > For our British friends...
> >
> > Do you use the word "alum" to describe people who've graduated from
> various
> > colleges or universities?
> >
> > Lori

To jump in on Pam's comment, alumni is usually just used to describe
graduates from Universities, in my experience.  Although a lot of schools
hold farewell/graduation/prom dances for their students and have
prizegivings/certificate givings, we don't have a graduation ceremony, or
dress up in cap and gown for leaving school (as in High School) -
technically, of course, we are alumni, but we don't use that word - we're
normally referred to as 'Old...' ie an old boy, an old girl, or in my
particular case, an Old Bexleian.

In fact, as a general rule, ex-students of Higher Education don't refer to
themselves as alumni, either - usually it's the Powers That Be at your
educational institution who will call you that - I remember being amazed to
find out that there was an actual term for a student who had completed their
studies but hadn't had the official handshake yet.  However, to ramble on,
if you were talking about ex-students of Hogwarts, I reckon alumni would be
fine - it sounds exactly right, very Dumbledore, and with all the Latin
etymology and names floating around the school anyway, alumni should fit
right in...just remember it's men who are alumni and (pl.) alumnus, and if
you're tallking specifically about women it's alumna and (pl.) alumnae.

Alix