[HPforGrownups] Graduate: Re: British culture viewed through the Potterverse

[Rebecca Stephens]

No: HPFGUIDX 58495


--- bluesqueak <pipdowns at etchells0.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> 
> No, they don't! The whole problem is that the word
> 'graduate' means 
> different things in British English and American
> English. That is 
> why the way U.S. readers use the word often makes
> British readers 
> wince. They're using a construction that is
> perfectly correct in 
> U.S. English and completely wrong in British
> English. [Like 'gotten' 
> as the past tense of 'got'.] 


Gotten is the past perfect tense of "get", right?  And
got is past tense of get.  Unless I've gotten my
grammar confused.

Anyway, I've known for some time that British students
don't graduate high school--people said so on HP
message boards and lists.

So, Bristish people say they finished high school
(sorry, if the terminology is improper; I do
understand O-Levels and A-Levels, but don't have the
vocabulary down)?  Is there any sort of ceremony for
finishing A levels?  Or college (university, I believe
is the term used)?


Rebecca

=====
http://wychlaran.tripod.com

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