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Tanit Posted 18 years ago
Vocabulary

AmE equivalent of public servants?

0 Hi, 02br
02br
00Is it correct (in AmE) to refer to people who work for a public administration (both employees and managers) as "01i00public officers02i00"? 02br
00(I've 05000 and I'm not quite clear if it's appropriate).02br
02br
00I think they should be "01i00public servants02i00" or possibly "01i00civil servants02i00" in BrE.02br
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00Thanks in advance! 0240hrefhttp://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20officerclooked it up in m-w online
  

Top answer

0Hi,02br 02br 01font 00Is it correct (in AmE) to refer to people who work for a public administration (both employees and managers) as "01i 00public officers02i 00"? 02font 02br 02br 00In egalitarian N. America, people don''t like to be called any kind of servant.

— Clive

  • 0Hi,02br 02br 01font 00Is it correct (in AmE) to refer to people who work for a public administration (both employees and managers) as "01i 00public officers02i 00"?
  • 02font 02br 02br 00In egalitarian N.
  • America, people don''t like to be called any kind of servant.
  • 02br 02br 01font 00Best wishes, Clive 02br 02font 0-
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19 Answers
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0Hi,02br
02br
01font00Is it correct (in AmE) to refer to people who work for a public administration (both employees and managers) as "01i00public officers02i00"? 00 No.02br
00(I've 02font01a01font00
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0Yet they will talk with pride about their public 01i00service02i00.0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Clive12cite10In egalitarian N. America, people don''t like to be called any kind of servant. I12br
12blockquote
10Thanks Clive. That was helpful and funny, too. 05002br
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00If I may ask a second question ... would 00 'government workers'00 be appropriate for different
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1blockquote
01cite10Grammar Geek12cite10 Yet they will talk with pride about their public 11i10service12i10.12blockquote
10Same here. We live in a small world, don't we? 050010id1
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0Hi,02br
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00In the city, we usually say 'city employees'.02br
02br
00Clive0-
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0 Thank you again, Clive! 02br
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050010id1
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0Tanit, if you're writing about specific municipalities in the US and you want to run a few by me, please feel free to e-mail me. I think you still have my e-mail address, but if not, I'll PM you.0-
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0Thanks, Barb. I've just PMed (?) you. 050010id1
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0I like to say 'cubicle riff-raff', but I often get in trouble for my colorful euphemisms02br
02br
00 other great government worker words:02br
02br
00DMV rejects02br
02br
009-to-5ers02br
02br
00cubicle dwellers02br
02br
00pencil pushers02br
02br
00 etc...02br
02br
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0 Hi Shaved, 02br
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00Thanks for your insights. It's a pity I cannot use any of your nice expressions in a scientific paper! 05002br
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00As I said earlier, we live in a small world ... the most common term for them here would be something like "01i00seat-heaters02i00", 'cause they're supposed to be just sitting on their seat
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