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Inchoateknowledge Posted 20 years ago
Vocabulary

MANPOWER

Once, while I was walking in a street in (English) Newcastle a saw an add put up on a bar window saying "Staff required".
I went in and said -- I think quite awkwardly -- "I saw you needed manpower".
The bartender could not subdue his emotions and bursted out in a silly guffaw.
What was the source of his mirth?
Is 'manpower' old-fashioned or, does it have sexual overtone?
I am just asking because I have seen this word in a context and it has brought back the memories.
  

Top answer

ad , not add Also personnel , not manpower should be used in this context, I think.

— Marius Hancu

  • ad , not add Also personnel , not manpower should be used in this context, I think.
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4 Answers
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ad, not add

Also
personnel, not manpower
should be used in this context, I think.
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I don't know why he found it so funny. It is not the word a native speaker would have used but it is not exactly hilarious either. Manpower is not really used about one single worker - look up the definition in a dictionary. Perhaps he thought you were using the word ironically and making a bit of a joke.

Perhaps it was because manpower (and personnel) seem far too formal and 'large-scale
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It doesn't take much to make them laugh in Newcastle!
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" It doesn't take much to make them laugh in Newcastle!" That is true, especially on friday night
I am a man so may be he was just out of his skull. Or my facial features straight out of a horror movie made him laugh.

Thanks for your answers.
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