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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage

Personnel / Personal

I thought the distinction between Personnel and Personal was as clear left-pondinentally as right. But I was watching an episode of 'Will and Grace' (so sue me - I like Jack and I love Karen) and there was a scene set in a public swimming baths with a prominent notice on the wall referring to 'Security of Personnel belongings'. Was this a massive blooper, an in-joke, or is there such a usage in US? -- John Dean Oxford De-frag to reply
  

Top answer

On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 16:47:45 +0100, "John Dean" (Email Removed) said: 1 2 3 4 5 6 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890 [nq:1]I thought the distinction between Personnel and Personal was as clear left-pondinentally as right. But I was watching an episode ... to 'Security of Personnel belongings'.

  • On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 16:47:45 +0100, "John Dean" (Email Removed) said: 1 2 3 4 5 6 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890 [nq:1]I thought the distinction between Personnel and Personal was as clear left-pondinentally as right.
  • But I was watching an episode ...
  • to 'Security of Personnel belongings'.
  • [/nq] Are you sure it's impossible in the UK?
  • It seems to me "personnel belongings" can be construed to refer to property belonging to personnel, as opposed to property belonging to the public.
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16 Answers
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On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 16:47:45 +0100, "John Dean" (Email Removed) said: 1 2 3 4 5 6 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
[nq:1]I thought the distinction between Personnel and Personal was as clear left-pondinentally as right. But I was watching an episode ... to 'Security of Personnel belongings'. Was this a massive blooper, an in-joke, or is there such a usage in US?[/n
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(Email Removed) spake thus:
[nq:1]On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 16:47:45 +0100, "John Dean" (Email Removed) said: 1 2 3 4 5 6 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890[/nq]
Are you laying out a line-printer report?
[nq:2]I thought the distinction between Personnel and Personal was as ... an in-joke, or is there such a usage in US?[/nq]
[nq:1]Are you sure it's impossible i
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[nq:1](Email Removed) spake thus:[/nq]
[nq:2]On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 16:47:45 +0100, "John Dean" (Email Removed) said: 1 2 3 4 5 6 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890[/nq]
[nq:1]Are you laying out a line-printer report? (...)[/nq]
I believe Bob just let it slip that he does the same thing I do when re-wrapping quoted text. Unfortunately, my newsreader doesn't take
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[nq:1]'Security of Personnel belongings'.[/nq]
It could have referred to the belongings of the personnel. Or, more likely, those responsible don't know their grammar. -- Marc, No comment
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[nq:1]On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 16:47:45 +0100, "John Dean" (Email Removed) said:[/nq]
[nq:2]I thought the distinction between Personnel and Personal was as ... an in-joke, or is there such a usage in US?[/nq]
[nq:1]Are you sure it's impossible in the UK?[/nq]
Yes.

Adrian
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On Tue, 22 Jul 2003 02:11:17 +0100, "Adrian Bailey" (Email Removed) said:
[nq:2]On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 16:47:45 +0100, "John Dean" (Email Removed) said: Are you sure it's impossible in the UK?[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes.[/nq]
I wonder how effectivelly you can defend that answer.

Why can't personnel belongings refer to stuff that belongs to personnel, as opposed to public belongings or custo
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[nq:1]I thought the distinction between Personnel and Personal was as clear left-pondinentally as right. But I was watching an episode ... to 'Security of Personnel belongings'. Was this a massive blooper, an in-joke, or is there such a usage in US?[/nq]
I've never seen "Will and grace", but could it not have been referring to things that belonged to the staff?

-- Steve Hayes from Ts
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[nq:1]On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 16:47:45 +0100, "John Dean"[/nq]

[nq:2]... a prominent notice on the wall referring to 'Security ... an in-joke, or is there such a usage in US?[/nq]
[nq:1]Are you sure it's impossible in the UK? It seems to me "personnel belongings" can be construed to refer to property belonging to personnel, as opposed to property belonging to the public.[/nq]
It coul
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On Tue, 22 Jul 2003 03:34:45 -0500, Santiago Zawojski (Email Removed) said:
[nq:2]On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 16:47:45 +0100, "John Dean"[/nq]
[nq:1][/nq]
[nq:2]Are you sure it's impossible in the UK? It seems ... to personnel, as opposed to property belonging to the public.[/nq]
[nq:1]It could, but people would avoid writing that to avoid looking like they had made a mistake. That's true
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[nq:1]Why can't personnel belongings refer to stuff that belongs to personnel, as opposed to public belongings or customer belongings?[/nq]
Because in BrE we don't use "personnel" in that way.
[nq:1]Do you think "employee belongings" is also impossible?[/nq]
That's perfectly acceptable. As is "staff belongings". But it isn't usual, in BrE, to refer to staff in general as personnel (ex

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