What is CV?

[NACL]

okay, please forgive me - i am in america. i am guessing CV is like a resume... is that right?

[willa]

Hi, NACL - I'm an American, too, but I've encountered this before. It stands for "curriculum vitae" (life's work) - much like a resume, including job history, qualifications, education, and professional accomplishments/associations. It often runs quite a bit longer than a traditional 1- or 2-page resume.

[NACL]

thanks!

[willa]

My pleasure. And I apologize for my presumption - you wrote that you were in America, not that you're an American. Sorry!

[NACL]

yes, american in america. :D

[andy-hughes]

It's another in a never-ending series of examples of how our languages differ.

In most cases, people from each nation know and understand the equivalent words and make an automatic mental translation, but this is one instance where each natrion's term for the same thing are not at all common in the other country - hence the confusion.

As a freelance music writer, I deal with Americans regulalry, and I'm starting to use American phrases automatically when talking to them, which is almost like using a foreign language. I will say 'cell' instead of 'mobile phone' and when people ask me how am, I will say "I'm good ... " instead of the usual "Fine thanks ...'

The only phrase that still throws me for a new seconds is being greeted with "What's up?", which, to Americans, simply means "How are you doing ..", but to English people it means "What's the matter, is there a problem?"

Language is a fantastic thing - we should embrace each others' differences.

[andy-hughes]

Oh, sorry, forgot, the phrase 'CV' is a noun, as in "Please send a CV with your application ..." - just in case anyone in the US is unsure of its grammatical use.

[joko]

yeah andy, i've had the 'wassup' thing too, and an american once pointed it out to me that everyone replies with 'nothing, i'm fine', which confuses him...hehe

[NACL]

yeah, i am doing the "mental translation" thing while i am reading through the questions/answers posted here. context clues are REALLY helping me out! i think this is a great website! i just found it yesterday evening, and already i have learned soooo much. (and tried to help out a couple of people, too!) thanks, guys!

(come to texas, and we'll REALLY mess you up with our vocabulary here! "howdy!") :D

[andy-hughes]

I remember watching The Beverley Hillbillies on TV as a child, and the voice-over at the end always confused me.

The guy used to say "Y'all come back now ... hear?" and I was sure he said "Y'all come back now ... here?" and I used to wonder - where else would we come back to, what an odd thing to say!

A warm welcome NACL - hope you'll sit a spell ......!

[NACL]

andy-hughes - i think the correct response from me to you would be "cheers!" (did i get it right? :D)

[NACL]

ok, guys, this doesnt even go with this topic, but ya'll are helping me out with the words i dont understand, so...

i was in the "shopping" section of answer bank and i dont know what "primark" and "high street" are.

also, do you guys not have stores like "wal-mart" or "target" or "payless shoes" over there?

it seems like alot of the things people want to buy, we have at those stores which are pretty much everywhere over here.

also, i am guessing that you guys are very much into the tv show big brother. is it a different "cast" than the big brother they show over here?

and then this final thing that i am noticing quite a bit, and if i offend, i am want to apologize ahead of time, but are you guys more of an "evolution" rather than "creation" and "no after-life" kinda group? i have noticed more of these kind of thoughts than the "christian-type" beliefs i am more used to hearing.

thanks again for helping me figure all this stuff out. it is sooooo interesting to learn about different kind of people and things! :D

[buildersmate]

Wal-Mart is over here in the form of Asda, which it bought out a few years ago - they continue to use the Asda brand but the retailing principle is the same. Payless Shoes has made a recent appearance (but not at the same prices you have over there). I'm still coming to terms with 'forming a line' (we queue up over here), 'going to the gas station' (its petrol, you know - gas isn't a liquid - its a gas!).

[andy-hughes]

buildersmate - 'gas' isn't a lquid, but gasoline is - and that's what 'gas' is short for!

[andy-hughes]

Hi again NACL - yes you'd be spot on with a "Cheers!" which, at the risk of confusing you further, always used to be a traditional drinking toast - when you clinked glasses together, but has evolved into a generl term meaning "Thanks ..."

OK - 'Primark' is a clothing chain that are busy opening stores in most of the UK big cities, they sell good quality clothing at low prices, so are very popular.

The 'high street' is also now a generic term for shops and stores that are common in most towns - 'high street stores ...' and also as a catch-all expression for standard retailing outlets - 'most high street prices ...'.

The expression 'high street' has evolved because almost all major towns and cities in the UK have a High Street - it's the main thoroughfare through the town or city, and most of the larger shops and retial outlets will be placed there.

Anything else you need - post away!

[joko]

andy, i always thought there was another Y in front of the hear as in Y'hear, just like Y'all.

nacl - don't know about the cast of BB - depends which series you are watching - if they all speak with british accents then yes you probably are. i know there is an american version too though.

[ilovetohelp13]

Yes it is.