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The Bar Room => The BS-Wrestling Pit => Topic started by: Shroomy on May 22, 2008, 06:51:02 PM
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I have just picked up a new class full of doctors and medical researchers who are headed out of the country for 3 - 12 months. Many are going to the US, but a lot are going to Australia. I have been asked to teach them medical terminology in English, hospital culture and patient conversation - IN 24 TEACHING HOURS OF LESSONS!! bibibibibi
It's not that I couldn't do it if I had a year, but on one part I need help.
I know what Americans are likely to call certain areas of their bodies when talking to medical staff. What do Australians say?
For example:
Breasts:
A. Shy older lady: "bust"
B. Average woman: "breast"
C. Less educated: "tits or boobs"
I need colloquialisms for the obvious, breasts, buttocks, vagina, penis, and scrotum so they won't be totally flummoxed.
Also, I call a catheter in the vein in my arm attached to fluid an "IV". What do you call it?
If a nurse sticks a needle in my butt and injects pain medicine it's a "shot".
I'm serious. Please help.
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Hi Shroomy,
I can't help too much with all the colloquialisms, though I assume they would be almost the same as America. I avoid hospitals unless I'm dying, sorry!
However, if you can, you might like to get hold of a copy or two of the Aussie medical show 'All Saints', particularly the last few seasons. It's our version of America's ER only more gritty, and some great characters! You want to see Frank Campion in action- he's the head of the ER department, the med world's Gordon Ramsey!, and Dr Vlasek...I have a friend in nursing in Oz and she's shocked just how spot on the show is!
Hopefully someone else can help with the terminology...
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An IV is an IV - no problems on that one. Buttocks either buttocks or bottom; breast will usually cover all, but very elderly ladies - ie 90+ bust or bosom, and the ignorant - boobs, tits.
Vagina; for the elderly again - private parts, for the uncultured any variation of that commonly heard in rap songs, for the mildly educated vagina.
For fellas - penis for 99% of the population - old men - John Henry, old fella etc, for the young boys with no education dick/prick etc. Scrotum again for 80% of the population, ball bag for the rest.
We generally have 'needles' when you are shoving stuff into us, but most will also understand 'shot'.
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Thanks, that's what I needed.
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C. Less educated: "tits or boobs"
the ignorant - boobs, tits.
Bit unfair isn't. Just because some uses the term 'boob' or 'tit' doesn't make them uneducated nor ignorant. Perhaps crass.
We are talking about Australians are we not.
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The OP gave the criteria! ahahahahah I merely followed her terminology - specifically so that her students would be able to use terms groups would understand. And given that she is a USAnian, and has clearly come across this problem - and so chooses to teach the appropriate words for different groups to both USA bound students and Oz bound - it is not just Aussies who are 'crass'. cbcbcbcbcb cbcbcbcbcb
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Oh, well then. I apologise. My mistake.
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Not sure there was one. The terms given are appropriate for the situation and the explanation covers them, but the accompanying characterizations.....?
But then, we are talking about Australians, I suppose. ahahahahah
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know what Americans are likely to call certain areas of their bodies when talking to medical staff. What do Australians say?
For example:
Breasts:
A. Shy older lady: "bust"
B. Average woman: "breast"
C. Less educated: "tits or boobs"
I have the distinct feeling that you two fellas in particular are concerned that by your terminology usage you will be considered 'less educated'. There is an air of 'doth protesteth too much" floating around! axaxaxaxax axaxaxaxax axaxaxaxax
By your own words shall ye be known.
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Don't think so. I know better, and can easily demonstrate when required. I don't seem to suffer from the "penis envy"-type afflictions. Objecting to broad-stroke (and rather condescending) classifications of people into intrinsically inferior strata doesn't in any way indicate that we do.
Stil and I can't really be popped into an intrinsically lower stratum, either.
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So sorry to have offended your delicate sensibilities guys. How would you label the group who refer to tits or boobs or ball bags while talking to a stranger in a formal setting? I assume they don't know any more formal terms. How do you account for the phenomenon?
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When I get an 'IV' it is called a 'drip'.
ie. The doctor put me on a drip.
IV would be understood of course but it's just not used normally.
'Green whistles'/'green sticks' are green plastic sticks filled with pethadine containing powder the ambo gives you to make the pain go away.
Actually 'ambo' is probably an Aussie term too.
Might be worth teaching 'I'm feeling crook'
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Surely all are are saying is that the uneducated don't learn the formal terminology. We are not the ones making ASSUMPTIONS about the value of people determined by the level of their eduction!! You are the ones adding that layer of assumption.
uneducated
• adjective poorly educated.
gnorant
• adjective 1 lacking knowledge or awareness in general. 2 (often ignorant of) uninformed about or unaware of a specific subject or fact.
And it was Stil who decided that Aussies were "crass" clearly perjorative.
crass
• adjective grossly insensitive and unintelligent.
And twice Australians were commented upon negatively.
I agree with drip, ambo and crook. ahahahahah
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Jesus. Whatever.
I should have realized that this was the positive, sensitive, complementary sense of the term "ignorant". bibibibibi
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How would you label the group who refer to tits or boobs or ball bags while talking to a stranger in a formal setting? I assume they don't know any more formal terms. How do you account for the phenomenon?
A woman sees a Doctor and says "Doc, my boobs hurt"
How would you label the group who assumes this lady doesn't know the word breasts?
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Why, that could only be a piece of dried-up, hagged-out ignorant slut meat who hops from bed to bed with the frequency of a cheap ham radio.
Which I view as a positive, worthy thing to be. bfbfbfbfbf
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Now, now, play nice. There is no such thing as a generally crass people. Nor does education and social standing necessarily mean that people will always use the PC/polite/highbrow terminology. Boobs, sweatermeat, funbags and all such words are lowbrow and pejorative, of that there is no doubt. Not terms one would like to hear in a formal conversation. But do you really want to know how bad it can be? I'll show you. This song goes to the tune of "99 luftballons".
Jugs and orbs and darts and gourds
Elmer Fudds and bouncing Buddhas
Sweater stretchers, lung protectors
Beach umbrellas, frost detectors
Scooby Snacks and snake-eyes dice
Jell-o molds and high-beam lights
Every day I probably use
99 words for boobs
Humpty Dumplings, Hardy Boys
Double lattes, Ode to Joys
Hooters, shooters, physics tutors
Bobbsey Twins and bald commuters
Double-WMD's
MRE's and PFD's
Snow-white dwarfs, Picasso cubes
99 words for boobs
Gerber servers, holy grails
Whoopee cushions, humpback whales
Flying saucers, traffic stoppers
Super Big Gulps, Double Whoppers
Pillows, billows, Don DeLillos
Soft-serve cones and armadillos
Pimped-out hubcaps, inner tubes
99 words for boobs
Midget earmuffs, warming globes
Strobes and probes and frontal lobes
Knockers, honkers, knicker bonkers
Smurfs and Screaming Yellow Zonkers
Tannin' cannons, Mister Bigs
Big bad wolves and Porky Pigs
Jogging partners, saline noobs
99 words for boobs
Two-point jumpers, Bambi's thumpers
Rubber baby buggy bumpers
Rutabagas, Chi Omegas
Schwag the showgirls show in Vegas
Congo bongos, bowling pins
Fast-pitch softballs, siamese twins
Your claims I'm breast-obsessed are true
We're quite a pair 'cause I'm a boob too
Anyway, I have strayed far offtopic but it needed to be done. You may lambast me now.
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So you're a
tit boob breast man then Eric?
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Hmm...I enjoy all aspects of the female anatomy. But the song is funny.
As I see it, using slang words for anatomical parts does not mean that the speaker is crass, uneducated or in possession of loose morals. If said slang is used in a formal conversation, it may just indicate bad manners or a lack of a sense of decorum. Even ill-mannered brutes can have degrees.
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Finally, from the man with the boob song, is the phrase I was searching for in the 39 seconds before I headed to class. "Possessing an unusual sense of decorum." Please substitute this phrase in the OP and consider the subject closed. bibibibibi
Except that I need a definition about that crook part. Never heard that one before. Feel free to add relevant other phrases. I do want to shock-proof some of these professors before they have make total fools of themselves. They are trying so hard to get ready.
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How would you label the group who assumes this lady doesn't know the word breasts?
Experienced! Been there done that. Kids who didn't get too much education and end up in the maternity ward at 13/14 often don't know technical or formal terms; some of the intellectually disabled don't know those terms as well - but they've been around the playground long enough to pick up the slang; migrants using English as a second language - much easier to learn slang and that is what gets taught first, and not too many Community Centre English courses get into this area. Much more about "Where is the train station? How are you?".
Crook - means doesn't feel well - unspecified.
Same as 'under the weather'. Can also say "I've got a crook heart, my legs crook" etc. Dicky and dodgy can also be used in the same context. I'll try to remember more for you.
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"Doc, My boobs hurt" = Intellectually disabled 13/14 year old migrant.
Thank you for educating me Lotus.
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"My boobs feel crook". Lesson 1.
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Hang on I'm stil trying to figure out how to pronunce Breast.
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There's a site of free materials for ESL to medical professionals: http://www.hospitalenglish.com/ (http://www.hospitalenglish.com/). I haven't used any of the stuff myself, but it may be useful to what you're doing.
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i think my dicky is crook, I seen a nice rack and it didn't work cbcbcbcbcb cbcbcbcbcb agagagagag
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Wait a second..
"Don Dellillos" Does Don Delillo approve? And can I get them referred to as Con Ate Dogs?
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I am and educated Australian and i say Boobs and Tit's. It just depends on the doctor. I actually feel more comfortable saying boobs. I dont know why maybe because it is less formal.
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In formal situations - ie doctors, teaching etc I use formal words - because they will cause least offence in a broader manner. I would be extremely angry if a doctor asked my how my 'c***' or 'box' or even 'tits' was/were. In a different situation afafafafaf I am fine with less formal words.
Part of this is my perception of the use of slang words - so often they are used pejoratively, and therefore can carry those connotations. So in a formal situation then I would expect to be treated with respect and dignity.
Clearly if my language set did not include the formal then it would be appropriate for the Doctor etc to use words that were clear to me.
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I wouldn't say my boobs feel crook. Crook is used as an adjective but not in the syntax pattern of 'My boobs feel crook'. It's more likely to be 'I feel crook. My boobs hurt.'
I knew a politician whom always referred to breasts as titties. But of course he was later outed because of land deals. Nevertheless he did have a PhD.
Personally I just refer to the official party line when at a doctors. 'I need a breast examination' etc. But I remember once getting sand in my vagina after a lovely day at the beach (a deserted one with my husband) and then having to go to the doctor and blushingly explain we'rd been to the beach.
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..... But I remember once getting sand in my ......
OUCH !!! aoaoaoaoao
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Did you want to teach your student's 'crumbed sausage" - which describes the male side of that?
And I should have used a smiley for the 'boobs crook' post - it was meant as a joke. Although 'leg's crook, heart is crook' all work grammatically. A collocation problem. bfbfbfbfbf
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Dander is up! Clearly an Australian is needed: the categories call for a different characterisation. I suggest...
Formal / Informal / Indirect
breast / tits, boobs / chest
vagina / vage / privates
vulva / pussy / privates
penis / dick / privates
testicles / balls / privates
scrotum / sack, balls / privates
buttocks / bum, backside / butt?
I doubt one need teach coarse varieties of the informal. All the doc need for "handling" an unexpected word is, "Sorry, your what?" and the uneducated/inbred/illbred/migrant/retard will likely wave his/her claws at or around the diseased region. The Doc may then laugh politely. "Oh yes," she may say, "Well, don't worry, I've seen w--OH MY GOD!!! What the-, Oh-, I-, Oh, no-, no, you'll definitely have to... a specialist, you'll have to see a specialist.... Yes, definitely." She can use her cell phone for the internet snap shot.
I imagine "butt" has found it's way into Australian usage, and I think "nut" always was, as in "my left nut," but should any Australian be found uttering the plural, and it's with understandable horror that I attempt to write this, why, it would be the kind of linguistic imperialism our fore fathers fought so strongly against. Does anyone remember Nobby's, a purveyor of healthful snacks, and their pleasant, family-oriented slogan, "Nibble Nobby's Nuts"? How ribald! How distasteful! How low have we sunk?
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You forgot "ass", CP. How could you? afafafafaf
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We dont say 'ASS', it's ARSE thank you very much.
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Well, who ARSEKD you anyway...sorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorry, just couldn't help myself. Here have a Turkish Delight...they're delightful...
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No asses nor butts in Australia. Now that I think of it, the indirect formulation for "buttocks" is "behind."
anus / arsehole / ?
"chocolate starfish"?
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To bring back some decorum...
How about 'squeamish' (nauseous)
Is this in world use?
Of course there is the perennial 'I've done a hammy'
If there is footy being played, there will be hamstrings being injured.
Other than that there is far too much slang for evey manner of illness to go into it.
Except maybe chucking a sickie, which is a tradition of course bxbxbxbxbx
No asses nor butts in Australia. Now that I think of it, the indirect formulation for "buttocks" is "behind."
anus / arsehole / ?
"chocolate starfish"?
clacker
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What was I thinking!?
"date"
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freckle, ring, brown eye
sorry I was going for decorum wasn't I?
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Can we settle on "backdoor"?
"Doc, I've got a problem in the back paddock."
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Date you might get in a hospital setting, not so certain about brown eye. ahahahahah
Clacker = cloaca.
rear end and rump as well for derriere.
As in backdoor boy? ahahahahah
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Did you want to teach your student's 'crumbed sausage" - which describes the male side of that?
Not in a million years, thanks LE
And I should have used a smiley for the 'boobs crook' post - it was meant as a joke. Although 'leg's crook, heart is crook' all work grammatically. A collocation problem.
Yours not mine.
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The collocation problem is an interesting one as some things work others don't, when both are equally grammatical. But it was meant as a joke - just because it sounded weird.
The crumbed sausage was meant as a joke for 'Shroomy! I had a really funny pic of her in my head teaching this to her students!! I am definitely going to have to remember to put smilies beside things. bibibibibi
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This thread shows the Need to teach that a professional / doctor / nurse should know & use the actual formal word
But also know some of the common slang the patience will use & know.
Not sure need distinguish who may or may not use which words,
Only that most will expect proper English from a doctors & nurses mouth.
&...
`she has a nice keester meesteer. bfbfbfbfbf