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Grunger

I like it! I remember that when the Luxurious Inter-Floor Transporter was invented, the Americans called it elevator, which seems inaccurate, but we stuck to the acronym.

ChrisE and Orson, the while/whilst stuff has been interesting. It's something I barely notice, but that's a good thing really - I don't want to spend all my days simmering!

Grunger

I was sorry to hear about your trip on the 'thingy' but was delighted that the assistant was going to escalate your complaint - better that than parking it.

Rosalind

I feel for the dead person trying to complete the census. It is hard enough for the living.

I helped with the 2001 census, having 4 areas in South Wirral. It was very enjoyable, but you had to ask people how many households were in the property, to give them forms. I got some strange answers. One man told me that he and his girlfriend were one household, and his wife was another. They had 2 bedrooms, but shared other rooms and had meals together. All 3 were happy with the arrangement.

I applied for the 2011 census but failed the aptitude test! Only "test" I have ever failed. I taught a class with the Christian names: Blessing, Goodness, Mercy amongst others.

jigjg

Very surprised you failed the aptitude test!
Love the story of the two households, no doubt a pragmatic arrangement.
What an interesting class!

Rosalind, I forgot to post that I enjoyed reading about the censuses. The infirmities part was great fun, do you think I could put down 'pedant' on my form?

Mathsprofrockstar, I've decided to ignore - completely - the travelator and I feel 'travellator' is just as inelegant. I'm unlikely to ever need to use the word, so I will cope.

jigjag and co.

Those names in your class (Goodness, Mercy etc.) sound like gipsy/traveller ones. I taught a Lightning from that community.

A test I have failed: our head thought it wise for staff to learn first aid. After a course on one evening per week for several weeks I failed the practical - apparently I would have killed someone with my resuscitation method.

I did help my wife with the 1991 census in quite a rough area and it was very difficult collecting the last few forms from the secretive and the recalcitrant. We certainly had to leave some households to be persuaded by a higher authority.

'While': I know someone who was brought up in Lincolnshire. He uses 'I'll be there while nine o'clock' meaning 'by' or 'at'. I think he can also use it to mean 'until'.

'Whilst' sounds antiquated to me, but I prefer it to the hideous 'unbeknownst'.

While I'm here: someone on another site was pulled up (I thought correctly) for writing 'rising to a crescendo...'. However, another pointed out that dictionaries have crescendo meaning 'high point' as well as 'increasing in loudness', so I've always been mistaken.

Rather arrogantly I disagree with the dictionaries, given the Latin root of the word.

Paulhabershon, I try to avoid using certain words, even if I think I may be using them quite correctly, as I know they will arouse a sense of disquiet in others. 'Crescendo' is one and 'meteoric' is another.

I liked the 'while nine o'clock', the 'while' sounds very versatile.

Paul

The families were immigrants from West Africa. It was a Catholic school in Liverpool. Other unusual names were Demi-Lee, Demi-Lea, Demi-Leigh, Aimee and Amiee. I have no idea of the origin of these.

A friend from Yorkshire also uses "while" as in "I cant get there while (until) Tuesday. He told me of a tragedy at a level crossing where the sign said something like "Cross while green light shows" and a pedestrian mis-interpreted it.

I think it was "Don't cross while lights are flashing", jigjag.

jigjag

I was wondering if Goodness and Mercy followed you all the days of your life.

Luckily I wasn't much struck by Lightning.