PUBLIC SCHOOL (US vs. UK)

Good morning, In February of 2004, we did a series of 6 Daily Vitamins about the differences between standard British and standard American English. Today we are going to look at one particular difference, which can cause a lot of confusion, and which we didn't include two years ago. Today's word is: Public School It means: In the US: a school that is controlled and paid for by the government. In the UK: an expensive private school where students usually live as well as study. As you can see, the term Public School has the opposite meaning in standard UK and US English. In the US (like in Spain, for example), there is a distinction between public schools and private schools. In the UK, the contrast is between state schools and public schools. Example 1 (US) Although the Miller's have a lot of money, they prefer to send their children to a public school; they want them to meet people from all socio-economic classes. Example 1 (UK) Although the Miller's have a lot of money, they prefer to send their children to a state school; they want them to meet people from all socio-economic classes. Example 2 (US) In contrast to the Millers, the Burtons (who are also very rich) send their children to a private school, since they feel the education is of a higher quality. Example 2 (UK) In contrast to the Millers, the Burtons (who are also very rich) send their children to a public school, since they feel the education is of a higher quality. If you have any questions about today's Daily Vitamin, please post them in the Daily Vitamin Plus! forum section on our website. If you have any questions about how to use the Daily Vitamin Plus! section or would like to receive a Daily Vitamin Plus! manual, please don't hesitate to contact us. Enjoy the rest of your day!