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#39143 08/22/01 03:16 PM
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Carpal Tunnel
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Or if your rota is clogged with dirt and other duff:

Rota-Rooter®


#39144 08/22/01 04:07 PM
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Helen, the carpooling example came just off the top of my head and is perhaps not the best illustration of "rota". But for instance, if you were sharing a house or flat you might establish a cleaning rota, so that everyone knew what their cleaning responsibility was in any given week. Or you could have a "duty rota", such as we had in one of the university halls I was living in, where there was one member of staff around every night, just in case of medical emergencies, floods or fires.



#39145 08/22/01 04:28 PM
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yes, i understand-- but while i might come across a duty roster at work-- i don't think roster is much used in dorms, or other locations.. so rota is extremely obscure, and roster is a word with a very limited use (in my experience)-- I have no trouble understanding the meaning, (and gathered that it was a not uncommon word for UK english users-) its just roster is not used very much in US english.. We have schedules of events, and schedules for car pools, and schedules for who is on "duty" in the dorm. it might even be labeled a duty roster-- but we would speak of "who's scheduled? -- check the schedule..." and not "check the duty roster..."


#39146 08/22/01 04:45 PM
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I guess as a Canadian I sort of straddle the middle. I hear "duty roster" all the time, unlike Helen, but I'd never heard rota before. So there's my two cents. (pennies...pence!?)

Regarding schedule: what's everyone's opinion on SK- versus SH- at the beginning? My dictionary lists both as correct. Is there a regional variation, or is it personal? I found that nuns and professors tend to say SH- and my friends and I usually say SK-.

#39147 08/22/01 04:52 PM
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Anyone who has had any connection with the US Navy would immediately think of Rota, Spain, which at one time was a major port of call for US warships doing Med cruises. To tell you the truth I don't know if Rota is the full name of a city or some other geographical landmark. But my dictionary shows it as an island of the west Pacific in the Southern Marianas Islands, north of Guam.

Interestingly enough, we seem to have a lot of immigrants from Rota here in the US. Almost every small town I visit has a sign at the outskirts proclaiming the date and time of the meetings of the Rotarians. Don't know whether that's Rota, Spain or the one in the Pacific.



TEd
#39148 08/22/01 05:00 PM
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I allus thought it was pretty standard for USn's to say skedule and Brits to say shedule. Never thought about y'all up there in the Frozen North.


#39149 08/22/01 09:18 PM
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Dear TEd: You forgot to mention the Rota-ry Anns.


#39150 08/23/01 04:48 AM
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In reply to:

I don't know if Rota is the full name of a city or some other geographical landmark. But my dictionary shows it as an island of the west Pacific in the Southern Marianas Islands, north of Guam.


We hve an island here in Indonesia called Roti. I assume was once part of the Sandwich Isles.

Bingley



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#39151 08/23/01 05:23 AM
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re "..any connection with the US Navy would immediately think of Rota, Spain, which at one time was a major port of call for US warships.."
__________________________________________________

Although I suspect I'll only get a titter ("teater" Bean?) from Ozild and UK subscribers.....Perhaps this is where "Rota-Rooter" sprang from (thanx for the tag Faldage!!)

stales


#39152 08/23/01 07:58 AM
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Ted, Rota is a town in the south of Spain, in the province of Cádiz. It has lovely sandy beaches, and a good harbour. The US base must be near the town, but I don't know exactly how close to it.



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