Derogatory terms for skilled jobs

[Tin Pot]

Cool. I didn't see the problem, either.

And this brand has been around for years, without controversy http://www.geeksquad.co.uk/

I find it hard to imagine large numbers of developers organised into any kind of group coherent enought to protest!

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Anyone who sews....."sewer" ...it's ok when said out loud....but written down....

Tongue in cheek I'm sure!
In the days when clothing manufacture was done by hand in the UK, there were whole legions of seamstresses in pockets of the UK and that was a properly skilled profession. I'm not sure whether there was ever a male version of the title "seamstress". Probably no need in the 50s and 60s.
My great auntie was a seamstress on Pin Mill Brow in Manchester, turning out many dozens of handmade garments each day. She also did a bit of piece work and leisure sewing on the side, and she had a gorgeous Singer electric machine bolted onto a dedicated seamstress work bench at home.

 

[jefmcg]

I'm not sure whether there was ever a male version of the title "seamstress".

Tailor.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Tailor.

Possibly. Although I picture a tailor making one (probably very expensive) suit in a day or so, whereas I picture a seamstress knocking out a few dozen more everyday garments in a day. That might just be my perception from visits to my auntie's workplace.
I think a more accurate female equivalent to a tailor might be a dressmaker? Not sure.

 

[swansonj]

Mrs Dr B has the word 'secretary' in her job title although she's quite senior within her organisation. On rare occasions she's had a "could you photocopy this for me and one sugar in tea" moment. Not a wise career move!

Quite a few organisations where the paid staff are in theory implementing the will of the members used to call the person at the top of the paid structure the secretary, reflecting that relationship. More and more have opted to replace that with conventional "chief executive" type titles, and it usually reflects a change in power balance as well as just title - all part of the executive capture of democratic institutions. But at least some trade unions still seem to have general secretaries, and the civil service and ministers preserve it too (although it's getting eroded in the civil service with directors and heads).

 

[Shut Up Legs]

View attachment 353983

Where would I get the money to fly across the world to cycle in the Alps, if not for my geeky job? It has its advantages (in fact it's even pretty interesting and fun sometimes).

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Just reading another thread on cyclists "blocking ambulances" I'm reminded of another (unintentionally) derogatory term which cropped up quite a lot: Ambulance Driver.
I get that it's said with no malice intended, but emergency ambulances are of course usually crewed by Paramedics who study for a couple of years to gain their qualification. At the very least, they're crewed by qualified Emergency Medical Technicians who also study (albeit a shorter course) to gain their qualification. Driving is perhaps 5-10% of the job, keeping people alive and providing urgent care is the other 90-95%. Calling them "drivers" isn't very fair or accurate.

 

[Tin Pot]

Just reading another thread on cyclists "blocking ambulances" I'm reminded of another (unintentionally) derogatory term which cropped up quite a lot: Ambulance Driver.
I get that it's said with no malice intended, but emergency ambulances are of course usually crewed by Paramedics who study for a couple of years to gain their qualification. At the very least, they're crewed by qualified Emergency Medical Technicians who also study (albeit a shorter course) to gain their qualification. Driving is perhaps 5-10% of the job, keeping people alive and providing urgent care is the other 90-95%. Calling them "drivers" isn't very fair or accurate.

True but I can't imagine anyone says it with malice. Getting the ambulance to the patient is a laudable job of itself, good on them.

 

[TreeHuggery]

I think I've posted this before, but hey. A few years ago there was a fashion for big wig public servants to be given the unofficial title of "whatever Tsar". There was a Drugs Tsar, tasked with reducing the use of illegal drugs, for example. A letter in The Guardian (I think) suggested one such could be appointed to oversee the chaos on the road caused during the peak travel times. The job title would be "Tsar of All The Rush Hours".

I remember the Drugs Tsar...went to see Howard Marks aka Mr Nice.aka the Most Wanted Drug Smuggler of All Time...and he told the story of how he applied for the post....he went through all of the criteria..knowledge of drug smuggling, knowledge of the drugs trade etc, and filled in the application form....got one of those "Dear Mr Marks, thank you for your application, but on this occasion you've been unsuccessful" letters

 

[DaveReading]

Cool. I didn't see the problem, either.

It rather depends on your perspective and marketplace.

If you're working in IT in a corporate you probably don't care, but by "developers" here I'm mainly referring to individuals and SMEs who build custom applications for clients. While our clients mostly don't care very much what development tools are used to build their applications, as long as they work well and last a long time, I can think of a number of mine who would have politely shown me the door had I waved the aforesaid marketing material at them.

While I personally have no problem in referring to myself as a geek, it's not the image that I want to project to my customers, and that was the message successfully conveyed to the vendor in this instance.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

True but I can't imagine anyone says it with malice.

I'll requote what I said, but I'll put it in bold this time so it's almost impossible for you to miss:

I'm reminded of another (unintentionally) derogatory term which cropped up quite a lot: Ambulance Driver.
I get that it's said with no malice intended.....

(Edit: Sorry, I know this does come across as incredibly sarky. I do get misquoted a lot however and it can annoy me a bit... apologies).

 

[smutchin]

Although I picture a tailor making one (probably very expensive) suit in a day or so, whereas I picture a seamstress knocking out a few dozen more everyday garments in a day.

Yes, that is an accurate depiction of the garment industry through history - women doing the bulk of the work with poor pay and conditions, men occupying all the most senior and prestigious positions. See also: professional kitchens.

(I was going to reply 'tailor' as well, but @jefmcg got there before me.)

 

[jefmcg]

(I was going to reply 'tailor' as well, but @jefmcg got there before me.)

Ditto, in as much as you said nearly what I was going to say in this post

Yes, that is an accurate depiction of the garment industry through history - women doing the bulk of the work with poor pay and conditions, men occupying all the most senior and prestigious positions. See also: professional kitchens.

Except it more than that. If a man and a woman were doing exactly the same work, he would get called a tailor and get more prestige and money ... to emphasise again ... while doing exactly the same work.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Seamstresses

Didn't Terry Pratchett have a differing implication, in the Disc World books, for the name
(like his 'ladies of negotiable virtue')

True but I can't imagine anyone says it with malice.

Except Jeremy Hunt?

 

[jefmcg]

Seamstresses

Didn't Terry Pratchett have a differing implication, in the Disc World books, for the name
(like his 'ladies of negotiable virtue')

OK, so now they are overworked, underpaid AND a euphemism for prostitute?

Let's just call them sewers.