Author Topic: Locum  (Read 2104 times)

Jacki

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Locum
« on: February 12, 2020, 07:06:02 PM »
I know, I know we've been over this before but for the life of me I do not know why locus and loci are common but the one nearly everyone has heard of - locum - is rare.
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2dognight

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Re: Locum
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2020, 07:10:49 PM »



I quite agree

mkenuk

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Re: Locum
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2020, 09:45:33 PM »
It was common at one time, but was reclassified.

I suspect the clue might be in the first word of the COD definition:

British, informal - short for locum tenens

(I've no idea what they call a stand-in doctor on the other side of the Atlantic)

TRex

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Re: Locum
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2020, 09:04:59 AM »
I usually see locum tenens used to refer to someone taking the place of a parent, e.g. a school during the school day. But I've never seen it shortened to locum.

Tom

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Re: Locum
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2020, 09:50:56 AM »
Like mkenuk, I too wonder what do they call stand-in doctors on the other side (for me) of the Pacific?

mkenuk

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Re: Locum
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2020, 10:45:58 AM »
I usually see locum tenens used to refer to someone taking the place of a parent, e.g. a school during the school day. But I've never seen it shortened to locum.

The term we use for the 'stand-in' parent or guardian is 'in loco parentis'.
A 'locum' nearly always refers to a medical practitioner, but when I was teaching in England, we did use it sometimes to refer to the teacher who would look after your classes if you had to be absent for any reason.

TRex

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Re: Locum
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2020, 12:12:59 PM »
The term we use for the 'stand-in' parent or guardian is 'in loco parentis'.

Ah, yes. Now that I see it, I realise you are correct and I was having 'a senior moment'.
 :-[

anonsi

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Re: Locum
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2020, 12:59:45 AM »
I've never heard of locum before. A teacher who looks after classes in the absence of the regular teacher is a substitute. I'm not sure what a "stand-in" doctor is or what they do. Are they also a substitute? If that's the case, I don't know that I've ever had a doctor substitute for another one. We have practices where there are several doctors, and if one is out you might go to another one, but it's not necessarily because they're substituting for the other ones. They just all work together.

mkenuk

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Re: Locum
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2020, 04:54:25 AM »
I suppose the words 'stand-in', 'substitute' or 'replacement' would do just as well, but in the UK at least, medical terminology has traditionally been based on Latin.

A doctor's prescription will usually include one or more Latin abbreviations, coded instructions to the pharmacist who will make up the prescription and give directions to the patient.
'Q.i.d.' for example, ('quater in die') means '4 times a day';  't.i.d. /a.c.'  ('ter in die, ante cibum') is 'three times a day, before meals', and so on.
In a sense, it's not too different from teenagers sending coded messages to friends in textese. (CUL8er)
The use of Latin helps to preserve the mystique and not tell the patient too much about what is going on!

 Locum, from 'locum tenens - 'holding the place' is another example.

birdy

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Re: Locum
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2020, 02:51:52 PM »
I know locum from the British romances (Harlequin, anyone?) I've read, but I have never seen it used here in the US-based novels - not even in our equally light romances.


cmh

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Re: Locum
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2020, 11:34:55 PM »
These days I think all UK medical practices will be group ones such as you refer to Anonsi. Gone are the days of one or two man bands like in " Doctor Findlay's Casebook" Known to older UK  TV viewers. A locum Doctor would be a temp  because someone had left or was off ill or maybe on maternity leave. I try to visit the GP as little as possible but my last visits some years ago were attended to by a very pleasant and competent locum who said that he was filling in time until he joined his new group practice elsewhere.

mkenuk

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Re: Locum
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2020, 11:45:50 AM »
This is what Wikipedia has to say on the subject:

A locum, or locum tenens, is a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another; the term is especially used for a physician or clergyman.For example, a locum tenens physician is a physician who works in the place of the regular physician when that physician is absent, or when a hospital or practice is short staffed. These professionals are still governed by their respective regulatory bodies, despite the transient or freelance nature of their positions.

The word locum is short for locum tenens, a Latin phrase meaning "place holder", akin to the French 'lieutenant'. The abbreviated form "locum" is common in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom; unlike in Latin its plural is locums. In the United States, the full length "locum tenens" (plural: locum tenentes) is preferred, though for some particular roles, alternative expressions (e.g., "substitute teacher") may be more commonly used.


[/i]
I did wonder what the plural might be; I even thought it might be locos, the accusative plural of locus!

ps. In UK the usual term for a temporary replacement teacher is 'supply teacher'; this would refer to a teacher outwith the school's normal staff brought in from outside.
For a very short absence, the teacher's classes would normally be covered internally by his/her colleagues.



 
« Last Edit: February 25, 2020, 01:45:24 PM by mkenuk »

Jacki

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Re: Locum
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2020, 08:43:05 AM »
To me all this conversation seems to show that the word Locum should be common, given that Loci is common, and to my mind it should be reversed. Locum common, loci rare.
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birdy

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Re: Locum
« Reply #13 on: February 25, 2020, 10:08:54 AM »
To me all this conversation seems to show that the word Locum should be common, given that Loci is common, and to my mind it should be reversed. Locum common, loci rare.

Locum is almost unknown here in the USA.  I knew it from my reading, but I asked around, and none of my friends knew it - pretty much what I'd expected since I've never seen or heard it used here.  So since the definition of common is that a reasonably well educated native English speaker in any part of the English-speaking word would know the word, I think locum would have to be rare (though I do prefer the term uncommon).

Greynomad

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Re: Locum
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2020, 01:31:04 PM »
Having seen the reasoning for the Greek alphabet to be common words, ie a well read person should be aware of them, I am certain  locum should also be common. I certainly think it is in common usage here in Australia, and while, like the Greek alphabet here in Australia, it is not in everyday usage in the US, I think our well read person would be aware of it. I shall now retire.