clerk (v)

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

The junior doctor clerks them – takes their medical history and examines them.

clerk = work as a clerk, as in the legal business; service (administrative)

Thanks for your efforts.

Regards,

V

[BobK]

The user seems to be using 'clerk' to mean something like 'processes in a way that involves clerical functions'. I have never met this usage, but it doesn't surprise me. Businesses (particularly ones working towards ISO 9000 ( I may have the number wrong, it's a long time since I was involved in that sort of thing) tend to invent home-made verbs willy-nilly in pursuit of 'having a documented process'.)

b

[Tdol]

I have seen it used in legal contexts, but with the preposition for.

[5jj]

I have seen it used in legal contexts, but with the preposition for.

That certainly sounds more natural to me, though I would accept it more in a sentence such as: The junior doctor clerks for his senior colleagues = does their clerical work for them.

I don't like the use in vil's original example at all, and I would understand it in a different way from vil: takes their medical history and examines them].

I'd be interested to know how it is used in legal contexts.

[riquecohen]

I'd be interested to know how it is used in legal contexts.

There's a paragraph on this in lectlaw.com.

[BobK]

...
I'd be interested to know how it is used in legal contexts.

I believe that, in the context of English law at least (Scottish law is different, so I can't even say 'British') it means 'operate as a clerk for', And not just any old 'clerk' - a Barristers' clerk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . This is by no means a lowly position; just taking down somebody's name and address would be way beneath him.

b

[vil]

I am all mixed-up for the heterogeneous statements concerning an understated verb.

Here is an excerpt from a 100% original English book, namely “Professional English in Use Medicine/ Eric H. Glendinning, Ron Howard / Cambridge University Press.

Consultant physicians and surgeons are responsible for a specific number of patients in the hospital. Each consultant has a team of junior doctors to help care for those patients.

When patients enter – or are admitted to – hospital they are usually seen first by one of the junior doctors on the ward where they will receive treatment and care.

The junior doctor clerks them – takes their medical history and examines them.

Some time later the registrar also sees the patients, and may order investigations as tests., for example X-rays or an ECG, make a provisional diagnosis, and begin treatment. …..

[riquecohen]

The junior doctor clerks them – takes their medical history and examines them.

Clerk is not used in a medical context in AmE.

[Tdol]

All the uses that I can find on the web point to the same text, so it might be the writer's idiolect or a form that exists but is not very common.