[Vocabulary] tutor

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notletrest

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May 3, 2010
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Chinese
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China
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China
If you call a female private teacher as a governess, then how do you call a male private teacher? Please. Thank you!
 
If you call a female private teacher as a governess, then how do you call a male private teacher? Please. Thank you!

Not a teacher only a native.

A tutor is the word I would use. Though 'tutor' could refer to men or women. In this context, I don't think governess has a male equivalent.

In other uses (such as in government), the masculine version of governess is governor.
 
Not a teacher only a native.

A tutor is the word I would use. Though 'tutor' could refer to men or women. In this context, I don't think governess has a male equivalent.

In other uses (such as in government), the masculine version of governess is governor.
Thank you for your ideal. BUt I wonder why there is not its male equivalent. Maybe in the United Kindom there is not such a grown-up,er?
 
Thank you for your ideal. BUt I wonder why there is not its male equivalent. Maybe in the United Kindom there is not such a grown-up,er?

Not a teacher only a native.

I'm not sure why there isn't an equivalent, I only knew the term after googling it, reading the wikipedia entry and a yahoo answer page.

From my understanding the word is Victorian, there were definitely 'governess' in the UK, but in Victorian times. In the UK today I don't think the term is used, I could be wrong, but I've never heard of one recently though I am quite young. I can only comment from the 1990s onwards :lol:.
 
Do people still have governesses these day?
 
Do people still have governesses these day?
I came across it in the <<Chambers 20th Century Dictionary>> by E M Kirkpatrick in 1983. It means " a lady who has charge of the insruction of the young at home or in school."
Thanks a lot!
 
Do people still have governesses these day?
I wonder as English study why Englishmen so stress " today ". thinking "a pair of shoes" has gone out, and "governess " has gone out, too. We are studying English. We ,Chinese, treat both " before " and " now " equally for study. I see.
Thanks a lot!
 
Not a teacher only a native.

I'm not sure why there isn't an equivalent, I only knew the term after googling it, reading the wikipedia entry and a yahoo answer page.

From my understanding the word is Victorian, there were definitely 'governess' in the UK, but in Victorian times. In the UK today I don't think the term is used, I could be wrong, but I've never heard of one recently though I am quite young. I can only comment from the 1990s onwards :lol:.
Thanks for your further expplanation.
 
I believe in this context tutor can be considered the masculine equivalent of governess.

In Victorian times -and well into the XXth century, actually- private instructors employed by wealthy families were called governesses (for their daughters) and tutors (for their sons).
 
I wonder as English study why Englishmen so stress " today ". thinking "a pair of shoes" has gone out, and "governess " has gone out, too. We are studying English. We ,Chinese, treat both " before " and " now " equally for study. I see.
Thanks a lot!

It's useful to know what a landau is if you're going to be reading old books, but it's less useful a word for most speakers than knowing about the transport we have today. Also, if people use vocabulary that is dated, they will sound less natural, so learning contemporary English makes sense. ;-)
 
I wonder as English study why Englishmen so stress " today ". thinking "a pair of shoes" has gone out, and "governess " has gone out, too.
I don't quite understand your point . 'A pair of shoes' is normal and natural English; it has not 'gone out'

Governesses, however, have largely gone out out. Many wealthy families employed governess for their children in the past; they don't today. That's a fact of life.
 
Out of interest, where did the pair of shoes idea come from?
 
I don't quite understand your point . 'A pair of shoes' is normal and natural English; it has not 'gone out'

Governesses, however, have largely gone out out. Many wealthy families employed governess for their children in the past; they don't today. That's a fact of life.
I see what you meant.
Thanks to those who offered answers here!
 
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