On Jul 14, 1:43*pm, Roland Perry wrote:

In message , at 10:57:22 on
Tue, 14 Jul 2009, Recliner remarked:

As you say, there are many other British class-based terms that confuse
even other native English speakers, for example:
- "Public" schools, which are actually expensive private schools. This
really confuses Americans, for whom public schools are the free ones
provided by the state.

Public schools in the UK are open to the public (who can afford to pay
etc) just like "public transport".

You don't have to pass a formal intelligence or aptitude test as such
before being allowed on public transport though - the qualifier there
being mainly related to fares I'd say! (But also to other more basic
stuff like understanding the timetable, buying tickets before
boarding, reading the sometimes inadequate signage and instructions
etc.) Of course some "public schools" seem as though they'll take any
child whose parents can cross their palms with silver.