English is constantly evolving, and we see it in action over the renaming of public schools as private schools. I am not sure how long this has been going on - but it is very noticeable on the BBC (which I imagine has an office of approved words to go along with the pronunciation bureau). Especially now that education is in the political spotlight - the Tories are tearing themselves to pieces over grammar schools and New Labour is insisting that non-state schools should do more for their charitable status (apart from taking people out of the state system for which they've already paid).
Since 1364, public school has been used to denote any school to which a child might go upon payment of the necessary fees, irrespective of where he (and it usually was 'he' until more recently) lived, or of his religion. (Contrasted with private tuition within the home). And the term was well understood by most people in connection with the old established schools like Harrow, Eton, Rugby and so on.
So - are we now considered too stupid to understand the distinction? Or is it an attempt to whip up feeling against something to which we cannot all aspire (like private healthcare)?
And it isn't only the woolly liberals at the BBC: even that conservative publication The Telegraph has started using the term too - which really did surprise me.
30/05/07 @ 10:46