Use of chief as equivalent of boss
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According to the OLD, the noun chief can be used for
a person with a high rank or the highest rank in a company or an
organization.
However, while it of course appears in CEO and other job titles, I would always prefer to call refer to my line manager as my boss rather than my chief. Is this consistent with the usage by native speakers or does it depend on the region?
word-usage nouns
asked Aug 14 at 19:00
painfulenglish
1,45911234
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 3 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
According to the OLD, the noun chief can be used for
a person with a high rank or the highest rank in a company or an
organization.
However, while it of course appears in CEO and other job titles, I would always prefer to call refer to my line manager as my boss rather than my chief. Is this consistent with the usage by native speakers or does it depend on the region?
word-usage nouns
asked Aug 14 at 19:00
painfulenglish
1,45911234
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 3 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
1
It doesn't just depend on region, it depends on the argot within the organization. If you join a company where everyone refers to his or her supervisor as supes, you will too, even if no one does so at any other company in town. Chief is well-ingrained in U.S. medical settings, for example, for specific positions.
– choster
Aug 14 at 20:25
1
Just to clarify, are you asking about how one may refer or talk about someone like that, or about how to call them to their face. That is, can you create a sentence for which you want to check its viability. eg 'My boss just asked me to walk his dog.' and 'Hey, boss, your dog walks very fast.'. Are you asking about 'chief' in those positions or for something else?
– Mitch
Sep 14 at 3:01
I'm interested in the former.
– painfulenglish
Sep 15 at 5:22
I would say "my boss" but I would never say "my chief". "Chief" is really only used adjectivally or in certain specific titles, like the C-suite positions, but also as @choster mentioned in certain types of organizations like medical or military ones, where certain management positions have "chief" in the title.
– nohat♦
Nov 13 at 2:50
add a comment |
up vote
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favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
According to the OLD, the noun chief can be used for
a person with a high rank or the highest rank in a company or an
organization.
However, while it of course appears in CEO and other job titles, I would always prefer to call refer to my line manager as my boss rather than my chief. Is this consistent with the usage by native speakers or does it depend on the region?
word-usage nouns
asked Aug 14 at 19:00
painfulenglish
1,45911234
According to the OLD, the noun chief can be used for
a person with a high rank or the highest rank in a company or an
organization.
However, while it of course appears in CEO and other job titles, I would always prefer to call refer to my line manager as my boss rather than my chief. Is this consistent with the usage by native speakers or does it depend on the region?
word-usage nouns
word-usage nouns
asked Aug 14 at 19:00
painfulenglish
1,45911234
asked Aug 14 at 19:00
painfulenglish
1,45911234
asked Aug 14 at 19:00
painfulenglish
1,45911234
asked Aug 14 at 19:00
painfulenglish
1,45911234
asked Aug 14 at 19:00
painfulenglish
1,45911234
1,45911234
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 3 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 3 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
1
It doesn't just depend on region, it depends on the argot within the organization. If you join a company where everyone refers to his or her supervisor as supes, you will too, even if no one does so at any other company in town. Chief is well-ingrained in U.S. medical settings, for example, for specific positions.
– choster
Aug 14 at 20:25
1
Just to clarify, are you asking about how one may refer or talk about someone like that, or about how to call them to their face. That is, can you create a sentence for which you want to check its viability. eg 'My boss just asked me to walk his dog.' and 'Hey, boss, your dog walks very fast.'. Are you asking about 'chief' in those positions or for something else?
– Mitch
Sep 14 at 3:01
I'm interested in the former.
– painfulenglish
Sep 15 at 5:22
I would say "my boss" but I would never say "my chief". "Chief" is really only used adjectivally or in certain specific titles, like the C-suite positions, but also as @choster mentioned in certain types of organizations like medical or military ones, where certain management positions have "chief" in the title.
– nohat♦
Nov 13 at 2:50
add a comment |
1
It doesn't just depend on region, it depends on the argot within the organization. If you join a company where everyone refers to his or her supervisor as supes, you will too, even if no one does so at any other company in town. Chief is well-ingrained in U.S. medical settings, for example, for specific positions.
– choster
Aug 14 at 20:25
1
Just to clarify, are you asking about how one may refer or talk about someone like that, or about how to call them to their face. That is, can you create a sentence for which you want to check its viability. eg 'My boss just asked me to walk his dog.' and 'Hey, boss, your dog walks very fast.'. Are you asking about 'chief' in those positions or for something else?
– Mitch
Sep 14 at 3:01
I'm interested in the former.
– painfulenglish
Sep 15 at 5:22
I would say "my boss" but I would never say "my chief". "Chief" is really only used adjectivally or in certain specific titles, like the C-suite positions, but also as @choster mentioned in certain types of organizations like medical or military ones, where certain management positions have "chief" in the title.
– nohat♦
Nov 13 at 2:50
1
1
It doesn't just depend on region, it depends on the argot within the organization. If you join a company where everyone refers to his or her supervisor as supes, you will too, even if no one does so at any other company in town. Chief is well-ingrained in U.S. medical settings, for example, for specific positions.
– choster
Aug 14 at 20:25
It doesn't just depend on region, it depends on the argot within the organization. If you join a company where everyone refers to his or her supervisor as supes, you will too, even if no one does so at any other company in town. Chief is well-ingrained in U.S. medical settings, for example, for specific positions.
– choster
Aug 14 at 20:25
1
1
Just to clarify, are you asking about how one may refer or talk about someone like that, or about how to call them to their face. That is, can you create a sentence for which you want to check its viability. eg 'My boss just asked me to walk his dog.' and 'Hey, boss, your dog walks very fast.'. Are you asking about 'chief' in those positions or for something else?
– Mitch
Sep 14 at 3:01
Just to clarify, are you asking about how one may refer or talk about someone like that, or about how to call them to their face. That is, can you create a sentence for which you want to check its viability. eg 'My boss just asked me to walk his dog.' and 'Hey, boss, your dog walks very fast.'. Are you asking about 'chief' in those positions or for something else?
– Mitch
Sep 14 at 3:01
I'm interested in the former.
– painfulenglish
Sep 15 at 5:22
I'm interested in the former.
– painfulenglish
Sep 15 at 5:22
I would say "my boss" but I would never say "my chief". "Chief" is really only used adjectivally or in certain specific titles, like the C-suite positions, but also as @choster mentioned in certain types of organizations like medical or military ones, where certain management positions have "chief" in the title.
– nohat♦
Nov 13 at 2:50
I would say "my boss" but I would never say "my chief". "Chief" is really only used adjectivally or in certain specific titles, like the C-suite positions, but also as @choster mentioned in certain types of organizations like medical or military ones, where certain management positions have "chief" in the title.
– nohat♦
Nov 13 at 2:50
add a comment |
1 Answer
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boss OED
An original American equivalent of ‘master’ in the sense of employer
of labour; applied also to a business manager, or any one who has a
right to give orders. In England at first only in workmen's slang, or
humorously, = ‘leading man, swell, top-sawyer’; now in general use in
Britain.
This consistent with the usage by native speakers Ame. It is used in corporate America and in the American military with combat deployed units.
answered Aug 14 at 19:13
lbf
16.9k21561
add a comment |
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boss OED
An original American equivalent of ‘master’ in the sense of employer
of labour; applied also to a business manager, or any one who has a
right to give orders. In England at first only in workmen's slang, or
humorously, = ‘leading man, swell, top-sawyer’; now in general use in
Britain.
This consistent with the usage by native speakers Ame. It is used in corporate America and in the American military with combat deployed units.
answered Aug 14 at 19:13
lbf
16.9k21561
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
boss OED
An original American equivalent of ‘master’ in the sense of employer
of labour; applied also to a business manager, or any one who has a
right to give orders. In England at first only in workmen's slang, or
humorously, = ‘leading man, swell, top-sawyer’; now in general use in
Britain.
This consistent with the usage by native speakers Ame. It is used in corporate America and in the American military with combat deployed units.
answered Aug 14 at 19:13
lbf
16.9k21561
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
boss OED
An original American equivalent of ‘master’ in the sense of employer
of labour; applied also to a business manager, or any one who has a
right to give orders. In England at first only in workmen's slang, or
humorously, = ‘leading man, swell, top-sawyer’; now in general use in
Britain.
This consistent with the usage by native speakers Ame. It is used in corporate America and in the American military with combat deployed units.
answered Aug 14 at 19:13
lbf
16.9k21561
boss OED
An original American equivalent of ‘master’ in the sense of employer
of labour; applied also to a business manager, or any one who has a
right to give orders. In England at first only in workmen's slang, or
humorously, = ‘leading man, swell, top-sawyer’; now in general use in
Britain.
This consistent with the usage by native speakers Ame. It is used in corporate America and in the American military with combat deployed units.
answered Aug 14 at 19:13
lbf
16.9k21561
answered Aug 14 at 19:13
lbf
16.9k21561
answered Aug 14 at 19:13
lbf
16.9k21561
answered Aug 14 at 19:13
lbf
16.9k21561
16.9k21561
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
It doesn't just depend on region, it depends on the argot within the organization. If you join a company where everyone refers to his or her supervisor as supes, you will too, even if no one does so at any other company in town. Chief is well-ingrained in U.S. medical settings, for example, for specific positions.
– choster
Aug 14 at 20:25
1
Just to clarify, are you asking about how one may refer or talk about someone like that, or about how to call them to their face. That is, can you create a sentence for which you want to check its viability. eg 'My boss just asked me to walk his dog.' and 'Hey, boss, your dog walks very fast.'. Are you asking about 'chief' in those positions or for something else?
– Mitch
Sep 14 at 3:01
I'm interested in the former.
– painfulenglish
Sep 15 at 5:22
I would say "my boss" but I would never say "my chief". "Chief" is really only used adjectivally or in certain specific titles, like the C-suite positions, but also as @choster mentioned in certain types of organizations like medical or military ones, where certain management positions have "chief" in the title.
– nohat♦
Nov 13 at 2:50