On Thu, 3 Aug 1995, Richard Faulder wrote:

>         It's no good, I have to display my ignorance. What is a "docent"?
> Australian dictionaries don't list the word.
>
          According to my OED (on CD-ROM), the usage is purely American:
"In some American universities and colleges, a recognized teacher or
lecturer not on the salaried staff; usually a post-graduate student who
is allowed to lecture in some special branch."

          There's no mention of the main Yankee usage, which refers to a
trained volunteer, usually in a museum, who deals with the public as a
guide or demonstrator.

          What's the Strine equivalent?

           Hank Burchard * [log in to unmask] * Washington DC