Cubicle! what's wrong with cabin?

[Abedd]

hello to you all,

Im a new user to this site and I already love it...you done a great job. Thank you...

I was surfing thru some tests and there is a question that I couldn’t really understand....

Test No. errors/advan-8 "Admire his Achievement", question 2

The cabin over there is free at the moment if you'd like to try on those clothes to see if they fit.

(a) cabin
(b) at the moment
(c) you'd like
(d) fit

Test No. errors/advan-8 "Admire his Achievement", answer 2

The cubicle over there is free at the moment if you'd like to try on those clothes to see if they fit.

Correct entry: cubicle
The error was: (a) cabin

the answer was that "cabin" should be replaced with cubicle"

I can't see the error, I think cabin is alright as much as cubicle is. I'd appreciate it if you can point the error to me...

Thanks, Abedd

[Torsten]

Dear AMZ,

Many thanks for your positive feedback on Alan's tests and the site in general.
As for your question - a cabin is a small room on a ship or boat where people sleep.
Or it can be a small house built of wood.

A cubicle is small area set off by walls for special use, similar to a booth or stall.

So, in a department store you have cubicles where you can change clothes.

Hope this make sense, just let me know.
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[Abed]

oh yes...now it does, Cheers mate, Abed

[Torsten]

You're welcome, Abed.
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[Yankee]

[Yankee]

No comment?

The use of the word 'cubicle' in a context such as the test sentence sounds like nothing more than a learner error to my American ears. It brings visions of dressing and undressing at the office to mind.

Your test categorizes both of the commonly used American expressions as incorrect and instead accepts the (apparently) common British usage only -- an expression that only sounds incorrect to my ears.

Or is 'cubicle' actually wrong in BE, too?
.

[Fan Of Arabian Horses]

Hi Amy,

a small interposed question only You wrote When I hear the word ...; what springs to mind .......

I were interested in : Did you intentionally not mention that something springs to Your mind or is the pronoun commonly not used here?

Thanks in advance
Michael

[Yankee]

Hi Michael

The expression 'spring to mind' is relatively fixed, however you could add a possessive adjective.

[Fan Of Arabian Horses]

Thanks for clarifying this issue, Amy

Michael

[Yankee]

.
Perhaps it is far too difficult for Alan and Torsten to comprehend the American usage of the expressions 'fitting room' and 'dressing room'. Or perhaps they simply aren't willing to acknowledge that a difference in usage exists, and that 'cubicle' sounds wrong to American ears in this context.

The so-called "correct answer" in this test would be quite wrong on the American side of the pond.
.

[Yankee]

Any plans to fix this yet? Who'd have believed that this could be so tough to accomplish?

[Ralf]

Dear Amy,

I can tell your riding your favourite hobbyhorse again. But let me assure you that I am fully aware of the volatile nature of both linguistic and political dimensions concerning this matter.

To my ears, cubicle sounds fine but slightly dated. Fitting room or changing room sound perfectly fine, but 'cabin' is what I'd expect (particularly in a swimming pool).

In any case, I'm sure that American English will take over more sooner than later. There's no stopping it, and no wars needed to be fought over it. In Britain and Ireland, people have already started using words such as 'awesome', 'bathroom', 'dude' and sometimes even 'sidewalk' when referring to 'incredible', 'toilette', 'mate' or 'pavement'. School kids are in doubt of whether to use an 's' or a 'z' in verbs like 'organise', and they spell colour without the 'u' and have the cheek to refer to a scientific internet source if corrected by their school teachers. Outrageous!

We all live in America, America is wunderbar!
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[Yankee]

.
Thank you for your comments. I'm glad you agree with me.
I'd also heard 'changing room' used, but I hadn't heard anyone use the word 'cabin' in a context such as the one in the test. I'm afraid you'll have to take that one up yourself with the author of the test.
.

[Gabriela]

I have to agree with Amy,her in USA I hear dressing room, sometimes fitting room, but never cabin or cubicle...
I heard about log cabin by the lake, though... Cubicles are called the little spaces in offices around here.
I see there are big differences between AE and BE, I have Longman exams dictionary and it tells you what is used in AE and what is used in BE or both... I have to say that I like the sound of BE, altough I find it harder to pronounce than AE. They are both English, so no wars need to be fought as Ralf wrote.
I just hope and secretly believe that one day, when I am taking one of the tests in English ... that someone will close one of their eye and let me pass with my American English...
Gabriela

[Torsten]

Hi Gabriela,

Can you please tell us more about the big differences that you see between British and American English?
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TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary