# Lecture <stand><desk>



## D D

What do we call it in english lecture stand or lecture desk?


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## much_rice

I'd call it a podium or a lectern. There are lots of names for this object.

Edit: I'm only referring to the top two rows of the lower page, perhaps excluding the last one on the right in the top row. There are totally different objects on there too, such as map stands and a magazine rack.


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## D D

much_rice said:


> I'd call it a podium or a lectern. There are lots of names for this object.


Could you name most common?


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## much_rice

That will depend on where you're from, I'm guessing. It might also depend on the context (university hall, court of law). For me, the most common general word is "podium."


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## D D

much_rice said:


> That will depend on where you're from, I'm guessing. It might also depend on the context (university hall, court of law). For me, the most common general word is "podium."


University hall, where our teachers give lecturers.  
And would you please let me know what preposition should I use with it.
Like let's say I want to say " Now I'd like to call her on lectern(so she can give her presentation)


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## much_rice

"I'd like to call her *(up) to the podium/lectern *to give her presentation."
"She spoke *from (behind) the podium*."
"She's not a good conversationalist, but *at the podium* she's a real orator."

Words in (parentheses) are optional. Wherever I say "podium" you could use any of the many words for this object.


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## bennymix

D D said:


> View attachment 33058
> What do we call it in english lecture stand or lecture desk?




Note.   I disagree with much_rice;   the upper items, lower page, are not podiums.    You stand on a podium.   The examples in post #6 are not proper, either.


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## Uncle Jack

bennymix said:


> Note. I disagree with much_rice; the upper items, lower page, are not podiums. You stand on a podium.


  

They are lecterns, although the word isn't often used. I suppose "stand" is another possibility, but there are many types of stand, whereas if you use "lectern", people will immediately know what you mean.


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## D D

Uncle Jack said:


> They are lecterns, although the word isn't often used. I suppose "stand" is another possibility, but there are many types of stand, whereas if you use "lectern", people will immediately know what you mean.


Thanks for the reply, 
To be honest, I have to use this word in a formal situation.
Where I have to introduce myself first and then call someone else up to lectern to give presentation.
Would it be okay to say " Good afternoon
  everyone my name is DD. I'm the chairperson of Mr A. He's going to give his presentation on income tax. Now without any further ado. I'd like to call him up to lectern"
If you think anything is wrong please, let me know.


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## much_rice

I know this is one of those common objects that causes endless debate, so I was careful to repeat that there are many words for it, depending on where you're from.


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## much_rice

Google understands my dialect, but I note that the ads actually say "lectern" in their titles, so perhaps "lectern" is indeed the more universal word.


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## D D

Thanks for the reply, what do you think of my previous question #9. I know, I'm not supposed to ask two questions in one tread.
But, my question is somewhat related to my first question.
So please reply.


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## bennymix

much_rice said:


> Google understands my dialect, but I note that the ads actually say "lectern" in their titles, so perhaps "lectern" is indeed the more universal word.
> 
> View attachment 33060



M-W reports the use of _podium_ as lectern.

Sorry if I sounded too harsh.

_A Podium Is the Same Thing as a Lectern_


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## much_rice

No harm done! I had to spend months in California before I acclimated to "freeways" and "*the* 405." Part of the fun of English Only is how different our Englishes really are (to the chagrin of the learners...).


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## boozer

D D said:


> Thanks for the reply,
> To be honest, I have to use this word in a formal situation.
> Where I have to introduce myself first and then call someone else up to lectern to give presentation.
> Would it be okay to say " Good afternoon
> everyone my name is DD. I'm the chairperson of Mr A. He's going to give his presentation on income tax. Now without any further ado. I'd like to call him up to lectern"
> If you think anything is wrong please, let me know.


You give him the floor, without further ado. 

I know that 'lectern' should be the term that is considered correct, technically, but I would not use it. I would almost invariably use 'podium' or... 'cathedra'. I am aware that when you open Google images most cathedras are not equipped with that thingie, but some are, for instance this one
File:Bishop of Qingdao Cathedra.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
and this one
https://blogs.commons.georgetown.edu/arth-101-spring2013/files/2013/04/photo-6.jpg

So I associate it with the word 'cathedra'.


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## Linkway

"I'm the chairperson of Mr A." ???
I think that doesn't make sense.

You can be the chairperson of a committee, board, council, or other group.  You cannot be the chair or chairperson of one person.


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## D D

Linkway said:


> "I'm the chairperson of Mr A." ???
> I think that doesn't make sense.
> 
> You can be the chairperson of a committee, board, council, or other group.  You cannot be the chair or chairperson of one person.


Thanks for the reply, So what should I say instead?


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## Hermione Golightly

"I'd like to/It gives me great pleasure to introduce ..." and then mention who he is and what he does.


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## D D

Hermione Golightly said:


> "I'd like to/It gives me great pleasure to introduce ..." and then mention who he is and what he does.


Thanks so much to reply,
Is it true that we can't say someone is the chairperson of Mr. A or B?
The Reason why I asked this question is because my whole class said this before introducing other students.


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## boozer

I did not mention it because it was not relevant to your other question, but you cannot be "the chairperson of a person". Linkway is completely right in that. It makes no sense, because it seems to say that you preside over a single person, not known why and how. 

So, no, emphatically, no - you cannot say that


D D said:


> someone is the chairperson of Mr. A or B?


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## D D

boozer said:


> I did not mention it because it was not relevant to your other question, but you cannot be "the chairperson of a person". Linkway is completely right in that. It makes no sense, because it seems to say that you preside over a single person, not known why and how.
> 
> So, no, emphatically, no - you cannot say that


Thanks for the reply, To be honest, I was wondering why you didn't  mention it earlier as a result, I guessed there may be different opinions.


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## boozer

D D said:


> To be honest, I was wondering why you didn't  mention it earlier ...


Because at that stage you were giving him the floor, having already introduced him in that bizarre fashion.


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## PaulQ

The diffrence between a podium and a lectern is discussed at podium or the table on the platform

It transpires that in AE, people are more willing to call the thing behind which a speaker stands "a podium", whereas, in BE, this called a lectern.

BE uses "podium" to refer to a raised area from which a speaker (with or without a lectern) addresses the audience.


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## Uncle Jack

boozer said:


> I know that 'lectern' should be the term that is considered correct, technically, but I would not use it. I would almost invariably use 'podium' or... 'cathedra'.


"Cathedra", boozer? A cathedra is a bishop's throne, a chair, and I have never encountered its use in any other context.


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## Linkway

Regarding "chairperson of someone", it depends on what you mean to say.

Perhaps:_ I will be chairing the next part of our conference. I invite Mr/Ms .... to the podium to give their lecture on X and that will be followed by questions from the audience and comments from our panel of experts._


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## Edinburgher

_Cathedra_ can be used figuratively in a similar way to that in which a university professor's post is said to be a "chair".
I note that both boozer's pictures show a combination of a chair and a lectern/pulpit, and I would be reasonably comfortable with using "cathedra" to denote a pulpit even if it is not combined with a chair, especially in the context of someone speaking from one in a formal capacity, as in the expression "ex cathedra".


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## D D

Linkway said:


> Regarding "chairperson of someone", it depends on what you mean to say.
> 
> Perhaps:_ I will be chairing the next part of our conference. I invite Mr/Ms .... to the podium to give their lecture on X and that will be followed by questions from the audience and comments from our panel of experts._


In universities's conference room my friend is going to give his presentation on income tax. After his presentation all students can ask him questions regarding income tax.
In this context, Can I say " I am the chairperson of Mr. DD?


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## PaulQ

Edinburgher said:


> I would be reasonably comfortable with using "cathedra"


To be brutally frank, I would avoid "cathedra" as one would avoid a leper with cholera.

It is unlikely to be understood,
It has heavy high-Christian religious overtones and thus a certain unwarranted presumption and
It indicates a position from which absolute power emanates.
unless it were the Bishop and he were in his chair and he was pronouncing dogma, I cannot see *any *excuse for using "cathedra".
It is very rarely used other than in its Latin prepositional modifier form.

</rant over>


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## D D

PaulQ said:


> To be brutally frank, I would avoid "cathedra" as one would avoid a leper with cholera.
> 
> It is unlikely to be understood,
> It has heavy high-Christian religious overtones and thus a certain unwarranted presumption and
> It indicates a position from which absolute power emanates.
> It is very rarely used other than in its Latin prepositional modifier form.


I don't know but, In india I did hear some people calling it "dice".
But, I might be wrong. I just heard them. 
I don't know exact spellings.


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## Edinburgher

D D said:


> Can I say " I am the chairperson of Mr. DD?


No, nobody can be chairperson of a person.  You can be chairperson of the question session.


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## PaulQ

D D said:


> I don't know but, In india I did hear some people calling it "dice".


You have misheard - it is a "*dais*" (pronounced "dee-ass"; "day-ass" or "die-ass")
OED
"2.
a. The raised platform at one end of a hall for the high table, or for seats of honour, a throne, or the like: often surmounted by a canopy.
[...]
b. By extension: The platform of a lecture hall; the raised floor on which the pulpit and communion table stand in some places of worship."


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## boozer

Edinburgher said:


> especially in the context of someone speaking from one in a formal capacity, as in the expression "ex cathedra".


 I am glad someone understood me. 

Mind you, that is not my default word, my default word is definitely 'podium', but still the association is there, in my language as well, so I just might drop it.


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## D D

Look, when I searched on Google. I came across this site. Have a good look at it.


Here's the link


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## Chasint

> Good afternoon everyone my name is DD. I'm the chairperson of Mr A. He's going to give his presentation on income tax. Now without any further ado. I'd like to call him up to lectern"



Good afternoon everyone, my name is DD. As chairperson, I'd like to introduce Mr A. He's going to give his presentation on income tax. _So without further ado_. I'd like to call him up to *the* lectern.


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## Uncle Jack

boozer said:


> I am glad someone understood me.


Yes, but _ex cathedra_ has a specific meaning. Unless the person speaking_ ex cathedra_ is the Pope, no "cathedra" is involved. Nor, usually, is a lectern.


D D said:


> Look, when I searched on Google and came across this site. Have a good look at it.View attachment 33063
> Here's the link


If you read the text, you will see it says that "A podium is a raised stage...". This is important, and if the left-hand picture does indeed have a raised platform for the speaker to stand on, then "podium" is fine. Without being able to see the other side, it is impossible to tell whether it is a podium or not. If it *is* a podium, then this is the word to use; it is far more common than lectern.


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## D D

Some people say, you can't be the chairperson of a person.
In my case, I guess, I might be the chairperson.
Since, my duty is to introduce someone who is going to give a presentation on some topic and at the end of the presentation I have to ask the audience if they have got any questions or queries.


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## boozer

Are you the 'presenter', then? The 'conferencier', in French*?

*And in English, it seems, much to my surprise
Conferencier definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary


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## D D

boozer said:


> Are you the 'presenter', then? The 'conferencier', in French?


Yes, Because I just have to introduce him and at the end of the presentation I have got to ask if they have got any question regarding income tax or not. (Topic of the presentation).
If this is the case, Would it be correct to say "As chairperson or I'm the chairperson"?


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## GreenWhiteBlue

boozer said:


> I would almost invariably use 'podium' or... 'cathedra'. I am aware that when you open Google images most cathedras are not equipped with that thingie, but some are, for instance this one
> File:Bishop of Qingdao Cathedra.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
> and this one
> https://blogs.commons.georgetown.edu/arth-101-spring2013/files/2013/04/photo-6.jpg
> 
> So I associate it with the word 'cathedra'.


No, that is not at all correct!!!!

A cathedra is a chair, and nothing else.  In English, a cathedra is a chair for a bishop (or to be more exact, THE chair for the bishop that is found in the bishop's own church, which is called a "cathedral" for that reason), although the word has other senses in other languages.  The item in front of the cathedras in your pictures is not also called a cathedra, but is something else (such as a kneeler or a prie-dieu.)

Calling a lectern a "cathedra" would be as incorrect and odd as calling it a "crozier", or a "baptismal font", or a "pew."


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## Roxxxannne

'Presenter' is often used in AE for the speaker, not the person who introduces the speaker.
Chasint's suggestion in #34 is perfect.


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## D D

Roxxxannne said:


> 'Presenter' is often used in AE for the speaker, not the person who introduces the speaker.
> Chasint's suggestion in #34 is perfect.


Are you saying that to say "chairperson" in that context is right?


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## Edinburgher

D D said:


> Would it be correct to say "As chairperson or I'm the chairperson"?


Not really.  It would be unusual to describe yourself as chairperson in that situation, and I would strongly recommend that you avoid that term there, even though you could be said to be "chairing" (or "moderating") the question-and-answer session after the talk.


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## D D

Edinburgher said:


> Not really.  It would be unusual to describe yourself as chairperson in that situation, and I would strongly recommend that you avoid that term there, even though you could be said to be "chairing" (or "moderating") the question-and-answer session after the talk.


Thanks to reply, what else should I be saying instead?


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## Edinburgher

D D said:


> Thanks to reply, what else should I be saying in that situation?


Don't feel that you should say the same while just substituting a different noun for "chairperson".
See #25 for an example of what you might say.
Or #34, but omitting "As chairperson".


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## boozer

GreenWhiteBlue said:


> No, that is not at all correct!!!!
> 
> A cathedra is a chair, and nothing else.  In English, a cathedra is a chair for a bishop (or to be more exact, THE chair for the bishop that is found in the bishop's own church, which is called a "cathedral" for that reason), although the word has other senses in other languages.  The item in front of the cathedras in your pictures is not also called a cathedra, but is something else (such as a kneeler or a prie-dieu.)
> 
> Calling a lectern a "cathedra" would be as incorrect and odd as calling it a "crozier", or a "baptismal font", or a "pew."


Alright, alright, I take it back. What can I do? This is not a foreign word to me (and neither is 'podium'). I know it in several languages, including mine, and I cannot keep its full meaning locked out of the English compartment of my brain  Makes you wonder why it does not mean that in English if it is there anyway. 

And I did say it is not the default word I would use, anyway.


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## bennymix

I must say I've never previously heard of a 'cathedra'.   The Bishop's Chair is in Anglican churches, as I recall.   I suppose 'throne' is also used, but it seems a bit Catholic..


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## D D

To tell you the truth, Neither did I hear of it before.
But I'm glad to have known it. I have learnt so many new things today.


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## much_rice

DD, the "chairperson" or "chair" (or "chairman" or "chairwoman" if you want to bring gender in) is the leader of some group or organization. So it's fine to say "Hello, my name is Prof. DD, and as chair of the Economics Department, I'm proud to run this meeting." But if you're not the head of some permanent committee or club or organization, then it's not the right word. As another has said, "moderator" is possibly the word you're looking for. The moderator is the person who organizes a particular debate, and can also be said of the person who introduces the speakers and calls on members of the audience in a question-and-answer session.

You don't have to use any of these words, though: "Hello everyone, and welcome to [name of lecture]. My name is DD, and I'm the [job title] at [name of institution]. Our first speaker is Mr. A, the [job title], who is going to give a presentation about income tax. Without further ado, please help me welcome Mr. A." (Then everyone applauds politely.)

Here's an example where I've filled in the brackets with a specific scenario: "Hello everyone, and welcome to our New Paths for Economic Development lecture series. My name is DD, and I'm an assistant professor of finance at Such-and-Such University. Our first speaker is Mr. A, an associate professor of economics here, who is going to give a presentation about income tax. Without further ado, please help me welcome Mr. A." (Applause)

I also like Hermione's formulation in #18.


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## RM1(SS)

bennymix said:


> Note.   I disagree with much_rice;   the upper items, lower page, are not podiums.    You stand on a podium.   The examples in post #6 are not proper, either.


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## D D

Much _rice, thanks so much


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