A podium is a platform upon which you stand. A lectern is a stand which you stand next to, behind or in front of to deliver your platform or speech or whatever. You do not stand at or behind the podium; you stand on the podium and at the lectern. Pod comes from podos: foot. Lectern comes from legare: to read. Seems simple, doesn't it, but it is rare for anyone to use the word podium correctly and that goes for every newscaster on television. Now, I am sure I will have people say to me, "My dictionary accepts podium as synonymous with lectern." And it probably does, because dictionaries, like many teachers, often just give up on people who can't get it right.
Holy crap cranky Luddite, look at you getting all geeky with photos to illustrate your point. What's next, an arrow graphic pointing to the podium and one pointing to the lectern?
ReplyDeleteObviously you are not aware of how incredibly brilliant I am at using the computer. All right, I would have no idea how to do an arrow graphic!
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