bailiwick
an area of responsibility
TRANSLATION
der Amtsbezirk, die Vogtei
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
"The Government are right to encourage investment into Northern Ireland but they must also remember the local companies. The Minister will be aware, although it is not his BAILIWICK, that one in three employees in manufacturing work in businesses that employ fewer than 50 people."
(Rev. Ian Paisley - UK Parliament - 26 Feb 1998)
(Rev. Ian Paisley - UK Parliament - 26 Feb 1998)
Did you
know?
bailiwick
Usage Note:
You will usually hear "bailiwick" prefixed by "not with":
"Dealing with personnel matters is not my bailiwick"
"The Middle East is not my bailiwick, you should speak to Mr Evans"
"I'd like to help you with your complaint, but that's not my bailiwick, please contact customer relations."
If something is not in someone's "bailiwick" it means it's not their business or not their problem.
Etymology:
Where did "bailiwick" come from?
Ironically, "bailiwick" originally denoted, not an unwelcome responsibility, but the area of one's power and influence.
"Bail" comes from the Latin "bajulus," or "carrier," what we today would call a porter. Of course, many things can be carried or borne, from water (leading to the nautical "bail") to legal responsibility (as in "posting bail" for an accused criminal).
In fact, pregnant women, carrying their unborn children, were once known as "bailiffs," as were the nannies who later "bore" responsibility for looking after them.
The "bailiff" in the England of the Middle Ages was the Sheriff's assistant, bearing responsibility for his district, and a powerful man in his own right. His "wick," from the Old English "wic," or place of residence, was his jurisdiction.
Both words live on in other forms in modern English: "wick" is a common suffix in English place names (as in "Warwick"), and "bailiffs," somewhat diminished in status, are the court officers familiar to any Perry Mason fan.
The English still grant the bailiff a bit more power, their "bailiff" being equivalent to our "trustee" or "guardian."
"Bailiwick" today means something less precise and legalistic than in merry old England, more an area of expertise or authority based on familiarity with the subject.
If you want to impress your British friends with your English, instead of simply saying "It's not my job", say it's not my bailiwick.
(from the word detective)
Usage Note:
You will usually hear "bailiwick" prefixed by "not with":
"Dealing with personnel matters is not my bailiwick"
"The Middle East is not my bailiwick, you should speak to Mr Evans"
"I'd like to help you with your complaint, but that's not my bailiwick, please contact customer relations."
If something is not in someone's "bailiwick" it means it's not their business or not their problem.
Etymology:
Where did "bailiwick" come from?
Ironically, "bailiwick" originally denoted, not an unwelcome responsibility, but the area of one's power and influence.
"Bail" comes from the Latin "bajulus," or "carrier," what we today would call a porter. Of course, many things can be carried or borne, from water (leading to the nautical "bail") to legal responsibility (as in "posting bail" for an accused criminal).
In fact, pregnant women, carrying their unborn children, were once known as "bailiffs," as were the nannies who later "bore" responsibility for looking after them.
The "bailiff" in the England of the Middle Ages was the Sheriff's assistant, bearing responsibility for his district, and a powerful man in his own right. His "wick," from the Old English "wic," or place of residence, was his jurisdiction.
Both words live on in other forms in modern English: "wick" is a common suffix in English place names (as in "Warwick"), and "bailiffs," somewhat diminished in status, are the court officers familiar to any Perry Mason fan.
The English still grant the bailiff a bit more power, their "bailiff" being equivalent to our "trustee" or "guardian."
"Bailiwick" today means something less precise and legalistic than in merry old England, more an area of expertise or authority based on familiarity with the subject.
If you want to impress your British friends with your English, instead of simply saying "It's not my job", say it's not my bailiwick.
(from the word detective)
