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johnmperry commented on the word the man on the clapham omnibus
an ordinary person = Joe Q Public
man on the Clapham omnibus is a descriptive formulation of a reasonably educated and intelligent but non-specialist person — a reasonable man, a hypothetical person against whom a defendant's conduct might be judged in an English law civil action for negligence. This standard of care comparable to that which might be exercised by "the man on the Clapham omnibus" was first mentioned by Greer LJ in Hall v. Brooklands Auto-Racing Club (1933) 1 KB 205.
The first reported legal quotation of the phrase is in the case of McQuire v. Western Morning News [›1903 2 KB 100 (CA) at 109 per Collins MR, a libel case, in which Sir Richard Henn Collins MR attributes it to Lord Bowen, who had died nine years earlier
- wikipedia
June 22, 2008
kewpid commented on the word the man on the clapham omnibus
Australian jurisprudence substitutes: “The man on the Bondi tram�?. Notice that that the common law considered until relatively recently, the ordinary person to be a man.
June 22, 2008
bilby commented on the word the man on the clapham omnibus
Please note that there are no trams to Bondi. We think this adds to the cuteness of the expression.
June 22, 2008
Prolagus commented on the word the man on the clapham omnibus
In Italy, la casalinga di Voghera (the Voghera housewife) is used as the quintessence of the average person, as a target for TV programs.
June 22, 2008
kewpid commented on the word the man on the clapham omnibus
Well, there used to be. Now it's the 333 (omni)bus.
June 22, 2008
dontcry commented on the word the man on the clapham omnibus
Man on the street. If you live in Venice, man in the boat...
June 23, 2008
bilby commented on the word the man on the clapham omnibus
Just think of the thousands of tourists every year who pose for pictures next to gondoliers.
June 23, 2008
asativum commented on the word the man on the clapham omnibus
But not little man in boat, or the conversation goes elsewhere fast.
June 24, 2008