Jobsworth

Jobsworth

A jobsworth is a person who uses his or her job description in a deliberately un-cooperative way, or who seemingly delights in acting in an obstructive or unhelpful manner [ [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jobsworth Jobsworth Urban Dictionary] ] [ [http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/It%27s+more+than+my+job%27s+worth Jobsworth The Free Dictionary] ] . Jonathon Green (see Bibliography) defines "jobsworth" as "a minor factotum whose only status comes from enforcing otherwise petty regulations". The term comes from the phrase "I can't do that, it's more than my job's worth". "Jobsworth" is an almost exclusively British term. The term was first coined in the UK by folk-singer Jeremy Taylor in a song he wrote in the late 1960s ("Jobsworth, Jobsworth, Its more than me job's worth, I can keep you waiting for hours in the queue, And if you don't like it you know what you can do"), but it became widespread in vernacular English through its use in the popular 1970s BBC television programme "That's Life!" which featured Esther Rantzen covering various human interest and consumer topics. A "Jobsworth of the Week" commissionaire's hat was awarded each week to "a startling tale of going by the book". [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/597889.stm BBC News: "Your job's worth more than you are"] . ]

The term remains in use, particularly in the UK, to characterise officious and inflexible employees, petty rule-following and excessive administration. [ [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199596/cmhansrd/vo960501/debtext/60501-10.htm House of Commons Hansard Debates for 1 May 1996 (pt 10)] "There seems to be here an element of what might qualify for Esther Rantzen's "jobsworth" award. I would certainly like to look at it more closely. I will therefore follow up the matters that my hon. Friend has raised today, and I hope to be able to write to him in due course." ]

George Melly, journalist and jazz musician, gave a working definition of the term during a short talk piece on BBC2 TV in the mid-1970s.Fact|date=August 2007

The term is often used to describe Gareth Keenan, a character on "The Office (UK)", and Dwight Schrute from "The Office (US)".Fact|date=August 2007

Bibliography

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References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • jobsworth — /jobzˈwûrth/ (derog sl) noun A minor official who regards the rigid enforcement of petty rules as more important than providing a service to the public ORIGIN: From ‘It s more than my job s worth to let you…’ …   Useful english dictionary

  • jobsworth — [[t]ʤɒ̱bzwɜː(r)θ[/t]] jobsworths N COUNT (disapproval) If you refer to someone as a jobsworth, you are criticizing them for using the rules connected to their job as an excuse not to be helpful. [BRIT] A surly jobsworth alerted security …   English dictionary

  • jobsworth — UK [ˈdʒɒbzˌwɜː(r)θ] / US [ˈdʒɑbzˌwɜrθ] noun [countable] Word forms jobsworth : singular jobsworth plural jobsworths British informal showing disapproval someone who always obeys the rules of their job exactly, even when it would be more sensible… …   English dictionary

  • jobsworth — noun A minor worker who refuses to be flexible in the application of rules to help a client or customer …   Wiktionary

  • jobsworth — jobs|worth [ˈdʒɔbzwə:θ US ˈdʒa:bzwə:rθ] n BrE informal someone who follows the rules of their job too exactly without using any imagination …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • jobsworth — n. official who inattentively supports unimportant rules, insignificant bureaucrat …   English contemporary dictionary

  • jobsworth — noun Brit. informal an official who mindlessly upholds petty rules. Origin 1970s: from ‘it s more than my job s worth (not) to…’ …   English new terms dictionary

  • jobsworth — noun (C) BrE informal someone who follows the rules of their job too exactly without using any imagination …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • jobsworth — Noun. A person who is very pedantic at work and strictly adheres to the rules; so called because of their oft used exclamation, I can t let you do that, it s more than my job s worth. Derog …   English slang and colloquialisms

  • Esther Rantzen — Esther Louise Rantzen CBE (born Birth date and age|1940|6|22|df=yes) is an English journalist and television presenter who is best known for her long stint in That s Life! and her child protection activities as founder of the charity… …   Wikipedia

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