I must accept responsibility for the 'Schoolyard' thread - I started it! I did choose the phrase on purpose. Not for any journalistic or sensation seeking reason but for two very sound reasons.

1. I gathered that everyone from both sides of the Atlantic would understand Schoolyard whereas, although I was brought up with the term Playground, it may have been UK English, or even regional, rather than global.

2. A playground can be part of a school or part of a local park. We used to play on the playground in the park, which contained swings and a slide, as well as run around the school playground like mad people. The thread was specificaly targeted to the school version.

Had it been a thread about taps or pavements I would not have used the American idioms but in this case I thought it more suitable.

Before you pedants comment that I should have used 'School playground bullying' may I say that a thread title is just that. If MOST people understand it it has done it's job. So, nothing to do with American English useage, just plain common sense. Which, as the thread in question shows, may be quite uncommon nowadays:-)

Cheers

DeG