Are you really "an alumni" of your former institution?

Well, by the fourth word of the title of this article, you might or might not already notice an error. The misuse of the word 'alumni' is among errors that often go unnoticed in the English language.

Several people use the word alumni both in singular and plural, and to refer to either a male or a female when referring to people's former learning institutions. Often we hear people say that "I'm an alumni of the such-and-such institution."

Years back, I also did not know the right word to use, and it cost me a job. As I was telling the panel about me, I made the mistake of saying that, "I am an alumni of the such-and-such university." One of the panelists asked me to repeat what I said. I proudly obliged, not knowing why he had asked me to do so. After the interview, the gentleman told me to look up the word in a dictionary. I was embarrassed.

Well, allow me to politely remind you that one should never be caught saying that he or she is an alumni of a given learning institution. It is a tiny mistake but the more one makes it, the more they expose themselves negatively.

What then should one say? Well, below are four words that if used correctly, will save you the embarrassment of always misusing the word 'alumni.'

Alumnus(singular)- A former male student of a school, college, or university.

Alumni(plural)- Former male students of a school, college, or institution.

Alumna(singular)- A former female student of a school, college, or university.

Alumnae(plural)- Former female students of a school, college, or university.

Well, I hope these four words save you any embarrassment or even an interview.