Gaining the diploma

Posted by R. Berg on June 20, 2004

In Reply to: Gaining the diploma posted by Bruce Kahl on June 20, 2004

: : I cam across this sentence written by a German engineer: "Soon I went to the Technical University of Berlin, where I studied mechanical engineering gaining the diploma in june 1999."

: : Is 'gaining the diploma' an artifact of translation or is the phrase used in English.

: Sounds like "an artifact of translation" (I like that phrase).
: Usually, at least here in the NE part of the US of A, you would hear "I earned my degree...".

"Gaining the diploma" is a fancy way of saying "graduating." Properly, high schools grant diplomas; colleges and universities grant degrees.

• 'artifact of translation' Ward 20/June/04