Clerk
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The word clerk, derived from the Latin clericus meaning 'cleric', i.e. clergyman (Latin was the foremost language used at most early medieval courts, writing mainly entrusted to clergy as most laymen couldn't even read), can denote someone who works in an office and whose duties include record-keeping or correspondence. In British English, although spelt clerk, the word is pronounced as if spelt with an 'a' (i.e. clark).
In a medieval context, the word meant "Scholar" and still related to the word "cleric". Even today, the term Clerk regular designates a type of regular clerics.
The cognate terms in some languages, e.g. Klerk in Dutch, became restricted to a specific, fairly low rank in the administrative hierarchy.
Various functions or offices, generally of such 'clerical' nature, include the word and an indication of the task and/or employer, that is lower in position e.g.
- City clerk
- Clerk of the Peace
- Clerk of the Closet and Deputy Clerk of the Closet
- Clerk of the Green Cloth
- County clerk
- Court clerk
- Data entry clerk
- Law clerk
- Clerk (choral) the name given to adult members of the choir at certain Colleges at Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Clerks Choral is also the name given to the adult members of professional choirs in a number of Cathedrals and Collegiate Churches in Great Britain and Ireland.
- Patent clerk
- Clerk of Works, the highly qualified non-commissioned tradesmen in the Royal Engineers.
- Clerk of the Works, a person employed by the client on the site of a building construction project to represent his interests.
- Clerk of the Privy Council, the senior civil servant in the Canadian federal government and Secretary to the Canadian Cabinet.
However in large offices and organisations which require an administrative hierarchy, some titles simply indicate the relative rank of certain clerical positions, e.g. Head Clerk, Junior Clerk, Senior Clerk.
Alternatively (in American English) a clerk is a person who sells items in a store or performs services at a desk, e.g.
- Deli Clerk
- Hotel Front Desk Clerk
- Service Desk Clerk
- Cash Register Clerk
The surnames Clark, Clarke, Clerk, Clerke are derived from this occupation.
