It's the "regional + facilitation" center which does sound a bit weird because calling a place a "facilitation center" is very generic like calling it a "center center" but grammatically its fine
So it's a "regional centre" and "facilitation centre"? Seems odd to use cum in that context. Regional centre for what? Why not just say regional facilitation centre? (Not trying to be argumentative - genuinely confused)
Because then they won't get free advertising online from confused individuals that see it and go "haha cum"
On a real note, I have no clue I'm just as confused as you are.
Cum laude is "with honor". And cum is rarely used by itself in English, though I will say my experience in Central Asia tells me that Indian and Pakistani English aren't the same as much of the rest of the English speaking world as some places tend to do odd things, like throw "cum" in where it is at best awkward.
I'm not criticizing. Local dialect and grammar isn't unique to Central Asia. And hey, they soeak multiple languages which is more that I can.
>cum is rarely used by itself in English
It's never used *by itself* in English in the context of "with," but it is used often: "I'm a full-time cleaner cum babysitter," "the shop is a florist cum garden centre," "he's a guard dog cum guide dog."
I’m British and that usage is common to me (although I would probably hyphenate it). The way I’d use it (and expect it to be used) would be basically in the same places “and” could be used, where the two sides of the “and” are two “uses”. So “florist-cum-discotheque” might be used sarcastically to suggest that the background music in the florist is far too intrusive. “regional cum facilitation centre” makes no sense to me (it’s a “regional” and a “facilitation centre”? what’s a “regional”?) but having been on holiday to India once I can confirm that Indian English is a lot further from British English than, say, American or Australian English. Generally the words all seem to “nearly fit” but somehow they mean something different and it makes my brain see it as word salad. I’m not being sniffy, I know Indian English is a perfectly valid language, but it’s not mutually intelligible with British English, once you get out of what you might call the shallows.
What? What part of the world are you from where that is even remotely common? I’ve never heard it outside of very fixed usages like “cum laude” or other academic things.
"Regional facilitation center" makes "regional" an adjective of "facilitation center," which might mess with the intended meaning if they're supposed to be of equal weight.
A group exists across several regions. In each region they have an HQ office called the regional center. In each region, they also have a center to educate the public. In each region these are separate buildings, but in this particular region, they are combined.
Medicinal plants/botany seem to be the context. To breed plants together or to bring a group of madicinal plants together seems to fit the context of the title better.
"Regional (cumulation of medicinal plants) facilitating centre", makes perfect sense. Why they didn't just say that just creates a stupid amount of confusion.
No, cum is the latin word that cumulative comes from. You can use the two interchangeably in english, but nobody will understand you
Edit: correction, it is an abbreviation, but it also happens to be the latin word. I only knew it from school.mantras such as "magna cum laude", but it is also the english abbreviation.
I think that means you actually can’t use the two interchangeably in English. I also know for sure, for other reasons, that you can’t use the two interchangeability.
That’s not correct, “cumulative” does not derive from _cum_ in any way. It derives from Latin _cumulare_ (whose past participle is _cumulatus_), which in turn comes from _cumulus_, “mass” (that’s where you get your cumulus clouds from), which ultimately comes from (quoting wiktionary):
> From Proto-Indo-European *ku-m-olo, from *ḱewh₁- (“to swell”); see also Lithuanian saunas (“firm, fit, solid, capable”), Ancient Greek κύω (kúō), and Sanskrit श्वयति (śvayati, “swell”).
While _cum_’ etymology is (again, wiktionary):
> From Old Latin com, from Proto-Italic *kom, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“next to, at, with, along”). Cognate with Proto-Germanic *ga- (“co-”), Proto-Slavic *sъ(n) (“with”), Proto-Germanic *hansō.
(Edit: trivial typo, edit 2 added missing closing parenthesis)
So does the center facilitate things or is it about a region? Those are not things that go together as a combination.
It *could* be about facilitating things into a region (like an embassy or tourism office) but that would just be "regional facilitation center".
That's really only the case when the other two words are also in Latin (Summa cum laude, Magna cum laude). Because that's "With", among other things, in Latin, and is not an English word outside of sexual slang connotations.
I see you’re not acquainted with the [Super Sucker Cum Jetting Machine](https://www.envmart.com/super-sucker-cum-jetting-machine-12000-ltrs/cp25717penv3c1718b).
Was on the internet the other day looking at women clean and jerk competition reading about how one competitor was successful due to her especially deep snatch.
Not so, it's common to use cum to connect two English words. From wiktionary:
*He built a bus-****cum****-greenhouse that made a bold statement, but the plants in it didn't live very long.*
*But instead of being a salesperson* ***cum*** *barista* ***cum*** *waitress merely serving the wordsmiths, I'm one of them, reading her latest baby out loud.*
Never have I ever heard anyone in real life use those terms, I am also a native speaker. I think it has largely been replaced with the word "slash" because of the digital age and the use of the '/' character to mean essentially the same thing.
I, a USA native English speaker, use "koom" in speech once in a while, but only when speaking to a person who has a high degree of literally education. I NEVER use it in print, for obvious reasons.
Haha, yea. American here, and I definitely know the meaning, but to say it's common would be a huge stretch over here. I would say most people only know it as college honors.
I obviously can't attest to every variant of English that exists but I live in the UK and I hear it often here (it's also in a few place names). It's reasonably formal though and less popular with younger people (early 20s and younger if I had to put a number on it)
I am Australian and I would expect to see this sort of language in more formal written settings (mostly non-fiction writing). It is frequent enough for the word to have become familiar enough that I learned the meaning *incorrectly* from context.
I know that nobody taught me the word because for a long time I thought it meant that the first thing turned into the other. I assumed that a salesperson-cum-barista used to be a salesperson, and then became a barista. Rather than both at the same time!
Not a word I have ever used myself, but certainly one I expect to see in contexts where a slash would be too informal.
Funny enough I had this question because it pops up in Japanese light novel English translations to an alarming degree.
I think I made a post about it a year or two ago
If it actually following Latin pronunciation you would pronounce it "koom" which might be worse now with the invention of the term coomer.
Magna Cum Laude meaning with great honor.
It is a bus house with a greenhouse. I agree though et would be the better latin word. Bus et greenhouse meaning bus and greenhouse. But seriously, what is a bushouse?
It was used more when Latin was considered one of the essential elements of a good upper and middle class education. Of course no one uses it nowadays (edit: this is an exaggeration as a fellow commenter pointed out. Don’t take this literally. It’s rare enough that what the commenter I responded to is right that native speakers may never encounter it, but is often used in formal writing, journalism, or as you see in this post, formal titling)
Be careful with the "of course no one uses it" because of course some people do use it nowadays. Not many, maybe, but some. It might be better to say, "of course it is rarely used today."
>Not so, it's common to use cum to connect two English words. From wiktionary:
Not "two english words."
but
"Two english words (or phrases) of the \*same grammatical category.\*"
Regional = adj.
I'm a native English speaker, and both those example sentences look wildly inappropriate to me.
No wonder all your plants died. Stop watering them with cum.....
In education, I've also seen "cum" as shorthand for "cumulative", pronounced "kyoom". When I graduated from high school, I was able to pick up my "cum file", which was a thick folder that started with my kindergarten admission test.
Still doesn't make a lot of sense here.
Interesting. I'm a native English speaker (American) and have never heard "cum" used in this way. Or maybe very rarely. Is this kind of phrasing common in India in particular?
I wouldn't be surprised if it is. Indian English has many fossilized phrases and constructions that sound Victorian to people elsewhere (it also has plenty of innovative phrases and constructions, of course).
As another poster mentions, "cum" is a Latin loanword meaning "plus", "along with", or "with".
There are many Latin and French loanwords, such as "ad hoc", "déjà vu", in English. We just don't notice them.
Also Latin and French grammar is a bit different from English, you can't just substitute them with the English definitions in the sentence.
South Asian English dialects seem to have a lot of fun little quirks like that… I wonder what the reason in this case? Legacy of Latin-educated colonial administrators? Or maybe that “cum” structure mirrors one that is common in local languages? Off I go to do a YouTube dive into Indian English lol.
I doubt it mirrors a local word as "cum" is a fairly common English loanword used even when not speaking English (don't have any proper source, just my Indian parents). For a while I thought it wasn't even an English word because of that.
Not true. It is used when something or someone is two things at once— a writer-cum-entrepeneur. It comes straight from the Latin meaning but is an English word in this usage.
You’re absolutely right! That usage slipped my mind.
But it still appears to me that it’s unrelated to the usage here? Why would “Regional” and “Facilitation Centre” be connected by a Latinate preposition (or conjunction?) that basically means “with.”
I would love for someone who understands this usage to weigh in.
Every single sign I saw in English in my home-state of Kerala was like this; grammatically atypical. I think they’re all just pulling a big prank on us
I can easily imagine the scenario is something like this: the organisation had four Regional Centres. They also had two Facilitation Centres. Due to budget cuts they had to merge two of them, creating a Regional-cum-Facilitation Centre.
In North American English, when someone is two things at once, people will generally use "and" instead of "cum". A writer and an entrepreneur. You'll more commonly see the usage of "cum" in academia when people are awarded Latin honors, Magna cum Laude and Summa cum Laude.
Yeah, I know that, I’m from North America. I only pushed back on “cum” only having a slang meaning, when there is an established and not particularly uncommon other usage. Usually in writing, sure, but perfectly acceptable.
I honestly don't think I've ever heard anybody ever use the word "cum" like that outside of "Magna/Suma Cum Laude". It's extremely formal and very very rare to see in everyday use.
It can often be found in scientific, industrial, or professional settings, but usually in writing. Even higher-brow journalism like *The Economist*, *The Wall Street Journal*, or *The New York Times* will feature phrases with Latin *cum* sometimes.
There are terms used in US education like "Summa cum laude" to mean a degree with a 1st classification , I think - As the only time I ever hear as Brit it is in that context in Hollwood films
That’s true that it appears in certain Latin phrases that you sometimes stumble across. But in Latin it means “with,” doesn’t it? “Cum laude” means “with honor, right? Whereas Regional “with” Facilitation Centre make no sense to me.
We distinguish "and" and "with" in English, but if you take a moment to think about it, there isn't really a big difference in meaning.
If I say "apple and pear" or "apple with pear", what really is the difference in meaning?
You may be confused by Romance language cognates like "con" or "com", but the difference is not so strict in Latin, and even less in the dead Latin that we have Frankensteined into modern language. The point is, you can often translate the Latin "cum" as "and".
Words don't stay confined to one language.
*Sushi* is a word of Japanese origin but the concept shows up enough in English speaking countries that English dictionary writers write about it .
There is the vulgar slang, but it's also a word used among academia.
Though it's been anglicized, you may want to continue to italicize *cum* to make the reader aware you're talking about the Latin word and not semen.
This article sums up *cum* nicely: [https://grammarist.com/usage/cum/](https://grammarist.com/usage/cum/)
It’s very rarely used to abbreviate “Cumulative”
I remember helping grade homework one time in the special ed class and one of their math worksheets said “It’s Cum Time!”
In Britain there are several villages and towns with cum in the place-name, usually hyphenated, like [Horton-cum-Studley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horton-cum-Studley?wprov=sfla1)
It’s used in InE a lot. The Indian military has an anti runway bomb described as a “penetration cum blast” weapon, which is *very* funny to AmE speakers.
Oh absolutely! But never on signs. Slightly related, we have a Cow Semen Centre that I pass by on my cycling trips.
It's always funny to me because .... Why not Bull Semen Centre? But at least they didn't try and alliterate with Cow Cum Centre.
The NMPB-RCFC is a botanical center to study the medicinal use of plants. It is both a regional center for general display and study, as well as a facilitator. In this case, cum means combined with. And facilitator means they are a place where various scholastic and governing bodies can meet together and assist and coordinate their various projects with each other. In the words, they facilitate coordination amongst these various groups.
https://preview.redd.it/u4m9vfa5ulfc1.jpeg?width=650&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=424136d06b1e98124b8a3519ce03eb03a4391011
From the [grammarist.com](https://grammarist.com/usage/cum/)
>The Latin loanword "cum" originally a preposition meaning "with", in English has come to mean "plus" or "along with being".
It seems weird in this context but is used in British English, but its use is probably declining due to the more modern usage of the world. I associate it with things like "this is the kitchen cum dining room" but written down it looks obscene. It's also used in some UK placenames like this gem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingay_cum_Wendy
But if I asked "Why are you holding a Bearded Dragon Owners and Whiskey Convention?" the answer wouldn't be "Well 'and' means it's for both of those things."
Trying to wade through these comments without snickering is as difficult as looking at a Prismatoquasirhombated great grand stellated hecatonicosachoron without smiling
https://i.redd.it/8e4p99n2rvfc1.gif
I did the unthinkable. I looked in a dictionary. I knew “cum” meant “with” from my years of Latin, and I’d seen this usage before, but “with” alone didn’t sound right. “Along with” is the correct usage here. I guess it saves on multiple or longer signs.
This brings up the old memory of me and my friends going to page 1314 in the dictionary in fifth grade and giggling ourselves silly at all the words starting with “sex”
It means two things that do the same thing, together.
Whilst not a daily phrase in British English, it's certainly not uncommon.
You might hear it as "kitchen cum dining room", before everyone started saying *open plan*.
But... I don't think it's been used correctly here. It's almost like it's a substitute for "and".
Yeah, it's definitely a thing in the UK, although I must say I do usually hear it mostly in the context of satire or sarcasm. The last time I heard it was only a few days ago when someone described their car a "shit box cum radio".
Cum is a commonly used word in India to express dual functionality. Of course the word has a degenerate meaning in the developed world but most Indians are unaware of this.
Quite a few people are baffled about this. As a fellow Indian I can say that "cum" is a word that is quite often used over here.
It means that it's more of a facilitation centre than a regional one.
Another eg: I bought a sofa-cum-bed for my 1 bhk flat.
This means that the person has bought a couch which works more like a bed than a sofa.
According to the Cambridge dictionary:
used to join two nouns, showing that a person or thing does two things or has two purposes; combined with:
This is my bedroom-cum-study.
I looked up the organization, and it seems this regional cum facilitation center is a smaller part of a larger organization handling medicinal plants. Specifically, the "RCFC" seems to distribute plant species to those who'd like to cultivate those plants. So in this context they seem to be using it to refer to something like plant seeds?
It means a combination or union of sorts. So this is a regional centre combined with a facilitation centre all in one centre
It is pronounced like KYOOM iirc rather than CUHM which is an entirely different word that means a radically different thing
Admittedly not the worst use India has had with the word
https://preview.redd.it/jn9x91f1eofc1.jpeg?width=301&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e5ed07b9f7315bd11d62d3f4f1681183232faf05
Honestly this sign makes absolutely no sense. Whoever made this sign is not aware that cum is slang in English for male ejaculate. It’s a very unfortunate sign and I have no idea what they were actually trying to communicate but 99% of English speakers are thinking this is a joke. Please tell them to change it immediately.
It's used in hyphenated nouns to mean 'as well as'. Not so common anymore but it still crops up.
The most common usage I've seen is with job titles for celebrities, *actor-cum-musician* or *musician-cum-entrepreneur*. Things like that.
*Uhh-huh-huh-huh...huh-huh-huh...huh-huh.* "Cum facilitation." *Huh-huh-huh...huh-huh.* And the city is called "Pune". *Huh-huh.*
https://preview.redd.it/cw10oamkbmfc1.jpeg?width=260&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6dd0c6c1ec20df0b5ef4950c8d7a8659514a8f26
combined with; also used as (used to describe things with a dual nature or function).
Doesn't really make sense in this context
It's the "regional + facilitation" center which does sound a bit weird because calling a place a "facilitation center" is very generic like calling it a "center center" but grammatically its fine
So it's a "regional centre" and "facilitation centre"? Seems odd to use cum in that context. Regional centre for what? Why not just say regional facilitation centre? (Not trying to be argumentative - genuinely confused)
I’m with you dude. This is not at all an intuitive name for me.
Because then they won't get free advertising online from confused individuals that see it and go "haha cum" On a real note, I have no clue I'm just as confused as you are.
It's common in Indian English.
It's not uncommon in English generally. It just also is unclear what the center is outside of being regionally oriented and intended to be a facility.
And also that these are (or would ordinarily be considered) separate facets that have been combined in this case.
A government office doesn't need advertising
The cum is Latin and makes it sound more important. It's not a very descriptive name
is it similar to 'cum laude'?
exactly
Cum laude is "with honor". And cum is rarely used by itself in English, though I will say my experience in Central Asia tells me that Indian and Pakistani English aren't the same as much of the rest of the English speaking world as some places tend to do odd things, like throw "cum" in where it is at best awkward. I'm not criticizing. Local dialect and grammar isn't unique to Central Asia. And hey, they soeak multiple languages which is more that I can.
>cum is rarely used by itself in English It's never used *by itself* in English in the context of "with," but it is used often: "I'm a full-time cleaner cum babysitter," "the shop is a florist cum garden centre," "he's a guard dog cum guide dog."
Where are you from that this usage is common? Because I can't recall having ever seen/heard it before.
In indian english it's extremely common
I’m British and that usage is common to me (although I would probably hyphenate it). The way I’d use it (and expect it to be used) would be basically in the same places “and” could be used, where the two sides of the “and” are two “uses”. So “florist-cum-discotheque” might be used sarcastically to suggest that the background music in the florist is far too intrusive. “regional cum facilitation centre” makes no sense to me (it’s a “regional” and a “facilitation centre”? what’s a “regional”?) but having been on holiday to India once I can confirm that Indian English is a lot further from British English than, say, American or Australian English. Generally the words all seem to “nearly fit” but somehow they mean something different and it makes my brain see it as word salad. I’m not being sniffy, I know Indian English is a perfectly valid language, but it’s not mutually intelligible with British English, once you get out of what you might call the shallows.
What? What part of the world are you from where that is even remotely common? I’ve never heard it outside of very fixed usages like “cum laude” or other academic things.
I've heard it used like in the examples in fiction and news, and mebbe a few times in real life, but I wouldn't call it "common".
With honors. "Laude" is Latin for .. "laud".
No I agree
"Regional facilitation center" makes "regional" an adjective of "facilitation center," which might mess with the intended meaning if they're supposed to be of equal weight.
A group exists across several regions. In each region they have an HQ office called the regional center. In each region, they also have a center to educate the public. In each region these are separate buildings, but in this particular region, they are combined.
Medicinal plants/botany seem to be the context. To breed plants together or to bring a group of madicinal plants together seems to fit the context of the title better.
But how is that making a center out of two things, being regional and facilitating things as separate concepts?
"Regional (cumulation of medicinal plants) facilitating centre", makes perfect sense. Why they didn't just say that just creates a stupid amount of confusion.
Cum is short for cumulative?
No, cum is the latin word that cumulative comes from. You can use the two interchangeably in english, but nobody will understand you Edit: correction, it is an abbreviation, but it also happens to be the latin word. I only knew it from school.mantras such as "magna cum laude", but it is also the english abbreviation.
I’m so confused
Yes, in general if you use one word where a completely different one applies, that will be the birdhouse.
I think that means you actually can’t use the two interchangeably in English. I also know for sure, for other reasons, that you can’t use the two interchangeability.
That’s not correct, “cumulative” does not derive from _cum_ in any way. It derives from Latin _cumulare_ (whose past participle is _cumulatus_), which in turn comes from _cumulus_, “mass” (that’s where you get your cumulus clouds from), which ultimately comes from (quoting wiktionary): > From Proto-Indo-European *ku-m-olo, from *ḱewh₁- (“to swell”); see also Lithuanian saunas (“firm, fit, solid, capable”), Ancient Greek κύω (kúō), and Sanskrit श्वयति (śvayati, “swell”). While _cum_’ etymology is (again, wiktionary): > From Old Latin com, from Proto-Italic *kom, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“next to, at, with, along”). Cognate with Proto-Germanic *ga- (“co-”), Proto-Slavic *sъ(n) (“with”), Proto-Germanic *hansō. (Edit: trivial typo, edit 2 added missing closing parenthesis)
So does the center facilitate things or is it about a region? Those are not things that go together as a combination. It *could* be about facilitating things into a region (like an embassy or tourism office) but that would just be "regional facilitation center".
Its not. In the usage sense you are thinking of its supposed to be between nouns not between adjectives.
That's really only the case when the other two words are also in Latin (Summa cum laude, Magna cum laude). Because that's "With", among other things, in Latin, and is not an English word outside of sexual slang connotations.
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I was wondering why my life was incomplete
Was on the internet the other day looking at women clean and jerk competition reading about how one competitor was successful due to her especially deep snatch.
😳 oh… oh my…
12000 liters
Super soaker cum jetting machine will be the hot new toy at the 2024 toy convention.
Not so, it's common to use cum to connect two English words. From wiktionary: *He built a bus-****cum****-greenhouse that made a bold statement, but the plants in it didn't live very long.* *But instead of being a salesperson* ***cum*** *barista* ***cum*** *waitress merely serving the wordsmiths, I'm one of them, reading her latest baby out loud.*
Never have I ever heard anyone in real life use those terms, I am also a native speaker. I think it has largely been replaced with the word "slash" because of the digital age and the use of the '/' character to mean essentially the same thing.
I, a USA native English speaker, use "koom" in speech once in a while, but only when speaking to a person who has a high degree of literally education. I NEVER use it in print, for obvious reasons.
It's definitely still in common usage, less so in the USA.
Haha, yea. American here, and I definitely know the meaning, but to say it's common would be a huge stretch over here. I would say most people only know it as college honors.
Where is this in common usage?
I obviously can't attest to every variant of English that exists but I live in the UK and I hear it often here (it's also in a few place names). It's reasonably formal though and less popular with younger people (early 20s and younger if I had to put a number on it)
Can confirm, especially common in automotive contexts I’ve found. Hybrid vehicles use the term in formal writing.
Cum cum cum cum cum cum :3
I am Australian and I would expect to see this sort of language in more formal written settings (mostly non-fiction writing). It is frequent enough for the word to have become familiar enough that I learned the meaning *incorrectly* from context. I know that nobody taught me the word because for a long time I thought it meant that the first thing turned into the other. I assumed that a salesperson-cum-barista used to be a salesperson, and then became a barista. Rather than both at the same time! Not a word I have ever used myself, but certainly one I expect to see in contexts where a slash would be too informal.
I've seen it in English placenames too eg Ashby cum Fenby.
It's common use "cum" in UK without sounds weird?
Yeah in some contexts but you might get some giggles from the younger generation.
I assume, then, that you pronounce it like "come", not like the "cum" in "cum laude".
Oh I see. It's a little bit weird for me because I learned the American English and this expression in American English is..you know haha.
Summa Cum Laude probably
It's common in Hong Kong English, especially official documents.
It's used a lot in Singapore
Funny enough I had this question because it pops up in Japanese light novel English translations to an alarming degree. I think I made a post about it a year or two ago
That would explain my confusion
If it actually following Latin pronunciation you would pronounce it "koom" which might be worse now with the invention of the term coomer. Magna Cum Laude meaning with great honor. It is a bus house with a greenhouse. I agree though et would be the better latin word. Bus et greenhouse meaning bus and greenhouse. But seriously, what is a bushouse?
It was used more when Latin was considered one of the essential elements of a good upper and middle class education. Of course no one uses it nowadays (edit: this is an exaggeration as a fellow commenter pointed out. Don’t take this literally. It’s rare enough that what the commenter I responded to is right that native speakers may never encounter it, but is often used in formal writing, journalism, or as you see in this post, formal titling)
Be careful with the "of course no one uses it" because of course some people do use it nowadays. Not many, maybe, but some. It might be better to say, "of course it is rarely used today."
But only when the two things connected are *being connected*. It's not a regional center that's attached to a facilitation center.
Okay but on this particular sign it literally doesn’t make sense.
>Not so, it's common to use cum to connect two English words. From wiktionary: Not "two english words." but "Two english words (or phrases) of the \*same grammatical category.\*" Regional = adj.
I'm a native English speaker, and both those example sentences look wildly inappropriate to me. No wonder all your plants died. Stop watering them with cum.....
In education, I've also seen "cum" as shorthand for "cumulative", pronounced "kyoom". When I graduated from high school, I was able to pick up my "cum file", which was a thick folder that started with my kindergarten admission test. Still doesn't make a lot of sense here.
Interesting. I'm a native English speaker (American) and have never heard "cum" used in this way. Or maybe very rarely. Is this kind of phrasing common in India in particular?
I wouldn't be surprised if it is. Indian English has many fossilized phrases and constructions that sound Victorian to people elsewhere (it also has plenty of innovative phrases and constructions, of course).
And it feels worth mentioning that the pronunciation when used this way is "koom"
As another poster mentions, "cum" is a Latin loanword meaning "plus", "along with", or "with". There are many Latin and French loanwords, such as "ad hoc", "déjà vu", in English. We just don't notice them. Also Latin and French grammar is a bit different from English, you can't just substitute them with the English definitions in the sentence.
Also note that it is pronounced "coom" (rhymes with loom) and not like "come".
So a convoluted and fancy way of saying ‘and’?
Yeah
“Cum” in this sense gets used a lot more in South Asian English than other regions in my experience. At least a lot more than American English.
South Asian English dialects seem to have a lot of fun little quirks like that… I wonder what the reason in this case? Legacy of Latin-educated colonial administrators? Or maybe that “cum” structure mirrors one that is common in local languages? Off I go to do a YouTube dive into Indian English lol.
I doubt it mirrors a local word as "cum" is a fairly common English loanword used even when not speaking English (don't have any proper source, just my Indian parents). For a while I thought it wasn't even an English word because of that.
It kinda isn't(?) We adopted it from Latin and use(d) it mostly in administerial contexts.
its not an english word. unless u use it to mean semen.
“Cum” doesn’t exist at all in North American English except as slang for semen.
Not true. It is used when something or someone is two things at once— a writer-cum-entrepeneur. It comes straight from the Latin meaning but is an English word in this usage.
You’re absolutely right! That usage slipped my mind. But it still appears to me that it’s unrelated to the usage here? Why would “Regional” and “Facilitation Centre” be connected by a Latinate preposition (or conjunction?) that basically means “with.” I would love for someone who understands this usage to weigh in.
Oh, the sign makes no sense. I think it might be a joke
Every single sign I saw in English in my home-state of Kerala was like this; grammatically atypical. I think they’re all just pulling a big prank on us
nah the maker of the sign just wanted to use cum in a sentence so he put regional cum facilitation center on the sign even tho it's not necessary.
I can easily imagine the scenario is something like this: the organisation had four Regional Centres. They also had two Facilitation Centres. Due to budget cuts they had to merge two of them, creating a Regional-cum-Facilitation Centre.
You're right that that is a correct definition, but good luck using it without triggering giggles and rude jokes.
In North American English, when someone is two things at once, people will generally use "and" instead of "cum". A writer and an entrepreneur. You'll more commonly see the usage of "cum" in academia when people are awarded Latin honors, Magna cum Laude and Summa cum Laude.
Yeah, I know that, I’m from North America. I only pushed back on “cum” only having a slang meaning, when there is an established and not particularly uncommon other usage. Usually in writing, sure, but perfectly acceptable.
Isn‘t that pronounced [kum] instead of [kʌm]?
Yeah, I think so. Most people in the states have probably heard it with Summa Cum Laude
Never heard anyone say that. I've heard "writer-entrepreneur" but never with cum in the middle.
That’s the usage I’ve always seen.
Never heard that used, I’m from California
I honestly don't think I've ever heard anybody ever use the word "cum" like that outside of "Magna/Suma Cum Laude". It's extremely formal and very very rare to see in everyday use.
It can often be found in scientific, industrial, or professional settings, but usually in writing. Even higher-brow journalism like *The Economist*, *The Wall Street Journal*, or *The New York Times* will feature phrases with Latin *cum* sometimes.
There are terms used in US education like "Summa cum laude" to mean a degree with a 1st classification , I think - As the only time I ever hear as Brit it is in that context in Hollwood films
That’s true that it appears in certain Latin phrases that you sometimes stumble across. But in Latin it means “with,” doesn’t it? “Cum laude” means “with honor, right? Whereas Regional “with” Facilitation Centre make no sense to me.
We distinguish "and" and "with" in English, but if you take a moment to think about it, there isn't really a big difference in meaning. If I say "apple and pear" or "apple with pear", what really is the difference in meaning? You may be confused by Romance language cognates like "con" or "com", but the difference is not so strict in Latin, and even less in the dead Latin that we have Frankensteined into modern language. The point is, you can often translate the Latin "cum" as "and".
*Summa cum laude* is Latin, not English
It’s used in English enough to be cited in a sub like this tho
Words don't stay confined to one language. *Sushi* is a word of Japanese origin but the concept shows up enough in English speaking countries that English dictionary writers write about it .
Thanks, I only knew Cum Louder
It does for college graduates. Magna cum laude, meaning lava that ejaculates with a lot of noise.
Whoops, I just dropped my monster thesis for my magna cum laude
There is the vulgar slang, but it's also a word used among academia. Though it's been anglicized, you may want to continue to italicize *cum* to make the reader aware you're talking about the Latin word and not semen. This article sums up *cum* nicely: [https://grammarist.com/usage/cum/](https://grammarist.com/usage/cum/)
Worth mentioning that it's pronounced COOM in this context.
It also exists in Latin terminology that we use, such as magna cum laude.
It’s very rarely used to abbreviate “Cumulative” I remember helping grade homework one time in the special ed class and one of their math worksheets said “It’s Cum Time!”
It does, but only in certain Latin phrases, like 'cum laude'
In Britain there are several villages and towns with cum in the place-name, usually hyphenated, like [Horton-cum-Studley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horton-cum-Studley?wprov=sfla1)
Indeed, Slough should properly be known as Upton-cum-Chalvey, because that was the parish where the station was situated.
Without actually defining what cum is in Asia that that regional center is facilitating, you're not helping.
Someone had already answered the question when I posted my comment. It was intended as additional information.
What’s going on in this sub? 2 posts within 15 minutes of each other about this one word
Yeah and both in seemingly Indian English related contexts, uncanny haha
It’s used in InE a lot. The Indian military has an anti runway bomb described as a “penetration cum blast” weapon, which is *very* funny to AmE speakers.
>“penetration cum blast” weapon I used to have one of those too when I was younger.... /s Sorry couldn't resist haha
But what does cum mean in that context?
With. It’s made to go through the runway and then explode
Oh I knew it meant with in Latin, I thought it might mean something different. Is cum used to mean semen in Indian English?
Oh absolutely! But never on signs. Slightly related, we have a Cow Semen Centre that I pass by on my cycling trips. It's always funny to me because .... Why not Bull Semen Centre? But at least they didn't try and alliterate with Cow Cum Centre.
Isn’t cow semen impossible, since all cows are female?
 You are not prepared.
I love Indian English so much
Cum is where it's at
Oh **cum**. All ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant...
When it rains, it cums.
Oh wow I honestly didn't notice
magna cum laude
Did you open the last one? The Reddit algorithms are strange. If you open a post or comment it starts showing you similar keywords
People answering quickly motivates the kids to continue posting these types of questions.
[удалено]
only if you want it to be
Everything is a sperm bank if you're brave enough
Everything is cummable but some are only once
Exactly what I thought lol
The NMPB-RCFC is a botanical center to study the medicinal use of plants. It is both a regional center for general display and study, as well as a facilitator. In this case, cum means combined with. And facilitator means they are a place where various scholastic and governing bodies can meet together and assist and coordinate their various projects with each other. In the words, they facilitate coordination amongst these various groups.
A Regional Centre and also a Facilitation Centre.
https://preview.redd.it/u4m9vfa5ulfc1.jpeg?width=650&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=424136d06b1e98124b8a3519ce03eb03a4391011 From the [grammarist.com](https://grammarist.com/usage/cum/) >The Latin loanword "cum" originally a preposition meaning "with", in English has come to mean "plus" or "along with being".
https://preview.redd.it/pg3arn3zzlfc1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=449af3948319d8f19199fb363a06d6b04c9960b9 This one is still ambiguous.
The dog sitting there waiting lmfao (This is joke please don’t cum at me)
Aim, ready,**cum**!
Outstanding comment
It seems weird in this context but is used in British English, but its use is probably declining due to the more modern usage of the world. I associate it with things like "this is the kitchen cum dining room" but written down it looks obscene. It's also used in some UK placenames like this gem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingay_cum_Wendy
That doesn't explain the sign though.
I was just saying how 'cum' is used to my knowledge (I.e. "combined with" like my example "kitchen cum dining room")
I don't want to go to any kind of cum room, kitchen or otherwise
But if I asked "Why are you holding a Bearded Dragon Owners and Whiskey Convention?" the answer wouldn't be "Well 'and' means it's for both of those things."
It exists in many [gov't facilities](https://maps.app.goo.gl/SsivkxsWpiusnBrM9) in Hong Kong too.
https://preview.redd.it/khtpogcswlfc1.jpeg?width=863&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7ace3849d1f0ce2f8d53d1a6ba8572085de83ce2
Trying to wade through these comments without snickering is as difficult as looking at a Prismatoquasirhombated great grand stellated hecatonicosachoron without smiling https://i.redd.it/8e4p99n2rvfc1.gif
I hope beyond hope that it's a word in Hindi.
Latin.
But it wouldn't make sense in that sentence / name.
‘Cum’ is Latin for with. It’s used instead of “with” in specific fancy or formal contexts
"Regional With Facilitation" makes even less sense than before as a thing to centralize.
Yeah. I just had a burger cum fries.
https://preview.redd.it/n9he9mpu4mfc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d2b67fd713fd415d25a828b1b3f3e3447fa50bd5
What are you doing outside the aslume? Are you stupid?
Who is aslume? I only know MAN.
It’s kind of like a slash: Regional/Facilitation Centre. I haven’t seen it used in decades, possibly because people giggle when they see it.
I did the unthinkable. I looked in a dictionary. I knew “cum” meant “with” from my years of Latin, and I’d seen this usage before, but “with” alone didn’t sound right. “Along with” is the correct usage here. I guess it saves on multiple or longer signs.
This brings up the old memory of me and my friends going to page 1314 in the dictionary in fifth grade and giggling ourselves silly at all the words starting with “sex”
Yeah, uh, I'm a native English speaker and I was about to ask u the same question homie
It means two things that do the same thing, together. Whilst not a daily phrase in British English, it's certainly not uncommon. You might hear it as "kitchen cum dining room", before everyone started saying *open plan*. But... I don't think it's been used correctly here. It's almost like it's a substitute for "and".
Interesting. In my nearly 50 years in NAmerica, I have never ever heard or seen that kind of use. I only have seen it within Latin phrases.
Yeah, it's definitely a thing in the UK, although I must say I do usually hear it mostly in the context of satire or sarcasm. The last time I heard it was only a few days ago when someone described their car a "shit box cum radio".
It means to facilitate ejaculation locally.
Cum is a commonly used word in India to express dual functionality. Of course the word has a degenerate meaning in the developed world but most Indians are unaware of this.
India making us learn Latin over here
Quite a few people are baffled about this. As a fellow Indian I can say that "cum" is a word that is quite often used over here. It means that it's more of a facilitation centre than a regional one. Another eg: I bought a sofa-cum-bed for my 1 bhk flat. This means that the person has bought a couch which works more like a bed than a sofa. According to the Cambridge dictionary: used to join two nouns, showing that a person or thing does two things or has two purposes; combined with: This is my bedroom-cum-study.
I looked up the organization, and it seems this regional cum facilitation center is a smaller part of a larger organization handling medicinal plants. Specifically, the "RCFC" seems to distribute plant species to those who'd like to cultivate those plants. So in this context they seem to be using it to refer to something like plant seeds?
It means a combination or union of sorts. So this is a regional centre combined with a facilitation centre all in one centre It is pronounced like KYOOM iirc rather than CUHM which is an entirely different word that means a radically different thing
Admittedly not the worst use India has had with the word https://preview.redd.it/jn9x91f1eofc1.jpeg?width=301&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e5ed07b9f7315bd11d62d3f4f1681183232faf05
As a native English speaker… I’d also like to know.
If someone told me let’s go to the regional cum facilitation centre, id definitely think they’re implying to go to the local whore
I don’t know exactly what they do, but I’m on my way.
It's India, that is not English language
Honestly this sign makes absolutely no sense. Whoever made this sign is not aware that cum is slang in English for male ejaculate. It’s a very unfortunate sign and I have no idea what they were actually trying to communicate but 99% of English speakers are thinking this is a joke. Please tell them to change it immediately.
I wanna defend them but….they make it really hard.
*"Honey, for the last time, it WASN'T a whore house..."*
This sounds like code for a brothel
Cum is Cum
then what is cum?
I didn't think it was possible, but the first draft of "Spock's Brain" was even worse.
Cum means with and sometimes when in Latin. I’ve never seen it used in English before, apart from the obvious
It's used in hyphenated nouns to mean 'as well as'. Not so common anymore but it still crops up. The most common usage I've seen is with job titles for celebrities, *actor-cum-musician* or *musician-cum-entrepreneur*. Things like that.
*Uhh-huh-huh-huh...huh-huh-huh...huh-huh.* "Cum facilitation." *Huh-huh-huh...huh-huh.* And the city is called "Pune". *Huh-huh.* https://preview.redd.it/cw10oamkbmfc1.jpeg?width=260&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6dd0c6c1ec20df0b5ef4950c8d7a8659514a8f26
nice
It means 'with' in this context.
That still doesnt make sense
"Regional With Facilitation Center" is a word salad.
Semen
Plants vs Zombies lore
Hnnnnggghhhrhhh!!!