Phrase Finder

Gaining the diploma

Posted by R. Berg June 20, 2004In 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.

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