gofer/gopher?

[newl07]

Hi,

A colleague said to me one day: "I'm a gofer today." Maybe it's gopher? I said:"What's a gofer?" He said:" You know, go for this, go for that..." I still didn't quite understand. Did he mean he was busy that day? That's the impression I got from our encounter.

Thank you for your answers!

 

[kalamazoo]

It's kind of a joke expression, not a real word. Wikipedia explains it as follows:

A gofer or go-fer (pronounced ['goʊfər], gopher) is an employee who is often sent on errands. The term originated in North America, with the phrase dogsbody being a similar British term, and dog robber an American military one. ("Gofer" reflects the likelihood of instructions to go for coffee, dry cleaning, or stamps, or to make other straightforward or familiar procurements.)

 

[newl07]

I see. He did seem to be running around when I met him. That makes total sense now. Thank you!