tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post5860766224208452929..comments2024-03-28T07:47:45.855+00:00Comments on Separated by a Common Language: patroni{s/z}elynneguisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-90030467279772817202012-08-10T05:02:12.711+01:002012-08-10T05:02:12.711+01:00I'm from the US, and I'm more likely to sa...I'm from the US, and I'm more likely to say pay- for both senses of the word. Pat- doesn't sound wrong, but I'd only use it to mean condescending.Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14644859183662353936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-26871668060878578712009-12-22T17:34:58.086+00:002009-12-22T17:34:58.086+00:00(AmE) I would understand patronize to mean use/sho...(AmE) I would understand patronize to mean use/shop in when it refers to a place. It seems like I would actually have to physically go into such a place (but not necessarily buy anything) to say I am patronizing it. The metaphor doesn't extend to, for example, online retailers, at least for me. I would understand it to mean "condescend" when it refers to a person. Since advertisers in a magazine are neither places nor people (though they might represent places or people) I would find this usage odd.Boris Zakharinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16560756640621720539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-24455660326353246062007-08-30T12:27:00.000+01:002007-08-30T12:27:00.000+01:00As a UK academic librarian I would say that neithe...As a UK academic librarian I would say that neither patron nor client are used. I would use borrowers, perhaps users (although I don't really like that last one personally). The 'student' borrowers definitely think of themselves as customers though, as they now pay fees! And boy are they keen to tell you about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-72651228460981910252007-08-04T03:29:00.000+01:002007-08-04T03:29:00.000+01:00I use both pronunciations, and upon reflection, I ...I use both pronunciations, and upon reflection, I believe I use them interchangeably. (Although my first reaction was that I used a different pronunciation for each meaning.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-82427080654801327862007-07-30T22:54:00.000+01:002007-07-30T22:54:00.000+01:00Yes, 'clients' is bad form, though better than 'cu...Yes, 'clients' is bad form, though better than 'customers'. Librarians on either side of the pond tend to be from more upper-middle class backgrounds than public (American English) school teachers, and the use of patron seems to reflect that. It is not a word in common workaday use in America today, and I expect not in Canada as well. I do not know about Britain, but language use is even more class-controlled there, as far as I know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-87004348775716372292007-07-27T19:49:00.000+01:002007-07-27T19:49:00.000+01:00Dr Roche, I know it is used in North America (I am...Dr Roche, I know it is used in North America (I am a librarian and in fact have "seen" you on listservs before) but I was wondering about Britain. In any case, trendy library managers here are moving away from "patrons" and opting for "clients" instead (which I dislike).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-89893218602272210792007-07-27T19:43:00.000+01:002007-07-27T19:43:00.000+01:00American here -- I pronounce "patronize" with a "p...American here -- I pronounce "patronize" with a "pay" and find that when Americans pronounce it with a "pat" they sound either like they're trying to imitate the British, or it's that they learned the word from a book and never actually heard anyone say it out loud. <BR/><BR/>Sort of like last week I took a business course and the teacher pronounced "taciturn" as "tack-iturn." Ugh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-5764066841357227862007-07-27T18:50:00.000+01:002007-07-27T18:50:00.000+01:00Come to think of it, "condescending" has an older ...Come to think of it, "condescending" has an older meaning too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-72914568872469601122007-07-27T16:05:00.000+01:002007-07-27T16:05:00.000+01:00It is correct that, in the US, at least, the Ameri...It is correct that, in the US, at least, the American Library Assn. officially refers to library users as 'patrons' patronizing the library. Library school students are indoctrinated into this use, and many libraries still use it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-32235199705462886352007-07-27T09:58:00.000+01:002007-07-27T09:58:00.000+01:00Dialog(ue) from "Cheers":Sam: Thank you for patron...Dialog(ue) from "Cheers":<BR/>Sam: Thank you for patronizing me.<BR/>Frasier: You mean, "thank you for your patronage."<BR/>Sam: What's the difference?<BR/>Frasier: "Patronage" is what customers give; "patronizing" is talking to someone as though he were a small child.<BR/>Sam: Like you're talking to me now?<BR/>Frasier: Exactly!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-77575469352310726232007-07-27T08:41:00.000+01:002007-07-27T08:41:00.000+01:00I find it somewhat ironic that Patron and Client h...I find it somewhat ironic that Patron and Client have come to have pretty much the same meaning, as far as shoppers/customers/users are concerned.<BR/><BR/>In Rome they were two opposite ends of the spectrum.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-65371043269578067042007-07-27T06:30:00.000+01:002007-07-27T06:30:00.000+01:00Errr, while pat- doesn't sound odd, I seem to be m...Errr, while pat- doesn't sound odd, I seem to be more pay-. Also for the condescending kind.stephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16749932791938557725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-91393088972375064142007-07-27T01:44:00.000+01:002007-07-27T01:44:00.000+01:00I am one of many who(m?) give their patronage to t...I am one of many who(m?) give their patronage to the buses.flashgordonnzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17934275623938566914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-83500466849524245722007-07-26T23:34:00.000+01:002007-07-26T23:34:00.000+01:00Oh, stop patroni{s/z}ing me, dearieme! (But feel ...Oh, stop patroni{s/z}ing me, dearieme! (But feel free to patroni{s/z}e the blog.)<BR/><BR/>A librarian will have to answer canadian's question...lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-36552962666870304052007-07-26T21:10:00.000+01:002007-07-26T21:10:00.000+01:00Jolly well explained, dear lady. A really super e...Jolly well explained, dear lady. A really super effort.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-85639754351773408152007-07-26T20:54:00.000+01:002007-07-26T20:54:00.000+01:00Also, people who visit libraries are "patrons". Do...Also, people who visit libraries are "patrons". Do they say that in the UK?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com