Pop culture: modern sayings: “partner”

Self-tutoring about modern English: the tutor mentions the term “partner.”

Nowadays, it seems, couples aren’t necessarily husband and wife; most of the time they seem to refer to each other as “partners.”

The problem with the term “partner” is that it means something else: people who co-own a business. The overlap can lead to misinterpretations.

One time, I knew a couple of business partners, a man and a woman, who co-owned a restaurant. They weren’t involved. They referred to each other as “my partner,” because that’s what they were: business partners.

A lot of people assumed they were “partners” in every way. They didn’t make a point of clarifying this every time, because they were going by the original, true definition of “partner.” However, they would smile ironically when someone made the assumption.

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.