"business partner" as retronym?

Mark Mandel Mark.A.Mandel at GMAIL.COM
Mon Nov 2 16:57:50 UTC 2009


I don't know if we've previously discussed the use of "business partner" to
distinguish from "sexual partner", where once "partner" alone would have
been used. I just found myself using it in a note to my family:

Jason ___ & his bus.partner Tommy are coming this eve. around 8 for another
look at the plumbing. They'll phone a couple hours ahead of time.

Of course "business partner" is much older than the widespread use of
"partner" for "sexual partner", but ISTM that its now should count as a
retronym in some way.

m a m

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