[Ads-l] "Pleasant gentleman"

Fri Nov 7 11:27:29 UTC 2014

In that case, sue the doctor, not the messenger!

But I do find the usage a little, um, odd.

Of course,  if they've been using it for 100 years, no prob.

JL

On Thu, Nov 6, 2014 at 10:21 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: "Pleasant gentleman"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> At 11/6/2014 07:13 PM, Baker, John wrote:
> >My impression is that "pleasant," and like=20
> >words, are supposed to say something about the=20
> >patient's demeanor.  Its absence, in other=20
> >words, might in some circumstances be significant.
>
> I suspect that such is the case, whether its=20
> absence or the presence of other adjectives.  For=20
> example, "agitated" would have significance.  As=20
> would, say, "commoner".  I'll have to ask my PCP for a copy of the
> glossary.
>
> And, Jon, you wrote
> >"Pleasant" sounds like overkill to me.  Any=20
> >chance that it's code for "unpleasant"?
>
> I resent that!  An unwarranted slur!  And libel!
>
> Joel
> :-)
>
>
>
> >John Baker
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: American Dialect Society=20
> >[mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Jonathan Lighter
> >Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2014 7:06 PM
> >To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> >Subject: Re: "Pleasant gentleman"
> >
> >"Pleasant" sounds like overkill to me.  Any chance that it's code for
> >"unpleasant"B=83B=92=93B=83B=93=DB=88K=9B=DD=88
> >=8B=8CM]
> >N=8D
> >=C8K]=99H]\=C0e <dwhause at cablemo.net> wrote:
> >
> > > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > > -----------------------
> > > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > Poster:       Dave Hause <dwhause at CABLEMO.NET>
> > > Subject:      Re: "Pleasant gentleman"
> > >
> > >=20
> >=
>
>  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> ----
> >B=82=926=E2wB&V6=C6=C27V6=ADf=AD2=E6=F6=E2=D60omplimentary descriptive=
>  terms but most
> >=98X=DD][=DB=99\=9C=C8recognize that the described patient may read their
> >@scription and so would be reluctant to put negative comments in writing.
> >]=99CB=8F=88KKKKH=DC=9AY=DA[=98[Y\=DC=D8Y=D9HKKKKCB=80> From: "Joel S.=
>  Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> > > To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2014 12:23 PM
> > > Subject: Re: "Pleasant gentleman"
> >B=82FfR=C2F=80anks for telling me it's not uncommon (although one always
> > > wants to be unique).
> > >
> > > Have you seen any characterizations that are less complimentary than
> > > "pleasant gentleman"?  I am imagining a "patient demeanor" graphical
> > > chart, like those for degree of pain, ranging from a broad smile and
> > > top-hat for 10 -- "very pleasant gentleman" -- down to a hostile
> >=9C=9B=DD=DB=88[=99=9D\=99=DB\=89=DC=C8X\=DA=C8=80or 1 --
> =83B=8F=83B=8F=88=
> =9B=D9[B=80=D0 =81=D0=80=C4=C4=BC=D4=BC=C8=D0=80=C4=C4=E8=81A4=B0=81=85=D9=
> =94=81 ause wrote:
> > > >I'm not sure I'd call it a technical term, but I've seen it fairly
> > > =9C=99\]Y[=9DH[=88=99\=DC=9D=C8=9C=9B=DBHconsultants, as in "Thank you=
>  for referring
> > > this
> >=9Cleasant gentleman to me..."  Hospital admissions, ER notes, clinic=
>  notes,
> > > ]=CB=DD=9AZ=D9HYH\=C8]X=DA\=DC=C8Z=D9[Ho use this phrase.
> >=91]=99H]\=D9K=DA]\=D9P=D8X=9B[[=CB=9B=99]B=80 >Waynesville, MO
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> > > =CE=88Q=CBST=D5SERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > B=82=E4=AD=E2&W=F7'G2f=AD=C6&=83F=F2=D6R&=F7WB=D0y visits to medical=
>  practitioners I
> > > >have so often been described under the heading "Physical Examination
> >=8B=C0 General" as "a pleasant gentleman" that I am wondering whether it
> >=9A\=C8HX=DA=9AX=D8[\=9BH=D9=88H=9B=D9=99\=DC=DA[=DB=8B=83B=8F=88
> >=8AI=DBH=9B=DD=DB=DB\Z[=9A[=99=C8KH]
> =DC=C8=99]\=88[=88=99Z[=99=C8=D8[=
> @d "difficult",
> > > >"obstreperous", or something worse than a gentleman.)
> >=83B=8F=88=8BKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK at ----------------------------
> > > H[Y\=9AX=D8[=88X[X=DD=DB=D8=C0iety - http://www.americandialect.org
> > >
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> > >
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> >
> >
> >--
> >"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> truth."
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