[Ads-l] A.Word.A.Day--patsy

[Cohen, Gerald Leonard]

I was surprised to see that slang patsy (a person easily taken advantage
of ) is said to be of uncertain origin in OED3 and a recent Wordsmith item.
But OED3 than points to the correct source, viz., minstrel shows involving
the original patsy, viz., Patsy Bolivar.

For easy reference I present OED3's and Wordsmith's items below my
signoff.  Also, might I point out two brief articles on patsy, one by the late David
Shulman and one by me.  They are available in Studies in Slang, vol. 5 (edited
by Gerald Leonard Cohen; Frankfurt a.M.: Peter Lang), 1997, pp. 131-135.

Gerald Cohen

[Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd (online) edition]:
OED3: ​PATSY, n.
Origin: Of uncertain origin. Perhaps from a proper name. Etymon: proper name Patsy.
Etymology: Origin uncertain. Perhaps < Patsy, pet form of the male forename Patrick (see -sy suffix2<https://www-oed-com.libproxy.mst.edu/view/Entry/196082#eid19312100> and compare Pat n.2<https://www-oed-com.libproxy.mst.edu/view/Entry/138662#eid31728985>, paddy n.2<https://www-oed-com.libproxy.mst.edu/view/Entry/135925#eid32418555>); perhaps influenced by association with Italian pazzo crazy (see patch n.2<https://www-oed-com.libproxy.mst.edu/view/Entry/138686#eid31736813>).
Apparently spread in theatrical slang through the name of a character in a theatrical sketch: see quot. 1889<https://www-oed-com.libproxy.mst.edu/view/Entry/138958?rskey=KxzM0J&result=1#eid31798433>.
colloquial (originally U.S.).



  A person who is easily taken advantage of, esp. by being deceived, cheated, or blamed for something; a dupe, a scapegoat. Also in extended use.

1889   H. F. Reddall Fact, Fancy & Fable 404   A party of minstrels in Boston, about twenty years ago, had a performance... When the pedagogue asked in a rage, ‘Who did that?’, the boys would answer, ‘Patsy Bolivar!’... The phrase..spread beyond the limits of the minstrel performance, and when a scapegoat was alluded to, it was in the name of ‘Patsy Bolivar’..the one who is always blamed for everything.


________________________________
From: Wordsmith <wsmith at wordsmith.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2022 12:03 AM
To: Cohen, Gerald Leonard <gcohen at mst.edu>
Subject: A.Word.A.Day--patsy

ul
patsy

MEANING:
noun: One who is easily taken advantage of, by being deceived, unfairly blamed, or ridiculed.

ETYMOLOGY:
Perhaps from the name Patsy, a diminutive of Patrick or Patricia, or from Italian pazzo (crazy), whose plural is pazzi, pronounced paht-see. Earliest documented use: 1889.







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