wallypott wrote:I just wanted to add a little extra thread creep - my 5 year old has learnt a lot of her English by listening to Enid Blyton audio books, so she sounds like something out of the 1950s - golly, how scrumptious!
...and my 12 year old has learnt a lot of her English recently by watching Hannah Monrtana and other US sitcoms, so she now refers to "her closet" and when people push in to the queue in front of her she exclaims that they "cut the line", etc etc
It’s odd how we all respond differently to words. To me, ‘punter’ is tied up with ‘taking a punt’ on a horse or a greyhound, which is what my uncles and cousins invariably did at the end of the working week, usually prior to ‘getting a skinfull’ at the local pub. Nothing remotely shabby about this – these were big-hearted jack-the-lads who worked hard at dirty and dangerous jobs, cared for their families and sought a bit of innocent fun at the weekend.
So punter (when applied to enquirers) denotes somebody who’s not really serious about booking. It’s not a pejorative term, just a mental note to myself not to waste too much time with them. Sometimes punters are a nuisance, sometimes they’re good fun and we have a laugh together before we go our separate ways. But we both know that it's a game which is why I don't believe that punters would be offended by the word punter.
I simply refer to them as guests to all and sundry, unless they've been really, really annoying, and I'm having a whinge to OH in the privacy of the boudoir and then probably not for public consumption!
People who arrive after 10pm, shouldn't expect a hug.....
I do think "punters" in this context is derogatory. It's the sort of term "professional" ladies might use to describe their clients, or scam-artists their victims (like "marks" or "johns").
I agree with Jimbo, as someone who attends race-meetings regularly (and even wins sometimes), in that context punter has a much jollier and nicer meaning - but I think the word has split into two quite different nuances, and I refrain from using it, even in general conversation, about our guests.
That's what they always are - our guests - and if you start categorising them in a dismissive manner, then pretty soon you'll start treating them that way too.
That's what they always are - our guests - and if you start categorising them in a dismissive manner, then pretty soon you'll start treating them that way too.
I've been a freelance with a business all my adult life, so the importance of good clients is imprinted deep in my bone marrow. As is the ability to separate the wheat from the chaff. I'm not dismissive of any enquirer but I'm always going to put more effort into those whom my judgement tells me are genuine. Which is why we respond individually to each enquiry.
Just to be clear, Jimbo, my comment about treating guests was a generic observation, and wasn't intended to refer specifically to you or anyone else - I'm sure we're always very professional on this site.
Don Ciccio wrote:You can tell that two people that use the words 'generically' and nuance' in their exchanges are not exactly going to go at each other 'A-Two style'.
I wish it was true. Unfortunately, I've been known to let slip the dogs of war and have a go 'A-two style' (at A-two, as it happens) and been reprimanded. Using words with more than two syllables is no guarantee of civilised behaviour.
