Patronize?

Question

Still learning the english language.
I am confused. looked up the word "patronize" and I still do not understand it. Is it similar to mocking someone?

Please gimme real world senarios....

Danke!

Answer 1

The word 'patronize' is used in three different ways, in different situations:
1) If someone 'patronizes' you, they speak or behave towards you in a way which seems friendly, but which shows they think they are superior to you in some way.
2) Some people 'patronize' or support some artists or musicians, monetarily.
3) If u 'patronize' a pub or a restaurant, then u are one of the frequent customers there.

Answer 2

There are a couple of definitions, each with very different meanings.

The first means simply to frequent an establishment; to become a patron of it. Hence, if you go to a locally owned restaurant a lot, you are said to be patronizing it. Likewise, contributions of money to an artist is a type of patronizing. Someone who contributes money to the local symphony or museum is said to be a "patron of the arts".

The second means to act in a condescending manner to someone. This is indeed something like mocking, but it is not always easy to detect because sometimes it is done in an indirect way that the person being mocked may not pick up on. For example, if a student asks a professor, "Do we have to know this for the test?" and the professor responds, "Oh my heavens, no. You're already much to overloaded with classword for me to expect you to learn anything new!", the professor is mocking the student. However, his tone of voice could vary from extremely sarcastic (which would make this easy to identify as mockery) or with no hint of sarcasm whatsoever. If there is little or no sarcasm detectable, that's patronizing.

Answer 3

Okay, 'patronise' can mean different things in different situations.

If you shop at a store, either regularly or occasionally, you patronise that store, meaning that you are a patron of it. Nothing to do with mocking there...

If you sponsor someone, like shopping at a store, you patronise them, and offer your patronage. Again, no mocking.

However, if you treat someone condescendingly, that is, if you treat them with contempt and act in a manner that assumes superiority over them, you are acting patronisingly. You patronise someone when you treat them in this way and it has nothing to do with shopping. It's not truly mockery, but it is somewhat similar.

If I ask my brother to do something for me and he says "Oh, yes of course I'd be pleased to do it, I can't wait." in a tone which expresses sarcasm with an expression on his face that says he hates me, I feel patronised because he is saying that he's happy to do something that he clearly does not want to do.

At university, I felt patronised when I asked my lecturer a question and all she did was nod at me and thank me for my contribution to class, but she never addressed the issue I raised.

I hope that helps!

Answer 4

2 meanings. You can patronize someone when you buy something from them in a shop.
Or you can patronize someone when you think they are inferior to you and speak or act 'patronizingly' to them. eg some Christians are patronizing to Jews etc.