so this big huge ethnic spelling question has been vexing me for years, and as the holiday it pertains to is almost upon us, i think its about time i ask this important question aloud: is the holiday celebrated on march 17th st. patty's day, or st. paddy's day?
i've tried doing some research on this to little avail - all i've discovered thus far is that 'paddy' is a somewhat derogatory nickname for an irishman, leading me to believe that patty would be the nicer, more politically correct way to spell the nickname of that most holy snake banishing saint.
i myself have always spelled it st. patty's -- probably because that spelling evokes thoughts of hamburgers and peppermints -- and i would personally say it doesn't matter how one spells it, but i've had a few people tell me i was going about it all wrong. i even once had a friend respond to an email about the holiday in question with the the two d's in paddy's in bold. a little harsh, no?
so if i have in fact been making such an egregious language error all these years, i'd be most appreciative if you, dear reader, would set me straight.
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4 comments:
"Paddy" is a kind of slur, but it's also a shortened form of the name Patrick (that's why it's a slur, since Patrick is a popular Irish name). "Patty" is short for Patricia.
So technically it is "St Paddy's Day," but Hallmark will write "St Patty's" since the spelling of it relates better to "Patrick."
ah, thank you, PH.
although i hate finding out that i'm on hallmark's side of this.
any self-respecting shanty irish mick will be too drunk to bother caring. The only cause of consternation is that "paddy" is too close to "paddington", aka the one rogue ursa minorish brit agent my IRA brethren have yet to take out. But oh... his time shall come.
cordially,
j. roget
oh, it is ON mr. roget...
yours,
the rogue Bear
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