Talk:Chaperone (social)

Name of page
Chaperone is the UK English version. Is Chaperon the US version? Snowman (talk) 13:47, 31 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Yes, although they use the female version too. Johnbod (talk) 13:50, 31 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Can you explain "female version"? Snowman (talk) 13:55, 31 January 2008 (UTC)

Chaperones are female. In the UK chaperons would be male, but the word is rare. In the US chaperons are female apparently. The article does not cover this well. Johnbod (talk) 14:02, 31 January 2008 (UTC)
 * OK, so should the name of this page be "Chaperone". This is already used for the term in molecular biology, so would "Chaperone (supervisor)" be a better name for this page (for now)?  I guess that the primary use should be the meaning as on this page, and that the biology use should be "Chaperone (protein)". I have put this for discussion on that page. Snowman (talk) 14:10, 31 January 2008 (UTC)
 * I think I agree, but I'd like to be clearer about US usage. Johnbod (talk) 14:15, 31 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Does the name of this page "The Chaperone (Seinfeld episode)" help to prove its US usage? I do not know much about the US usage. Perhaps someone will explain. I think that there is a wiki page or project to help with translation. Snowman (talk) 14:23, 31 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Wiktionary says that "chaperon" is archaic and not used much now, so I will move the page. Snowman (talk) 16:16, 31 January 2008 (UTC)
 * I'd be inclined to merge the "clinical" page. They are the same thing in a different context, and despite the title their utility isd social and legal, not clinical at all. Johnbod (talk) 15:44, 5 February 2008 (UTC)
 * I think that it is clinical and legal, but more clinical. There are guidelines about using chaperones in clinical situations, which someone might add sometime. I see your point of view, but I see that the meanings and situations are different. I am not entirely against a merged page, but I am 55:45 in favour of different pages. Snowman (talk) 18:03, 5 February 2008 (UTC)

I have cleaned up the "Photography" section, to state a basic definition. It seemed rather confused and cluttered with misleading words and weasel words "most" "it is generally" etc. There were no sources given. If someone feels it is appropriate to add to this section, please source your comments.Wizlop (talk) 18:37, 28 October 2009 (UTC)

dueñas
This page says dueña comes from a Spanish word meaning "owner"; wiktionary says it's derived from " Vulgar Latin donna, from Latin domina (“Lady”)." I only had high school Spanish, so I'm marking it citation needed so someone who knows Spanish can verify. --76.252.221.8 (talk) 04:37, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

“Irrespective of gender” example is flawed
The section on the word “duenna” makes the claim that the word’s meaning has broadened to encompass “any disapproving person irrespective of gender”.

This may well be the case — but the example given doesn’t demonstrate that is. Compare these two examples:


 * 1) “There is no duenna so rigidly prudent as ... a superannuated coquette”.
 * 2) “He drew his lips together in that duenna-like way”.

The first example directly categorises the “superannuated coquette” as a “rigidly prudent” duenna.

But the second example is very different: it doesn’t use the word “duenna” to describe a disapproving person; it uses the simile “duenna-like” to describe a behaviour.

When we describe a person’s behaviour as “child-like”, we don’t mean to suggest the person is a child — which would be entirely tautological — but that they are like a child in some way. A simile is a device for comparing two different things — not conflating them.

Here, where the simile likens the conduct of a man to that of a duenna. it is meaningful because the man is not a duenna, but is like one. Foxmilder (talk) 08:40, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

UK spelling revisited
The article still makes the unreffed claim that 'chaperon' is a 'frequent' spelling in Britain. I'm a 69 year old Brit and I have never, ever encountered that usage. Either we need a very strong ref or the claim needs to go. Ef80 (talk) 09:33, 19 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Evidence? The Banner  talk 15:21, 23 May 2024 (UTC)
 * You appear to be stalking me, and challenging any minor uncontroversial comment I post on talk pages, regardless of subject. This is unwelcome. Please desist. --Ef80 (talk) 18:28, 7 June 2024 (UTC)