Meaning of Partridgean | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Self-important but bathetic; unable to distinguish the meaningful from the trivial and therefore prone to absurdity.
   Ireland, UK
2. In the manner or style of lexicographer Eric Partridge (1894–1979).
   derogatory

Examples

“Speaking of glaring faults, howsabout Rio Ferdinand’s for starters? This, at least, is one properly footballing ‘Hot Topic’ the Partridgean hacks have⟳ managed to find⟳ room for, though I note⟳ it took him cocking up in an England shirt for them to do so.”

“Paul Sexton, presenting The Queen of Soul: the Legend of Aretha (Radio 2), had a bouncy introduction that bordered on the Partridgean. Over two nights, he explained, the programmes would explore⟳ Franklin's move⟳ "from the church to the charts". They would, he added, "say⟳ RESPECT⟳ to a true original".”

“He was less revolted by squatting by the end⟳ of the film, but for most viewers the unintentional Partridgean comedy would have⟳ been the best reason⟳ for watching. “You can’t film me pissing,” he said indignantly to the camera crew when using the facilities in one squat.“You can listen⟳.””

“Forde proved his point⟳ across the Bank Holiday weekend, tweeting snaps of such Partridgean gems as Blackburn's clarfication that his son Simon was NOT named after Simon Bates.”

“Well, it's wet⟳ and it's miserable on the day that Leicester City's footballers have⟳ been dreading for weeks, for this is the day that they have⟳ to tackle this: "The Hill," intones a somewhat Partridgean local TV news reporter in the early 1980s, on an old clip of the players in question⟳ embarking on their pre-season training. The camera promptly pulls back to reveal⟳ our man on the spot in a decidedly elevated position; the "this" in question⟳ is one of three giant mountains of muck and rubble on a patch of waste⟳ ground.”

“And so to the meat of You Have⟳ Wives?, whose Partridgean dedication page reads: "Written at the Villa Francia, Lanzarote, Canaries. The authors would like⟳ to thank⟳ Villa Plus for helping with the difficult internet connections."”

“A Partridgean colorfulness is allowed to creep⟳ into the etymologies [...] where severer counsel falls back on "etym. uncertain" or "etym. unknown".”

“The fourth edition of A Dictionary of South African English [...] is, however, Partridgean in its arbitrary use⟳ of fonts, punctuation, and capitalization, in its placement of material, and in its not infrequent self-contradictions.”

“Richter (2006: 57) suggests that it is a clipping of the English word po(rnograhpy) to which the suffix -ndy (as in ‘trendy’, ‘handy’, etc.) has been added: a Partridgean etymology at best.”

CEFR level