Sir, - The recent publicity about the relationship of a prominent married political figure and an unmarried woman exposes an interesting lexical difference between the Irish and American scenes.
According to Fintan O'Toole (Opinion, January 8th) the term "partner", to identify the quasispouse or unpledged one has come to be used in "polite, conservative society".
Etymologically and euphemistically, it is a fairly benign term, marking a share "with another in some activity of common interest", as my desk dictionary drolly notes, citing, for example, a partnership in business, marriage, dancing, or in a game or sport, such as bridge or tennis. Its synonyms, such as "colleague", "ally", or "associate" move easily in respectable society, although other synonyms such as "confederate" or "accessory" carry a derogatory connotation.
Certainly it is much more at ease than old-time words such as "mistress" or "paramour", which reek of the censorious or, frequently, of adulterous relationships.
Here in the United States, where similar relationships are not unknown among both ordinary citizens and even prominent political figures, the word of preference is "companion", which has a lovely romantic etymology of "sharing bread with another". "Comrade", from the Spanish, suggesting the intimacy of the private chamber, has already been preempted by foreign ideologies, and a word derived from it, such as "chum", is much too flippant.
After all, in this matter, there is a certain propriety to be observed. - Yours, etc., E. Leo McMannus,
Heron Lakes, Venice, Florida.