# \[blank\]EE isn't \[blank\]ER — a \[blank\]EE is done unto, you \[blank\]er! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 23, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882 "2006-06-23T16:41:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/1 "2006-06-23T16:41:09Z")
Employer employs employee. Subject verb object, baby. Now, I have been on New York City buses often enough to grant that there are times that I end up not only standing but standing specifically where the bus driver stands me {“you there, there’s room behind you to your left, c’mon move to the back of the bus”}, so I am provisionally and grudgingly willing to tolerate “standee”. But “attendee”, for the luvva Mike? No way. If you went to it, whether it be concert, fundraiser, or world cup finals match, you’re an attender. Or, if you prefer, guest, customer, member of audience, spectator, fan, or afficionado. But not attendee. If you wish to be an attendee, you’ve got to get them to come to you and attend _you_ as an event. It is not, of course, in any way true that the crux of the syntactical problem is people desiring to be attendees, or to be designated as such. It doesn’t. Attention-whores though some of us may be, most folks file into their seats or boxes and attend the main event with the full expectation of being entertained as audience. No, it’s the scribes, jotting down their notes and expanding them to column-length with an annoyingly ovine tendency to misuse the same terms and phrases misused by their colleagues in the columns of previous weeks. OK, I’m done here. Thank you for attending. Hey, whaddaya know, I’m an attendee! ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/2 "2006-06-23T16:49:24Z")
Escapee is the one that bugs the hell out of me. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/3 "2006-06-23T16:52:48Z")
Hate to break it to you, but that construction is well older than you are: [Houghton Mifflin on -ee suffix:](http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry?id=E0046100) > [@](#): > > Beginning around the mid-19th century, primarily in American English, it was often extended to denote the agent or subject of an intransitive verb, as in _standee_, _returnee_, or _attendee_. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/4 "2006-06-23T17:13:32Z")
Great. Now we’re all readees. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/5 "2006-06-23T17:33:20Z")
Dude, take it eeasy. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/6 "2006-06-23T17:56:21Z")
Whats the difference between a wankee and a wanker? Or a yankee and a yanker? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/7 "2006-06-23T18:02:02Z")
The Taxi driver on Amo 'n Andy always explained it so well: _“Let me explain, you is the payER, I is the payEE”_. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/8 "2006-06-23T18:39:49Z")
[QUOTE=Bippy the Beardless] Whats the difference between a wankee and a wanker? Or a yankee and a yanker? [/QUOTE] But the real question is, what’s the difference between a wanker and a Yankee? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/9 "2006-06-23T18:45:26Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] Hate to break it to you, but that construction is well older than you are: [Houghton Mifflin on -ee suffix:](http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry?id=E0046100) [/QUOTE] It was already used to denote both indirect objects and direct objects (“payee” versus “honoree”, for instance.) And from a syntactic standpoint, the subject of an intransitive verb isn’t necessarily much different than the object of a transitive verb. (In fact, many theories of syntax posit that the subjects of some intransitive verbs actually are objects that get raised by various rules to the surface subject position.) There’s nothing strange or counterlogical about this usage, particularly so because it doesn’t create any ambiguity. And a word like “attendee” is so well-established that complaining about it makes about as much sense as complaining about the word “clock”. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/10 "2006-06-23T19:26:29Z")
> [@](#): > > makes about as much sense as complaining about the word “clock”. I see no reason to name a time-keeping device after an ancient German bell. We should immediately replace the word “clock” with “chronometer” (or, perhaps, “time piece”) throughout all publications and public discourse. (And since I am sure that most people choose to look at the time piece on their arm only when necessary, and not spend every waking moment “watching” it, we should also demand that such devices be renamed “time referent” or something equally precise.) ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/11 "2006-06-23T19:29:07Z")
For every motherfucker out there, there’s a mother fuckee. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/12 "2006-06-23T19:59:07Z")
[QUOTE=Excalibre] (In fact, many theories of syntax posit that the subjects of some intransitive verbs actually are objects that get raised by various rules to the surface subject position.) [/QUOTE] I consider myself to be a fairly literate English usee, but now my head hurts. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/13 "2006-06-23T20:35:58Z")
[QUOTE=Bippy the Beardless] Whats the difference between a wankee and a wanker? Or a yankee and a yanker? [/QUOTE] And a _yankor_, even? ---
**Author:** ![galt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/14 "2006-06-23T22:21:51Z")
[QUOTE=Bippy the Beardless] Whats the difference between a wankee and a wanker? [/QUOTE] A wankee must be male, whereas a wanker can be either male or female. And males have the luxury of being both at once. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/15 "2006-06-23T23:30:13Z")
[QUOTE=UncleBeer] And a _yankor_, even? [/QUOTE] 😕 A wanker is by definition a yanker, at least that much is clear to me. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/16 "2006-06-26T23:22:05Z")
Sometimes the difference is clear. In a case of voyeurism, you can figure out who is the peeper and who is the peepee. Here on the SDMB, you are probably a Doper and not [[www.goldborder.com/tidbit-dwarfs.htm](http://www.goldborder.com/tidbit-dwarfs.htm)]( this guy) ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/17 "2006-06-26T23:24:36Z")
Oy, screwed up coding. That was supposed to take you to a pic of Dopey of the 7 Dwarfs. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/18 "2006-06-26T23:49:51Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] For every motherfucker out there, there’s a mother fuckee. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but it’s easier to just say “mother”, since the “fuckee” is implied. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/19 "2006-06-27T14:55:27Z")
[QUOTE=AskNott] Sometimes the difference is clear. In a case of voyeurism, you can figure out who is the peeper and who is the peepee. Here on the SDMB, you are probably a Doper and not [[www.goldborder.com/tidbit-dwarfs.htm](http://www.goldborder.com/tidbit-dwarfs.htm)]( this guy) [/QUOTE] uh huh huh huh…you said “pee pee.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2006, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882/20 "2006-06-27T16:26:26Z")
Murder murders murderee. Killer kills killee. Pointer points pointee. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blank-ee-isnt-blank-er-a-blank-ee-is-done-unto-you-blank-er/361882.md?page=2)