A patronizing tone is seen when an individual feels that he or she is better than the subject being addressed. He will talk about or to that subject with a very snobbish, lofty voice to try to show his superiority. He will criticize the subject very subtly so that it is not completely obvious that he is just a verbal bully, frequently using sarcasm. He will often share selective and even sometimes slightly skewed facts in order to again show that he is quite higher in posiion, skill, etc. than his subject.
A model example of patronizing can be seen in the Henry James article handed out to the class some time ago. In it the narrator is watching the "honorable" funeral of Mr. George Odger. He comments that the funeral was being put on by "the class who were socially unrepresented," the "shabbier Enlish types." He also says that he is watching this "very serious comedy" "as from a box at a play." It is easily seen that he feels that he is far superior and more dignified that the "metropolitan mob" he is watching. In this and in most pieces, diction is what makes the partronizing tone obvious. |  |
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