Pardner
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 11:42 pm
Many people should be familiar with a hearty "Howdy, pardner!" done in a western drawl, but I was a bit surprised to find this listed in several dictionaries as a variant spelling of partner. I always figured it for an unofficial pronunciation spelling.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
pardner
SYLLABICATION: pard·ner
PRONUNCIATION: pärd'nr
NOUN: Regional A partner, companion, or friend.
ETYMOLOGY: Variant of partner.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.