Business-cum-pleasure

MarkEsq · Dec 4, 2011

In my head, this phrase is correctly written as in the title: business-cum-pleasure.

However, reading a few pages for me, my wife, "You better make sure that's right." Given the frequent use of 'cum' in another context, I see her point! I had a quick look online, but didn't see anything definitive.

Anyone know for sure?!

Thanks!

mscelina · Dec 4, 2011

Cum is the Latin word for 'with.' The spelling you have is correct.

AnWulf · Dec 4, 2011

Why not write business with pleasure? The you don't hav to wonder if folks are snickering about what kind of business cum pleasure you're having ...

Fallen · Dec 5, 2011

I come across it frequently. All checks say it's goooooood. You could opt for AnW's suggestion, although business-cum- sounds more natural to me.

brianjanuary · Dec 5, 2011

Even though I used to be a Latin and ancient Greek scholar (and so would happily embrace such phraseology!), I really don't see or hear this anymore, and I'd worry that people wouldn't understand it. So I would use some form of "combine busines with pleasure" instead.

Unless you just want to have some fun and send your readers scrambling for Google.

Brian January
http://amzn.com/B005WM0HN6

Maryn · Dec 5, 2011

It's correct, although I see it less often than I once did. In light of the frequency in which I see the word cum with its other meaning, I'd make sure I italicized it to accentuate that it's a non-English word. My trip to Milwaukee was business-cum-pleasure, since I visited family.

Maryn, both hands over her mouth lest the obvious joke erupt

MarkEsq · Dec 5, 2011

Thanks guys. Good thinking about the italics, I'll do that.

AnWulf · Dec 5, 2011

Well if you want that outlander feeling ... and since we got the word pleasure from the French ... benote avec ... Business avec pleasure.

Then if you're talking about it, brook a French accent: biznes avec ple-dhzoooor.

Sounds and looks much better than throwing cum in the middle.

If yu truly want to send readers to google, then benote queme (or queem) insted of pleasure.

Jamesaritchie · Dec 5, 2011

It's correct, but I wouldn't use it. Correct or not, most who read it will snicker, and others will be expecting something totally different than what you're writing about.

It's like the word "gay". Use it, and no one is going to think you mean happy.

Xelebes · Dec 5, 2011

AnWulf said:
Well if you want that outlander feeling ... and since we got the word pleasure from the French ... benote avec ... Business avec pleasure.

That's what Canadians might do. We use avec and sans quite a bit.

Business-cum-pleasure

MarkEsq

Clever title pending.

mscelina

Teh doommobile, drivin' rite by you

AnWulf

Fallen

Stood at the coalface

brianjanuary

Maryn

I Tried

MarkEsq

Clever title pending.

AnWulf

Jamesaritchie

Xelebes

Delerium ex Ennui