I've understood the word 'publican' to mean the keeper of a pub, and always thought the bible used it that way. But I understand that as used in the bible it refers to a tax collector.
How did the word come to have two such different meanings?
One could easily see how the definition would arise from humor. Regular churchgoers pay their tithing, 10% of their income, and regular pub goers pay their tabs, possibly 10% of their income. For every drinkers, the alcohol could be viewed as a regular payment, to be collected by the pubkeeper. Referring to the pubkeeper as a publican seems like a funny joke.
A pub is a public house which, in England means a drinking establishment open to the public. Originally public houses were simply residences that allowed the public to visit to drink. They differed from hotels, taverns and inns, all of which were actually set up as commercial establishments.
The distinction no longer exists although there are still a few pubs which remain true to the original concept. In such original pubs there is no bar and the owner would draw the beer from a cask in his cellar and bring it to the drinkers who would be seated in one of the rooms of his house
From the term "public house" came the abbreviation "pub" and thus "publican".
Incidentally, in some other Eurpoean countries a "public house" is one which offers a far more personal service to visitors. Ask for a "Casa Publica" in Spain and you will, if you don't get your face slapped, be directed to the nearest brothel.
Richard English
Posts: 8038 | Location: Partridge Green, West Sussex, UK
Well, I know it was a joke, but the public in pub and the public in republican both do come from the Latin publicus 'of the people, public'. The Latin term res publica (whence republic) means literally 'the people's thing / the public business'.
Well, thanks, Zmj. It makes me wonder then...in the U.S. the Republicans pride themselves in saying they want to give the power to the states, and not the federal government. While I think it really depends on the issue being discussed, is "the people's thing/the public business" how this philosophy started?
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