"Consider it a courtesy for the inconvenience."
What is the meaning of the above sentence, which I am not sure of the context of usage?
And what are the possible contexts (if more than one) of its usage?
2 Answers
The expression is the ironic title of a New Yorker cartoon by Amy Kurzweil. Below the picture of airline passengers whose flight has been delayed, the caption reads:
As a courtesy for the inconvenience, please accept a voucher for three additional hours of your life, redeemable upon your death.
The offer, which sounds good but can never be redeemed, is a sarcastic reflection of token compensation offers from airlines to their long-suffering passengers.
It is most certainly not intended in this context as an apology but rather the kind of language used by the public relations industry.
Whether Amy Kurzweil was the first to coin the expression I don't know.
http://amykurzweil.com/new-yorker-cartoon-as-a-courtesy-for-the-inconvenience/
answered Aug 19, 2018 at 15:18
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For sure, she was not—it's a kind of set expression: Plus they did already provide the $25/person OBC, which was not required, but done as a courtesy for the inconvenience. Gave me a $5.00 credit to my account as a courtesy for the inconvenience. I then asked the store manager to waive the shipping fee as a courtesy for the inconvenience and because it was a mistake on their behalf. and so on. Aug 19, 2018 at 15:31
Businesses, especially those in the services sector, will compensate a customer in some way when the customer has been inconvenienced, perhaps by a delay or a mixup of some kind. The compensation can vary. A discount. A free dinner. A free night's stay in the hotel at some future date. The email or letter informing the customer of the company's attempt to stay in the customer's good graces might contain the sentence:
Please accept this voucher as a courtesy for your inconvenience.
And if not "voucher", some other thing, such as "offer" or "coupon", whatever.
Your sentence is terser. It makes no attempt to be polite or apologetic.
Consider it a courtesy for the inconvenience.
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There is a definition of "courtesy" that applies here: 2 [count] a: something that you do because it is polite, kind, etc. ‘links to the manufacturers' websites are provided as a courtesy to the user’– ColleenVAug 20, 2018 at 18:45
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@ColleenV: That a "courtesy" is something done out of "politeness" does not mean that the wording of the sentence is polite> It isn't polite merely because it contains the word "courtesy". "Take this courtesy voucher and quit your complaining." is not polite. And businesses do not do it out politeness or kindness; they do it to maintain a customer's "goodwill".– TimRAug 20, 2018 at 18:47
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I didn't mean to imply that the example was worded politely, just that "a courtesy" can be "something that is done to be polite or considerate". I suppose that is in contrast to "something done to make money". The actual motive might be obscured by the words the business chose, but the meaning of the word stays the same. Similarly, I can say "with all due respect" and then say something not respectful at all :)– ColleenVAug 20, 2018 at 18:53