'...MADE IT HIS BUSINESS ...'

Question

Hello, I would like to know the exact meaning of this expression I have find on this sentence:
'Jon Pankake, a folk music purist enthusiast, who'd been watching me for a while in the scene, MADE IT HIS BUSINESS to tell me that I was doing hadn't escaped him. -What do you think you're doing? he said, jabbing his finger into my chest.'

It's in some pejorative sense?
Thanks in advance, Jo.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I would like to know the exact meaning of this expression I have find on this sentence:
'Jon Pankake, a folk music purist enthusiast, who'd been watching me for a while in the scene, MADE IT HIS BUSINESS to tell me that I was doing hadn't escaped him. -What do you think you're doing? he said, jabbing his finger into my chest.'

It's in some pejorative sense?

'My business' refers to the things that are important to me, including things that I must do and things that I want to do. Jon decided that he wanted to tell 'me' this, that it was important for him to tell me this.

The phrase itself is not pejorative. However, in this case it sounds like Jon did not like what 'I' was doing.

Best wishes, Clive

BarbaraPA · Answer

It means that for some reason, the person decided that he should be involved. There's an expression "That's none of your business" that means "this doesn't concern you," and this is the opposite of it. This Jon fellow decided it was important to him to be a part of this, or just felt like speaking to the writer of the sentence was something that had to be done.

It does have a negative nature to it - somewhat argumentative. If you wanted to phrase it neutrally, you'd say something like "he realized he should be a part of it" or "he thought that he could be more involved." If you say "he made it his business" there's an implication that you (the writer) do NOT think it should have been his business to start with.

'...MADE IT HIS BUSINESS ...'

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