[shusaku]

> “He modeled its ugly face after a local butcher,” his son, Neils, later told The New York Times. “My father owed this man money, and this was his revenge.”

Alas, the butcher too failed to put the proper copyright notice on his face

[throw101010]

I'm not sure if I'm too tired or my ESL status is showing, but I can't make sense out of this.

His father owed money to a butcher, why did he need to have a "revenge" against someone who borrowed him money?

[toast0]

You're right, it doesn't make a lot of sense to have revenge against someone you owe money. Perhaps the butcher frequently harassed the father about it, or aired grievances in public or something else that made it worthy of revenge.

As a side note, I'd use lent instead of borrowed, the butcher lent the father money. Borrowed can be used in this way, but at least in my experience typically is only used as the father borrowed the money (from the butcher). Regional variations exist though, some of my friends from other areas of the US do use borrowed in both ways.

[cxr]

> Regional variations exist though, some of my friends from other areas of the US do use borrowed in both ways.

Personal examples notwithstanding, those people are definitely not using the word correctly. "Borrowed" is just not the right word in that context. When responding to an ESL speaker, suggesting that it might just be a matter of taste/preference/whatever is mildly negligent.

[throw101010]

Makes sense. Thanks for the clarification and the advice!