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Mitsuo23 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Pls explain this punchline: could be bothersome

Hi


The excerpt below is from a book by David Sedaris. Could you explain the underlined part? It should be a humorous line but I have no idea what that means.




(David in this story has a lisp issue and this woman is a speech teacher.)

The woman spoke with a heavy western North Carolina accent, which I used to discredit her authority. Here was a person for whom the word pen had two syllables. Her people undoubtedly drank from clay jugs and hollered for Paw when the vittles were ready -- so who was she to advise me on anything?




Thank you,

m
  

Top answer

) were probably hillbillies. The imagery associated with hillbillies is drinking from clay jugs and using the words "holler" (for shout ), "Paw" (for father ) and "vittles" (for food ). 3l5l0 CJ

  • ) were probably hillbillies.
  • The imagery associated with hillbillies is drinking from clay jugs and using the words "holler" (for shout ), "Paw" (for father ) and "vittles" (for food ).
  • 3l5l0 CJ
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11 Answers
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Her people undoubtedly drank from clay jugs and hollered for Paw when the vittles were ready

=

Her relatives (parents, uncles, aunts, etc.) were probably hillbillies.

The imagery associated with hillbillies is drinking from clay jugs and using the words "holler" (for shout), "Paw" (for father) and "vittles" (for food).

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Thank you for the reply.


Since I'm not reading this book for myself but trying to translate for those who don't speak English, I would like to understand the context.



What made David think that way? You know, her people were hillbillies? Because of the way she speaks, which sounded uneducated?



Also, could you tell me what Paw is?


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mitsuwao23What made David think that way? You know, her people were hillbillies? Because of the way she speaks, which sounded uneducated?
Exactly.

mitsuwao23could you tell me what Paw is?
Maybe you answered before I finished revising my reply above. In standard English we would say Dad (father) where a hillbilly m
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great, I have a clear picture in my head.Emotion: smile

Thank you for you help,

m
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Sorry, sorry, sorry, I found a clack in my picture.

Would you help me understand the "holler for Paw". I found like "holler for help, or a cab" and they make sense to me, but "holler for Paw"? Can't be sure of the meaning. They are looking for their father?

Thanks,

,m
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Like CJ has said: holler --> shout, call out.

Imagine when dinner is ready-->

The kids shouted loudly and rudely, "Paw! Dinner is ready! Come(Get) over here!"
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Thank you, sounds great.

M
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Hi, CJ.

It seems I'm still having trouble with the sentence.

Her people undoubtedly drank from clay jugs and hollered for Paw when the vittles were ready.



Would you tell me your picture of this sentence? I mean, who's calling whom Paw?



I looked up "people" and it says, like you said, "your relatives, especially your parents, gra
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mitsuwao23Her people undoubtedly drank from clay jugs and hollered for Paw when the vittles were ready.
OK. Let's take this approach:

Her people = The people of the community she was raised in (and was part of)

undoubtedly = almost certainly

drank from clay jugs = (were the type of people who) drank from clay jugs

and holle
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Ohhh, then there's no wonder again.

Thank you for taking your time for this. I very much appreciate your help.

M

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