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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary
Spoken like a banker
Hello,
in the book "Parrot and Olivier in America" (Peter Carey) a banker is talking to a nobleman (Olivier). The banker wants to lend money to Olivier's servant, so that the servant could buy a house. Oliver tries to persuade the banker not to do it:
"...it makes no sense to lend money to a debtor who will almost certainly default."
"Ah," said he [the banker], "spoken like a banker. Spoken like my good friends who are busy lending money to each other, but your painter will pay me back for a year, for two years, for three years. I will do very well. The moment she defaults why it is back to Ph(t) = ... The land is worth a fortune. I have a house on Sixteenth Street and then I make money again."
The banker tries to explain that he can foreclose the house. I don't understand what do the phrases with "spoken" mean. Who speaks to whom? Could you, please, explain it to me.
Many thanks.
in the book "Parrot and Olivier in America" (Peter Carey) a banker is talking to a nobleman (Olivier). The banker wants to lend money to Olivier's servant, so that the servant could buy a house. Oliver tries to persuade the banker not to do it:
"...it makes no sense to lend money to a debtor who will almost certainly default."
"Ah," said he [the banker], "spoken like a banker. Spoken like my good friends who are busy lending money to each other, but your painter will pay me back for a year, for two years, for three years. I will do very well. The moment she defaults why it is back to Ph(t) = ... The land is worth a fortune. I have a house on Sixteenth Street and then I make money again."
The banker tries to explain that he can foreclose the house. I don't understand what do the phrases with "spoken" mean. Who speaks to whom? Could you, please, explain it to me.
Many thanks.
Top answer
The banker says that Oliver has spoken just like his fellow bankers would speak.
- The banker says that Oliver has spoken just like his fellow bankers would speak.
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1 Answers
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The banker says that Oliver has spoken just like his fellow bankers would speak.
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