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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Tobacco's answer to the coffeeshop barista?
Here, under glass, are thick jars of tobacco leaves Oriental Rose, The Empress, The Earl poured lovingly into white smoking papers by tobacco's answer to the coffee shop barista.
It's from an old NYT article on the tobacco lounge in Chicago.
What I don't clearly understand is 'tobacco's answer' part.
I assumed it means someone in the lounge who does the job of tobacco making(rolling?)
like barista does the job of coffe making,
but others think it's need for tobacco and barista in the lounge does the job.
What do you think?
It's from an old NYT article on the tobacco lounge in Chicago.
What I don't clearly understand is 'tobacco's answer' part.
I assumed it means someone in the lounge who does the job of tobacco making(rolling?)
like barista does the job of coffe making,
but others think it's need for tobacco and barista in the lounge does the job.
What do you think?
Top answer
You're right, it means the person in the tobacco lounge who does a job comparable to that of the barista, except with tobacco rather than coffee. )
- You're right, it means the person in the tobacco lounge who does a job comparable to that of the barista, except with tobacco rather than coffee.
- )
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5 Answers
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You're right, it means the person in the tobacco lounge who does a job comparable to that of the barista, except with tobacco rather than coffee.
(There seems to be a punctuation problem with the original sentence, but that's not relevant to your question.)
(There seems to be a punctuation problem with the original sentence, but that's not relevant to your question.)
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I agree there's something wrong with the sentence. (As Mr. W has said, it doesn't bear much on your question.)
On first reading, I took "The Earl" to be another in the series of renowned tobacco leaves (The Empress, The Earl), not a loving pourer of tobacco leaves.
But I think you guys are correct that it's the pourer who is the answer to the barista, assuming the barista pours
On first reading, I took "The Earl" to be another in the series of renowned tobacco leaves (The Empress, The Earl), not a loving pourer of tobacco leaves.
But I think you guys are correct that it's the pourer who is the answer to the barista, assuming the barista pours
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Edit. I guess I'm having a slow day. If you let this sentence sink in for a few minutes, it makes perfect sense. (The NYT can do no wrong.) "The Earl poured lovingly." Were you thinking, a comma after "Earl," Mr. W??
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Avangi
Edit. I guess I'm having a slow day. If you let this sentence sink in for a few minutes, it makes perfect sense. (The NYT can do no wrong.) "The Earl poured lovingly." Were you thinking, a comma after "Earl," Mr. W??
I doubt that "The Earl poured lovingly" is meant to be a unit. I read it as you did original
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Thanks, Wordy. I guessed the same.
Good to come across someone unintimidated by the proscriptions of others against the dash. I was thinking "dash" there myself. I often use it to organize my musings, but I hesitate to recommend it to learners. I fear our colleagues would consider "proper dashes" an oxymoron.
Good to come across someone unintimidated by the proscriptions of others against the dash. I was thinking "dash" there myself. I often use it to organize my musings, but I hesitate to recommend it to learners. I fear our colleagues would consider "proper dashes" an oxymoron.
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