What price something?

Question

Could someone tell me what this phrase or sentence is generally supposed to mean to native speakers of English? Also, please paraphrase this one in full-sentence form by adding a verb and possibly other words.

And, also, tell me what you think this particular sentence, "What price fame?", means.
YAMAOKA Michio

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Could someone tell me what this phrase or sentence is generally supposedto mean to native speakers of English? Also, please ... and possibly other words. And, also, tell me what you think this particular sentence, "What price fame?", means. YAMAOKA Michio[/nq]
It means at what personal cost is the fame and glory worth to you,are you willing to sacrifice what it takes be it family,sanity,your health.Will you sell your soul for fame?
That's what it means.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Could someone tell me what this phrase or sentence is generally supposed to mean to native speakers of English? Also, please paraphrase this one in full-sentence form by adding a verb and possibly other words.[/nq]
Restoring only the deleted words, you'd get something like:

"What price are you willing to pay for something?"

However, it isn't meant as a literal question. You can't really say, "What price an XBox?" or "What price a fine Italian meal?" and expect in response a monetary amount.
Take, for example, your example:
[nq:1]And, also, tell me what you think this particular sentence, "What price fame?", means.[/nq]
It means, "You can become famous, but in the process, you'll possibly lose a great deal which is more important. You may lose your family, your integrity, your health, or any number of other things which are, in fact, priceless. Are you REALLY SURE this is what you want to do?"

Michael DeBusk, Co-Conspirator to Make the World a Better Place Did he update http://home.earthlink.net/~debu4335/ yet?

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Could someone tell me what this phrase or sentence is generally supposedto mean to native speakers of English? Also, please ... a verb and possibly other words. And, also, tell me what you think this particular sentence, "What price fame?", means.[/nq]
"What price glory?" seems to be the phrase
that popularized the form, in the years after
the First World War. What Price Glory was
also the title of a (pacificist) screenplay by
Maxwell Anderson and (memory suggests)
possibly the title of a stage play by R.C.
Sherrif, in London in the 1920s.
I.e. it is basically a disparaging comment,
doubting the imputed values of its object.

Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Could someone tell me what this phrase or sentence is generally supposed to mean to native speakers of English? Also, ... a verb and possibly other words. And, also, tell me what you think this particular sentence, "What price fame?", means.[/nq]
I sort of thought it usually had a comma: What price, fame? But maybe not.
What is the price one has to pay for fame? or maybe less often, What is the price one is willing to pay for fame? The loss of a personal life because of time spent training? Sleeping with the producer or director or coach? The chance of not succeeding, not getting fame, and not being trained for anything else either, or married? What does it require, what do others want, or what will you pay?
[nq:1]YAMAOKA Michio[/nq]
s/ meirman If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis, 7 years
Chicago, 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
Baltimore 20 years

What price something?

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