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Discussion Groups / English Usage / March 2007What to ... and what to ...
Hello: Would you say that "went out" means "dared" in the first para? Also, how about "What to ... and what to" in the 2nd, how would you read it? Is it "Partly to ... and partly to? " ---------- Germaine was a hustler. She didn't wait for you to come to her--she went out and grabbed you. ... A hustler! Perhaps it wasn't so pleasant to smell that boozy breath of hers, that breath compounded of weak coffee, cognac, aperitifs, pemods and all the other stuff she guzzled between times, what to warm herself and what to summon up strength and courage, but the fire of it penetrated her ... Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer, p. 47 -------- Thank you. Marius Hancu NOSPAM@videotron.ca had it ... > Hello: > > Would you say that "went out" means "dared" in the first para? To "go out and do something" is to do something boldly, without hesitation. It's almost literal, as though she put on her coat, left the house and got on with it. > Also, how about "What to ... and what to" in the 2nd, how would you read > it? Is it "Partly to ... and partly to? " [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer, p. 47 > -------- I think he's made that up, or else it's US regional. I read it as "in order to".  SignatureDavid ===== >NOSPAM@videotron.ca had it ... >> ... >> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >I think he's made that up, or else it's US regional. I read it as >"in order to". I read it as "with which" or, nearer to the original, "with what". SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) > NOSPAM@videotron.ca had it ... > > Hello: [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > I think he's made that up, or else it's US regional. I read it as > "in order to". I don't recognize it, but I have a hunch it's the same as: "what with warming herself and what with summoning up strength..." Between one reason and the other, put together. SignatureBest -- Donna Richoux > > NOS...@videotron.ca had it ... > > > Hello: [ ... ] > > > Also, how about "What to ... and what to" in the 2nd, how would you read > > > it? Is it "Partly to ... and partly to? " [ ... ] > > > A hustler! Perhaps it wasn't so pleasant to smell that boozy breath of > > > hers, that breath compounded of weak coffee, cognac, aperitifs, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > > Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer, p. 47 > > > -------- [ ... ]> > I don't recognize it, but I have a hunch it's the same as: "what with > warming herself and what with summoning up strength..." Between one > reason and the other, put together. I agree with Donna's interpretation, though I also agree with Peter's point that it makes surprisingly little difference to the meaning which interpretation you take. Maybe that's what makes Miller a good writer: you know what he means even if you can't parse his sentence in detail, whereas with other writers you can parse their sentences all you want but still find their meaning unclear. athel > NOSPAM@videotron.ca had it ... >> Also, how about "What to ... and what to" in the 2nd, how would you [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > I think he's made that up, or else it's US regional. I read it as > "in order to". My reading was "whether to". It's interesting to see that all these varying interpretations lead to relatively little change in the meaning. SignaturePeter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org Please note the changed e-mail and web addresses. The domain eepjm.newcastle.edu.au no longer exists, and I can no longer receive mail at my newcastle.edu.au addresses. The optusnet address could disappear at any time. >> What to .. and what to ... >> A hustler! Perhaps it wasn't so pleasant to smell that boozy breath of >> hers, that breath compounded of weak coffee, cognac, aperitifs, [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >> >> Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer, p. 47 Causually, I would read it as simply as an idiomatic expression. To get the sense I would drop the What and keep the To. to warm herself and to summon up strength and courage With more care, I would read it as an elliptical rhetorical question and answer. >> what to warm herself What [did she do that for?] [In order] to warm herself. Jim > Hello: > > Would you say that "went out" means "dared" in the first para? I would say it just means that she took the initiative. > Also, how about "What to ... and what to" in the 2nd, how would you > read it? Is it "Partly to ... and partly to? " I think so. You could substitute "some" and get the same meaning. > ---------- > Germaine was a hustler. She didn't wait for you to come to her--she [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer, p. 47 > -------- > Hello: > > Would you say that "went out" means "dared" in the first para? No. It means she made the first move. She didn't wait for men to approach her for sex, she accosted them. > Also, how about "What to ... and what to" in the 2nd, how would you > read it? Is it "Partly to ... and partly to? " Strange construction. If Miller had thrown in a "who can say" after "courage" it would have made more sense. The intention might be to say "Here, you see she drank a boatload of stuff. What part of the intake was to warm herself? What part of the intake was to give her strength and courage?" > ---------- > Germaine was a hustler. She didn't wait for you to come to her--she [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer, p. 47 > -------- SignatureJohn Dean Oxford > The intention might be to say > "Here, you see she drank a boatload of stuff. What part of the intake was to > warm herself? What part of the intake was to give her strength and courage?" Yes, I was thinking that way. Thank you all. Marius Hancu > A hustler! Perhaps it wasn't so pleasant to smell that boozy breath of > hers, that breath compounded of weak coffee, cognac, aperitifs, > pemods Since no one else has picked up on it, I think you've misread, or mistyped, "pernods." --Jeff SignatureIt is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it. --Upton Sinclair >Marius Hancu wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >Since no one else has picked up on it, I think you've misread, or >mistyped, "pernods." It could be worse... SignaturePaul >> A hustler! Perhaps it wasn't so pleasant to smell that boozy breath >> of hers, that breath compounded of weak coffee, cognac, aperitifs, >> pemods > > Since no one else has picked up on it, I think you've misread, or > mistyped, "pernods." I had a similar problem in that thread where the word "pomo" keeps turning up. SignaturePeter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org Please note the changed e-mail and web addresses. The domain eepjm.newcastle.edu.au no longer exists, and I can no longer receive mail at my newcastle.edu.au addresses. The optusnet address could disappear at any time. |
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