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Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / May 2005Straight or neat?
I met a Greek yesterday who insisted that in the UK, no one drinks their Scotch "neat." The term is American in origin. All Britons say "straight" when they order whisk(e)y unadulterated by ice or mixers. Now, my Greek acquaintance was wrong regarding word origins, and is, moreover, only a slight Lechterianesque cut away from the intelligence level of a cretinous goon, but since I've never been to the UK, I must ask. Have Britons retained the term "neat" as well? I sincerely doubt that this fellow ordered other rotgut spirits in the more questionable establishments of London, but is the term "straight" more generally current than "neat" in Great Britain? I worked as a part-time bartender (or is that always barman/bargirl? (I've heard that too!)) on my way through college, so I'm particularly interested in the answer to this question. > I met a Greek yesterday who insisted that in the UK, no one drinks > their Scotch "neat." The term is American in origin. All Britons say > "straight" when they order whisk(e)y unadulterated by ice or mixers. In Scotland, whisky is served unadulterated anyway, unless the barperson wants a 'knuckle sandwich'. Ice, water, and sometimes lemonade are on the bar counter for the customer to help himself. > Have Britons retained the term "neat" as well? I think 'neat' would be more British than 'straight' in the sense of pure or unadulterated. > I worked as a part-time bartender (or is that always barman/bargirl? barmaid - a more traditional term, with traditional allusions of well-developed chest and arm from working a beer pump bar steward - in hotels, on cruise liners, and in (gentlemen's) clubs. Also used as a euphemism for bastard. Owain > I think 'neat' would be more British than 'straight' in the sense of > pure or unadulterated. The bottle of all-purpose cleaner I have handy says: "Undiluted - use neat on kitchen worktops, cookers ...." Owain > The bottle of all-purpose cleaner I have handy says: "Undiluted - use > neat on kitchen worktops, cookers ...." That would be "undiluted" or "full-strength" in the States, never, but never, neat. The wheel turns... > I think 'neat' would be more British than 'straight' in the sense of > pure or unadulterated. That's what I thought, too. > > I worked as a part-time bartender (or is that always barman/bargirl? > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > bar steward - in hotels, on cruise liners, and in (gentlemen's) clubs. > Also used as a euphemism for bastard. Americans would shy away from "barmaid" for fear of giving anyone offense. But "bar steward," hmm...now that's a new one. Thanks. |
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