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Old 06-14-2018, 01:15 AM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Default Help from the British and Irish amongst us, please

I’m in the middle of a good book written by an Ulsterman named Stuart Neville, and there’s a mention of a character being “on drinking form.” The character in question wasn’t present when the phrase was used, so the context isn’t as clear as it might be. Am I correct in assuming that just means the guy’s been drinking? Or does it mean that he’s a habitual alcoholic?

It’s not an expression we use in North America (not in anyplace I’ve lived, anyway,) so I could use a bit of enlightenment about it.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can clarify this for me.


Wade Hampton Miller
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Old 06-14-2018, 02:45 AM
inky inky is offline
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Being "on form" means you are on top of your game.
I wouldn't necessarily call the chap in question an alcoholic, it just means that he can probably put plenty of it away without it having too much effect.
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Old 06-14-2018, 02:47 AM
frankmcr frankmcr is offline
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I'm inclined to think "on drinking form" means "drunk, as usual".

This is strictly based on having visited the UK a few times & sunk a pint or two with various locals at various locals …... ah, the Half Moon, Dulwich .....

You pick up not just existing turns of phrase but the possible implications of various potential word combinations.

I could be wrong, but I believe …. I believe I'll have another. Yes.
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Old 06-14-2018, 02:49 AM
cmac cmac is offline
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It's not a common expression here either, at least not in my experience. I had a quick look at the passage (thanks to Google books) and my best interpretation is that the policeman hopes the character will have been, and will still be, drinking, and therefore more likely to give information.
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Old 06-14-2018, 03:01 AM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cmac View Post
It's not a common expression here either, at least not in my experience. I had a quick look at the passage (thanks to Google books) and my best interpretation is that the policeman hopes the character will have been, and will still be, drinking, and therefore more likely to give information.
Thanks. That's what I assumed, just from context, but I thought I'd seek clarification.

It's a good book, incidentally, called Collusion, Stuart Neville's second novel. His first was published as Ghosts of Belfast in North America, but as Twelve in the UK and Ireland. Since both books have many of the same characters and Collusion resolves some of the things left hanging at the end of Ghosts/Twelve, anyone who's interested is strongly advised to read the first one first!

Thanks for all the responses.


whm
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Old 06-14-2018, 03:04 AM
Silurian Silurian is offline
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The Irish, both the Republic and NI, are not big drinkers. I would suggest that the chap was probably having an orange juice or mineral water.
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Old 06-14-2018, 03:16 AM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Originally Posted by Silurian View Post
The Irish, both the Republic and NI, are not big drinkers. I would suggest that the chap was probably having an orange juice or mineral water.
Oh, I know what you mean. I used to make my living playing music in Irish bars in Chicago and the Midwest, and it was AMAZING how much club soda those folks could pound down....


Wade Hampton "Sure And Begorrah And I'll Tell You Another One..." Miller
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