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Part 1 Language in cultural context

Figure 2.2 Three important concepts
that help us understand how meaning
is conveyed through texts: the context
of composition, the target audience and
the context of interpretation.
Readers
placement of text
Aim of
communication
target audience
time and place
of target audience
you
your time
and place
text
Context of
composition
Context of
interpretation
text
writer
time and place
Text 2.1
The Tea, or Afternoon Tea of England, is also becoming every day more in vogue
among the aristocracy of all the countries of Europe, and in both Americas.
As is well known, tea is served in England in various ways, according to where
and to whom served.
In most private houses in England when tea is taken en famille,
1
that is, without
special visitors or ceremony, it is served in the dining-room at the same table
where the other meals are taken.
According to the number of persons present at this meal, one or more plates
of cut bread and butter, on paper doyley,
2
are placed on the table; also, some
plates of cut cake, various kinds of pastry specially for tea, plates of water-cress,
celery, etc., and jam or marmalade.
To the left of the lady of the house are placed as many cups and saucers as
persons present at table; and to the right a tray holding a large tea-pot with the
tea ready prepared and a jug of boiling water or a silver kettle on a spirit-stand, a
jug of cold milk and another (smaller) with cream.
The sugar-basin should be placed on the cloth to the right and a slop-basin on
the tray.
The lady of the house generally pours out the tea, and when pouring it she
usually asks each person to be served (if she does not already know) Do you
take sugar? Do you like your tea sweet?
It is generally the custom to take two cups of tea, and each person helps
himself to the things on the table.
Buttered toast, toasted tea cake, muffins, crumpets, etc., are also served
at tea.
Tea is not considered as a meal in the proper sense of the word; but only a
collation or tente-en-pi,
3
between luncheon and dinner.
Formerly, tea in private houses was always served on the point of five oclock;
hence the origin of the phrase five oclock tea used abroad.
The tea of the English working-class is the most eccentric
4
of meals, and one of
the greatest injuries a gourmet could possibly conceive (according to the ideas of
Brillat-Savarin); for with the tea they partake of various kinds of salted meat and dried
fish, such as corned-beef, kippers, bloaters, red herrings, winkles, shrimps, pickles,
watercresses, cucumber, lettuce, jam or marmalade, bread and butter, and cake.
This incongruous
5
kind of food may, no doubt, be quite nice and tasty for this class
of people, but it must shock any one endowed with refined epicurean
6
instinct.
In a family where there is a nursery of small children, tea for them takes the
place of dinner or supper. In addition to bread and butter, etc., boiled eggs, some
fish, or light meat and fruit are served. This is also called High tea or Meat tea.
1
en famille French for with the family
2
doyley is a decorative piece of lace to protect the wood of tables or sideboards; here
made of cut paper
3
tente-en-pi (modern-day Spanish tentempi) means a snack or something to eat to
keep you going between meals
4
eccentric strange, different from the ordinary
5
incongruous out of place, not consistent or harmonious
6
epicurean fond of good tastes or luxuries