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Thread: like fish and chips/That's told her

  1. #1
    frindle is offline Member
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    Smile like fish and chips/That's told her

    Hello. I don't know what the underlined two sentences mean in this context.

    1, I suppose "Like fish and chips" is sort of joking, but what's funny here?
    2. That's told her. - Is it mean 'She deserves it' or something?
    Please help!!! Thank you.


    Mr. Spicer droning on about how immigrants have contributed a lot to this country and then Lindy says in sarcastic voice, "Like what?"
    "Like fish and chips." he snaps back and a laugh goes around the class.
    That's told her, I think.
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  2. #2
    waflob is offline Member
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    Default Re: like fish and chips/That's told her

    In order to fully answer this, we would have to know which country is refererd to by 'this country'
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    frindle is offline Member
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    Default Re: like fish and chips/That's told her

    Oh, I'm sorry.
    In this story, this country is "England."

  4. #4
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    Default Re: like fish and chips/That's told her

    Fish fried in batter, one of the two ingredients in fish and chips, is thought to have been introduced to Britain by Portuguese Jewish refugees in the east end of London.
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    SoothingDave is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: like fish and chips/That's told her

    Quote Originally Posted by bhaisahab View Post
    Fish fried in batter, one of the two ingredients in fish and chips, is thought to have been introduced to Britain by Portuguese Jewish refugees in the east end of London.
    Really? Next you'll be telling me the Italians didn't invent spaghetti.

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    frindle is offline Member
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    Default Re: like fish and chips/That's told her

    Quote Originally Posted by bhaisahab View Post
    Fish fried in batter, one of the two ingredients in fish and chips, is thought to have been introduced to Britain by Portuguese Jewish refugees in the east end of London.
    I see. Thank you. And what about "That's told her."
    I don't understand what it means here.

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    waflob is offline Member
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    Default Re: like fish and chips/That's told her

    Quote Originally Posted by frindle View Post
    Oh, I'm sorry.
    In this story, this country is "England."
    In that case, here is *my* interpretation of the text.

    Mr. Spicer is (in a rather boring way) explaining the benefits of a multi-cultural society and that the immigrant population have made positive contributions to society. Lindy, sarcastically, asks what he means, to which he (equally sarcastically) replies "Fish and chips". The joke here is that fish and chips are considered to be a very British food.

    As for "that's told her", it's saying that the sarcastic Lindy was put in her place.
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  8. #8
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    Default Re: like fish and chips/That's told her

    My interpretation is:

    Mr. Spicer is (in a rather boring way) explaining the benefits of a multi-cultural society and that the immigrant population have made positive contributions to society. Lindy, sarcastically, asks for an example of positive contributions, to which he replies seriously, "Fish and chips".

    Mr Spicer is making the point that this apparently very British food was introduced by immigrants.

    I agree with Wafflob's explanation that "that's told her" is saying that the sarcastic Lindy was put in her place.
    bhaisahab, frindle and TheParser like this.

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