Does "dry" mean "dull" here? That is, the word is a bit derogatory.

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NewHopeR

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Does "dry" mean "dull" here? That is, the word is a bit derogatory.

Context:


Dry enough to dazzle a visitor with a classical quotation or fry him in the heavy oil of silence.
 

Raymott

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Re: Does "dry" mean "dull" here? That is, the word is a bit derogatory.

Context:


Dry enough to dazzle a visitor with a classical quotation or fry him in the heavy oil of silence.
No, it doesn't mean 'dull', especially given that he (?) can 'dazzle' a visitor. He might be dry if he was boring the visitor with a classical quotation.
But it also doesn't make sense. The first clause on it's own might be understandable, but "Dry enough to ... fry someone in oil"? Oil is not dry. "Dry" could mean emotionless.

Is this non-native writing, or a translation? Where's the quote from?
 

stanislaw.masny

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Re: Does "dry" mean "dull" here? That is, the word is a bit derogatory.

No, it doesn't mean 'dull', especially given that he (?) can 'dazzle' a visitor. He might be dry if he was boring the visitor with a classical quotation.
But it also doesn't make sense. The first clause on it's own might be understandable, but "Dry enough to ... fry someone in oil"? Oil is not dry. "Dry" could mean emotionless.

Is this non-native writing, or a translation? Where's the quote from?
It is from "MAO: A BIOGRAPHY" by Ross Terril.
 

Raymott

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Re: Does "dry" mean "dull" here? That is, the word is a bit derogatory.

It is from "MAO: A BIOGRAPHY" by Ross Terril.
Fine. Do you know what it means? ;-)
It would make more sense as "[He was] Dry enough to dazzle a visitor with a classical quotation and wet enough to fry him in the heavy oil of silence."
I admit defeat.
 

TheParser

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Re: Does "dry" mean "dull" here? That is, the word is a bit derogatory.

It is from "MAO: A BIOGRAPHY" by Ross Terril.


***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) Thank you so much for identifying the author of this beautiful sentence.

(2) Thanks to you, I was able to read the relevant section of the book on Google books.

(3) As the teachers always tell us learners: Context! Context! Context!

(4) The sentence just before this sentence is:

"Mao never lost the duality of being a taut wire of pure mind, yet also sensual as a

cat."

(5) Thus that sentence seems, ONLY in my opinion, to mean something like:

He was dry enough [that is, he did it in a matter-of - fact or "cold" way] to dazzle

a visitor by effortlessly mentioning some classical quotation or [in a similarly

matter-of-fact or unemotional way] of being silent [and letting the visitor fry uncomfortably

in the boiling oil of silence. As we all know, human beings are terrified by silence.

That's why silence is considered the height of contempt].

(6) Speaking of context, the following sentence then shows his "sensual" side.

The sentence tells us that he would often put his hand into his trousers in order to

deal with some lice!

(7) In my opinion, the word "dry" is NOT being used in a derogatory sense in that

sentence.
 

NewHopeR

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Re: Does "dry" mean "dull" here? That is, the word is a bit derogatory.

Well analyzed, TheParser.
Thank you.
 
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