Coffee Break
Member
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2022
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Korean
- Home Country
- South Korea
- Current Location
- South Korea
Hello everyone. I encountered this expression, "as for their gimp-legged, flat-footed, flossy Eurotartsie fly-by-night crowd... they did nothing for me either", but am struggling to understand it. Could you please let me know what it means in the following sentences:
“I’m here because Fred Pasternak had the invitation messengered to me and told me to come. I suspect he’s stood me up. I didn’t even know of this party until late this afternoon.” In my efforts to exonerate myself and leave no doubt about my credentials, I began to spill more details than necessary, precisely the way liars do when a simple lie would have done well enough. I was also going to add that I hadn’t even wanted to go to a party tonight—and besides, I wasn’t even hungry, and as for their gimp-legged, flat-footed, flossy Eurotartsie fly-by-night crowd gathered round two hosts ignominiously named Hansel and Gretel, they did nothing for me either—so there!
- André Aciman, Eight White Nights, First Night
This is a novel published in the United States of America in 2010. This novel is narrated by the nameless male protagonist. The protagonist meets Clara at a Christmas party in Manhattan. Here, when it is revealed that the protagonist is not a friend of either of the two hosts of the party, the protagonist is explaining how he came to the party.
Here, I learned in the dictionary that "gimp-legged" can mean "limping in leg", and that "flat-footed" means that someone has a flat foot. But I am not sure how this "flossy (=excessively showy)" and "fly-by-night (=irresponsible)" crowd can be described as "gimp-legged" and "flat-footed".
Also, I just couldn't find anything about "Eurotartsie", so I have absolutely no idea as to what that might mean...
Lastly, as for "do nothing for me," I learned in the dictionary that it can mean "do not enhance the quality of something", but I am not sure whether that meaning can fit into this context, so I just wanted to ask you.
I would very much appreciate your help.
“I’m here because Fred Pasternak had the invitation messengered to me and told me to come. I suspect he’s stood me up. I didn’t even know of this party until late this afternoon.” In my efforts to exonerate myself and leave no doubt about my credentials, I began to spill more details than necessary, precisely the way liars do when a simple lie would have done well enough. I was also going to add that I hadn’t even wanted to go to a party tonight—and besides, I wasn’t even hungry, and as for their gimp-legged, flat-footed, flossy Eurotartsie fly-by-night crowd gathered round two hosts ignominiously named Hansel and Gretel, they did nothing for me either—so there!
- André Aciman, Eight White Nights, First Night
This is a novel published in the United States of America in 2010. This novel is narrated by the nameless male protagonist. The protagonist meets Clara at a Christmas party in Manhattan. Here, when it is revealed that the protagonist is not a friend of either of the two hosts of the party, the protagonist is explaining how he came to the party.
Here, I learned in the dictionary that "gimp-legged" can mean "limping in leg", and that "flat-footed" means that someone has a flat foot. But I am not sure how this "flossy (=excessively showy)" and "fly-by-night (=irresponsible)" crowd can be described as "gimp-legged" and "flat-footed".
Also, I just couldn't find anything about "Eurotartsie", so I have absolutely no idea as to what that might mean...
Lastly, as for "do nothing for me," I learned in the dictionary that it can mean "do not enhance the quality of something", but I am not sure whether that meaning can fit into this context, so I just wanted to ask you.
I would very much appreciate your help.