英语阅读：High Street?
Reader question:In this passage –Sales on the high street suffered their worst ever fall
last month, adding to evidence that the UK is heading into recession and
prompting renewed calls for an urgent cut in interest rates (High street sales
plunge 3.9%, guardian.co.uk, July 24, 2008) – what does "high Street" mean?
My comments:
Here, "high street sales" means retail sales or sales in shops in
general.
High street is British English. It refers to the main street of a city
where the biggest shops and businesses are. It's similar to what Americans call
"downtown" or what we call CBD in Beijing. In Beijing, the high street or
downtown used to be Wangfujing. It still is, but seems to be giving way to areas
round Dabeiyao, the CBD (Central Business District). Some locals, by the way, do
interpret the new catchword of CBD as China, Beijing, Dabeiyao, though more in
jest than by mistake.
In quite a few phrases and idioms, the adjective "high" is coupled with a
noun to differentiate the noun from the ordinary. High wind, for example, means
strong wind. High society, on the other hand, refers to people of the highest
social class. High finance, in turn, involves large sums of money. If you're in
high spirits, you're having lots of fun. If somebody has a high opinion of you,
they approve of you. During the high season, businesses thrive. If you lead a
high life, you travel, wine and dine, party all the time. And if you wear high
heels, well, walk, or wobble, but don't run.
And so on and so forth. Anyways, "high street" means the bustling business
area. However, it might be worth noting that "high street sales" means sales on
the street in general, not just on the "high streets" but also the smallish
alleys near you. High street sales are simply retail.
Here are a few random media examples of "high-something" (explanations in
brackets are mine):
1. high street (major) banks:
Smaller banks are outstripping high street banks by offering better
interest rates and superior customer service, reveals an investigation by Which?
Money.
In its annual current account survey Which? found consumers could earn up
to 85 per cent more interest if they switched from HSBC, Barclays, Natwest or
Lloyds TSB to a smaller bank such as Cahoot.
The report found most accounts offered by the big four banks pay 0.1 per
cent interest, equating to 0.40p a year with £500 in your account each
month.
- Smaller banks faring better than the high street, moneymarketing.co.uk,
July 23, 2008.
2. high-class (expensive) restaurant:
By "expense," Rogers means place how much he spent on the legislator on his
financial filing report. If a lobbyist spends more than $50 on a lawmaker in one
day, by law the lawmaker's name must be on the report. Less than $50 and the
lobbyist only has to list the amount spent, the day it was spent and what it was
spent on, like a meal or "entertainment."
Rogers is blunt about how he works -- he tries not to spend more than $50 a
day on a legislator. "We don't want to be in the media (for giving gifts) as
much as the legislators" don't want to be in the media for accepting them.
Accordingly, "Most of my expenses are breakfasts and lunches. You can
really get into some money for dinners" at a high-class restaurant. Rogers lists
one legislative meal at only $2.84, while an "entertainment" was $48, just $2
short of the naming level.
- Lobbyist thrives on entertaining lawmakers, Deseret News (Salt Lake
City), July 17, 2008.
3. high-ranking (high-positioned) officials:
William Burns, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, will join
other high-ranking officials from world's major powers at a meeting this
Saturday with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.
Burns, the third-highest ranking US diplomat, will for the first time
attend Group 5+1 talks with the Iranian envoy in Switzerland aimed at persuading
Iran to halt uranium enrichment activities.
- High Ranking US Diplomat to Meet Iran's Nuclear Negotiator,
uskowioniran.blogspot.com, July 16, 2008.
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