Friday 16 January 2015

Wine and Word Issues.

I heard somebody on the TV the other day refer to a ‘wine factory.’ It doesn’t seem right, does it? Beer is made in a brewery and whisky in a distillery, so why does the most ancient of urbane intoxicants have to make do with coming from a factory? Polystyrene receptacles and dog food come from factories. Wine should come from some place with a posher name than that. Maybe it does, and I just know what it is. I’ll bet the French have a posh name for places where wine is made. Maybe some kind French person will enlighten me.

And did you know that pottery doesn’t come from a factory either, at least not where I come from which is the traditional home of the British commercial ceramics industry. Pottery is made in potbanks. Don’t ask me why.

And on the subject of words, here’s a little mystery brought up by Chief Inspector Mayo in the TV series:

Those who select are called selectors; those who elect are called electors; those who prospect are called prospectors. So why are those who detect called detectives?

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