Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[hiromichi]

What is a "purveyor of new lows"?

Of course, Democrats identify Mr. McConnell as the chief purveyor of new lows. From the beginning, the Gorsuch nomination has been shadowed, in large measure, by Judge Merrick B. Garland, whom President Barack Obama nominated in March 2016 after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia the month before. Mr. McConnell led Republicans in refusing to even consider the nomination during a presidential election year.
_________________
Hiromichi

[Oll Korrect]

Fancy language by a writer trying to impress his friends.

Society (or some part of it) reaches a "new low" when it behaves worse than ever before. Like if some guy always had a gambling problem, then one day lost his wedding ring, that might be a "new low" for him.

A purveyor is a seller or dealer. Often of abstract things: a dictator might be called a purveyor of fear.

So a "purveyor of new lows" would be someone who frequently does the worst things anyone (among the Republican party, I assume) has ever done.

[hiromichi]

Oll Korrect,
Thank you for your clear explanation. Now I am very happy that my question submitted early in April got answered.
_________________
Hiromichi

[hiromichi]

"Who better to" below should be corrected to Who would better" ?


When government policies seem to court and coddle the wealthiest one percent, populists call it a violation and betrayal of American principles.

Not so in the world of letters, where the best writers write for the one-percenters — and why not? Who better to appreciate your writing than those who study and cherish English? Besides, it’s not a class thing. Language aficionados come from all walks of life.
_________________
Hiromichi

[hiromichi]

What is a foam hat?
_________________
Hiromichi

[Lorikeet]

[Lorikeet]

As for a foam hat, without any context, I would imagine it is a hat made of foam, and in fact, if you google it, you can seem some examples: https://www.google.com/search?q=foam+hat&oq=foam+hat&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.2022j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[hiromichi]

Lorikeet、I had also googled, but I did not get it.
I wonder what 'foam' is.

John Sullivan wears a giant foam hat in the shape of a whale. It works well as a conversation starter when he panhandles on the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street in Georgetown.
_________________
Hiromichi

[Lorikeet]

Did you look at the link to google images? Foam is a kind of material. All the hats in the google images are made of foam. So the person in the sentence is wearing a hat that has a whale, which he uses to start conversations,

[hiromichi]

Lorikeet、I now got it. I first thought foam is froth.
Now it is foam rubber or expanded plastic. Thank you.
_________________
Hiromichi