A Pluralistic Society
March 14, 2007Dear Bartender: I’m a newbie at Ask A Bartender… I bar-backed for 10 months, many years ago, at the Hi-Lo Club here in OKC, and then I moved on. I asked this question then, and I’m asking you now because I never did get a straight (!) answer.
What is the right way to refer to more than one “bourbon and Coke”?
I googled “bourbons and Coke,” “bourbon and Cokes” and “bourbons and Cokes” and found examples of people using all three!
(What can I say? I’m a linguist, fer criminy-sakes!)
Sincerely in Oklahoma City, OK, USA,
–hank
Dear hank: It gets even more complicated when you consider that some people order a single Stoli cranberry as a “Stolis and cranberries.” What’s up with that?
If I’m ordering two drinks which both are bourbon and Coke, I’ll ask for “Two bourbon Coke.” The same way I’ll order “Two Heinekin” or “Two fizzy water.”
But everyone’s different. Anyone want to weigh in?
Why would anyone order just two???
Why ruin bourbon with coke?
I avoid the confusion by saying “bourbon and coke” and hold up two fingers. Unfortunately, this often leads to more confusion when the bartender thinks I am wishing him peace. Wanting not to come off as a war monger, I don’t correct him, bring the one drink back and share it with my friend who is also a Republican.
Well Hank– I think you’re a cunning linguist– Not sure of how to answer– but I will say– you were right on your last comment– Everyone IS different– especially around here (but I’m no MENSA candidate)– and believe you me– I don’t want to weigh in– the ol Sergio Valente Jeans (42 X 28)are gettin a bit snug– OK? (I resisted the urge to say O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A, OK)
I think “cunning linguist” was meant as a pun, hank. JSYK.
The answer is “2 bourbon and cokes”. Bourbon and coke is a compound noun and therefore represents a singular entity unless you were asking for your liquor and mixers to be in separate glasses, which you’re not.
This is similar to the plural of “Attorney General” which is “Attorneys General” and not “Attorney Generals” (no, they are not military, just out there to generally fuck with everyone who pisses them off). In this case, the compound noun is made up of an adjective and a noun (not 2 nouns) and the adjective happens to follow the noun, which is rare in English. Plus, unlike some languages, English offers no way to pluralize adjectives anyway, so matching number is irrelevent.
God I need a drink.