h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Is it used by the traders in places like the UK, but not where the tea comes from (China? India?) as it means something rude there?

RF

Correct - it is used to traders to the UK and the west more generally but not in China.

RF +3

But can you think of why - and it's nothing to do with language - the clue in in the abbreviated phrase.

I'll be around for most of today to wrap this one up.

*nudge*

So does the abbreviation either
A) mean something rude in the languge of the tea producers
B) mean something inauspicious in the language of the tea producers (I have spent time with Chinese and Tamil tea producers in Malaysia and never heard this acronym, but the way they avoid inauspicious signs, like the number 4, I would not have heard it)
C) or is it just nonsense to them?

When I was in Cameron Highlands in Malaysia I spent some time on the BOH tea plantation (No I am not a hippy traveller, I have family in Malaysia) and I carry vivid memories from that time, but my favourite is a group of Tamil ladies sitting in a small room grading a pile of tea on the floor. The guide explained what they were looking for, and the different grades of tea that farm/plantation produced. Then she said "what is left over on the floor we sweep up and put into the teabags'!

Sorry - drt, I thought I'd replied to this. I'll answer properly tomorrow.

Hi drt,


A) no the abbreviation is (one of) the variations of grading for black tea.

Very interesting that you >> have spent time with Chinese and Tamil tea producers in Malaysia and never heard this acronym <<

Any inspiration - for points - over why?

- and it's not inauspicious numbers (tough that is Quite Interesting +6)

How about

"super fine tea: good for old people"



EYG

The abbreviation's been solved already!

I'm interested now why it isn't used much in China.

they have one pictogram in china so can abreviate the abreviation

Clever.


Nope.

Mind you, when I say spent time, I should clarify I mean two days...

<>

china use green tea more than black tea, so theres not much call for it

pekoe means something different in Chinese

Taff DGI +1

Something very special about SFTGFOP that doesn't appeal

its to be drunk with milk and the chinese are generally lactose intollerant

ah. no it's not that.

Hadn't consider that one.

But I think you are right about not needing milk.

Also there's some property of SFTGFOP that I'm looking for.

Is it a black tea, which, like other black teas, are fermented, producing caffeine?

Actually, Taff's already covered that, and it was a no.

Is it because, whilst Westerners consider the acronym-tea to be superiour, the Chinese actually prefer leaves that are slightly older? A bit like olive out - some people prefer oliver oil over exra virgin olive oil. Or something.

>> The abbreviation's been solved already!

Sorry. I thought "Tippy" was a made-up word, disregarded the whole translation as a consequence and only took note of the bit where you confirmed we should be looking for an abbreviation to do with tea-grading.

No, really I did.


EYG