"Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." Did Picard really need to say it?

Yes. it would be loud if everything were voice activated, and wouldn't it confuse the computer? I wonder to what extent things were supposed to have been monitored, and in what degree of detail, by the ship's computer? In "Courtmartial," for instance, it seems like every act and word has been recorded. Thoughts on this?

 

The real world reason is because Star Trek is an American TV series, and Picard has to specify that he wants the tea hot.

The in-universe reason is because you have to be really specific with the dumbass replicators. Remember Tom's efforts to wade through 40 soup varieties in Caretaker?

 

But don't you think if Picard just ordered 'tea' the replicator would ask him to be more specific? I think the qualifiers are necessary whatever country you're from, and it therefore removes the 'regional' aspect from the whole argument.

 

True. It could be any kind.

 

BLASPHEMY!

Tea - by which I generally mean hot, sweet tea - should be served with milk and honey. Sugar goes in coffee.

That's what I'd do. I usually don't feel like talking first thing in the morning. I'd want a button, and if it had to be voice activated I'd progam the computer to interpret.

'hrmph' = Tea, Red Rose, Hot, with milk and honey

I think buttons and keyboards would be easier for a lot of what they do by voice commands in Star Trek. Giving passwords, for one thing.

 

That's a good point, Seeker. I guess it just depends how complex the replicators 'really' were designed to be.

 

AMEN! :-)

What really threw me when I moved a few states south of where I grew up was hearing "half and half" in a context that clearly was not dairy-related. "Half and half" here is half iced tea, half lemonade.

 

The thing is though that he's not just saying "Tea, hot," which would be a very vague statement. In my experience though, and this is speaking as an American who frequently drinks iced tea, Earl Grey is very rarely consumed cold. I don't believe I've ever encountered it chilled. Now, that doesn't mean you can't do it, but I can say right now that if I walked into a place that served both iced tea and hot tea and I ordered Earl Grey, it would come out hot.

As far as the iced or sweet tea issue, I would have to say from personal experience that, were I to walk into an average restaurant here in the south (SC resident), the immediate assumption on the part of the waiter, assuming it isn't a cafe that normally sells hot beverages, would be that when I say "tea", I'm referring to iced tea. In fact, while many may specify "iced tea" when ordering, I have seen many cases where people simply order "tea" and get what they want. A much bigger issue is whether or not it is sweetened, which is why you often hear "sweet tea" being used when ordering to differentiate it from unsweet. Whether or not it is iced is already a foregone conclusion. Now, I am very fond of hot teas and do often drink them at home. In my experience you simply don't encounter them often in most restaurants unless, as already mentioned, you're in some kind of cafe. In that setting you normally refer to the specific type of tea when ordering, of course, which brings me back around to my first point: "tea" can be interpreted as either iced or hot, but "Earl Grey" or "Chamomile", at least in the American Southeast, is normally always interpreted as hot. As long as you're operating under all these conventions of what "tea" means based on the situation, you're fine.

And, by the way, the reason why we assume tea is iced down here is pretty simple: it's hot. Really hot. It might not be as big of an issue in the present day, but before central heating and air conditioning, we were all much more subject to our environments. It seems to have left its mark in the types of food and drinks we prefer.

As for half-and-half, I've heard of that before but under a different name, although I can't remember what it was at the moment. I seem to remember hearing that it was popular in the SC lowcountry. From the name it kind of reminds me of my grandparents' tea (iced, of course). Although I don't think they actually used lemonade, they always used a large amount of lemon.

 

It's only four words. Maybe Picard just didn't want to appear lazy.

 

Chicken Express??? No the best sweet tea is served here in San Antonio, by Bill Miller Bar-B-Q. It can, and frequently is, bought by the gallon. It is the most perfect sweet tea I have ever tasted. In fact, I've yet to meet a San Antonian who doesn't like Bill Miller tea. Even people who don't like the food at Bill Miller like the tea.

 

Or, you could just make your own and sweeten to taste.

 

No, the best place to get sweet tea is at my grandmother's. Our by-the-gallon-producing restaurant in Alabama is Milo's of Birmingham. Although I've had better, it is convenient for gatherings.

Obviously I am from the South. We were baffled (and amused) by anyone who used the phrase "iced tea". How else could it be consumed? And unsweetened iced tea is beyond my comprehension. It's just slightly bitter brown water. What's the point? As the saying goes, "I'd like some tea in my sugar."

I didn't even know tea was served hot (or even that there was more than one flavor) until I was in grade school. And that was only by watching British characters drink it hot on TV. And I couldn't understand how one could just sip it. The tea I knew begged to be chugged now and then.

I don't drink much coffee or hot tea even as a middle-aged man and I reserve it for winter. It's too darn hot down here in summer to raise my core temperature even higher - especially in mid-afternoon!

Oh yes: Picard. Any preset he could come up with would take longer to say. "Picard Tea Number Four" saves no effort. May as well make it efficient and clear.

 

I may not be from quite as far south as you are (North Carolina vs. Alabama), but I was aware of hot tea for as long as I've been aware of iced tea. I often drank and still do drink hot tea in the morning (usually with just some sugar added), but I also drink iced tea at all times of day.

 

You are in the minority, it makes most people feel special.

 

AMEN!! This is typical of anti-American thinking. Please do not look down upon Americans because we are intelligent enough to SPECIFY either iced-tea or hot-tea. What normal person wants HOT tea on a HOT day anyway?!

We Americans also know that variety IS the spice of life! Therefore, one day we may wish to have a mocha latte and the next day an espresso. I just checked my dining room buffet and I counted 7 (yes, seven!) different types/flavors of tea: Earl Grey, Moroccan, Spring Mint green tea and others. I also currently have 3 flavors of coffee: French Roast, Espresso and Pumpkin Spice.

 

Sophisticated tea drinkers, that's who - American or otherwise.

 

Sophisticated is what a pretentious person calls himself. It usually denotes the insecurity of the user rather than lack of sophistication of the intended victim.

 

Or herself, as the case may be.

 

When first we brew that little leaf!


When I order in a restaurant, I order "Tea, hot please" or "Tea, iced please".


J.