Is this acceptable English, IYO?

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Is this acceptable English, IYO? Would you teach it?

"The 1972s, at only $800 a bottle, are drinking so much better at the moment."

No. I have never heard "drinking" used in this context.

No.

Bridget, are you referring to 1972 vintage bottles of wine being popular at the moment?

I'd say that that's a possible and natural English sentence, but it's informal. When it says that they "are drinking so much better", this is a use of the middle voice. The middle voice is active in form but passive in meaning; for example, to say that a book "reads well" (in other words, it's pleasant to read), or that some food "eats well" (it's pleasant to eat). The middle voice is a feature of vernacular English, but you shouldn't use it in formal contexts.

It's probably oenophile jargon, and perfectly acceptable in that context.

<I'd say that that's a possible and natural English sentence, but it's informal. When it says that they "are drinking so much better", this is a use of the middle voice. >

Why do you see middle voice as informal?

This is acceptable:

"Chunky, the soup that eats like a meal.", so why not your example? To me, it's fine in the context of vintners.

Lazar, more examples:

"Zind Humbrecht, Riesling, Turckheim Brand, Grand Cru, 2000: Full bodied, with moderate but well felt sweetness and generous botrytised honeyed-citrus, pear flavors and aromas, all balanced beautifully by minerals and a lightly spicy background., this very well made wine is drinking well now and promises to cellar comfortably until the end of the decade. Score 93."

http://www.stratsplace.com/rogov/alsace_broad_tasting.html

"2001 Semillon

A bright, sparkling lemon colour with tinges of green, this lovely Semillon has a rich bouquet of tropical fruit aromas and vanillin oak. The palate is rich and smooth with lingering fruit flavours, soft integrated oak and a long crisp acid finish. The Semillon won a Silver Medal at the 2002 Mudgee Wine Show and is drinking well now. It will continue to mature for a few more years. Drink 2003-2006."

http://www.thistlehill.com.au/spring03.htm

Now, Lazar, would you say that those websites are examples on informal English? I wouldn't.

I agree with Lazar: the middle voice is not appropriate for formal settings. You wouldn't write an essay with "The Second World War was fighting very well..." (obviously I'm exaggerating). The examples from the wine-tasting pages, while not completely informal, are definitely less formal than an academic essay or a news report, for example.

I agree with Josh Lalonde's assessment of the middle voice's level of (in)formality. Provided this explanation, though, Bridget's sentence is perfectly acceptable and "teachable" in my opinion.

I'd choose the verb "to sell" rather than "to drink" though:

_The 1972s, at only $800 a bottle, are selling so much better at the moment._

<The examples from the wine-tasting pages, while not completely informal, are definitely less formal than an academic essay or a news report, for example. >

Is that your idea of formality?

<I'd choose the verb "to sell" rather than "to drink" though: >

Why would you choose that verb? What has it got to do with the quality of the wine?

I still think it's a case of jargon specific to a particular field -- in this case, the wine industry.

<<Now, Lazar, would you say that those websites are examples on informal English? I wouldn't.>>

The language there is specialized, but as Josh said, it's not entirely formal. There's a conversational tone on those websites that would be absent in more formal, academic writing.

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