To reinforce Jon Miller's insight into the expanding semantics of
"Martini," I humbly cite

www.geocities.com/martinisu/keepreal.html

and works referred to therein, esp. Grimes.

Lowell


On Mon, March 28, 2005 3:17 pm, Jon Miller said:
> My wife and I had a nice meal at an area restaurant with an extensive
> menu of "martinis" which rarely included gin. They were mainly vodka
> with sweet and colorful things such as juices, syrups, or liqueurs.
> All served in martini glasses. My wife compared these "martinis" to
> the "coffees" offered at Starbuck's. It seems to me that most any
> indulgence at Starbuck's is permissible because the beverage is
> coffee, which Americans associate with overworking, industry,
> brainwork, and other good industrious connotations. A milkshake at
> Starbuck's is still a coffee drink in the eyes of most people. I
> wonder if the word "martini" is not evolving in a similar fashion to
> give an edge to drinks that are heavily fortified with alcohol and
> sugar. Jon
>


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