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To name but two . . .

Posted by R. Berg on March 07, 2003

In Reply to: I am a foreigner posted by ESC on March 07, 2003

: : In tea and sugar, to name but two other commodities, it isalready taking its toll in the from of reduced purchases by cash-strapped oil-producing states.

: : it's really difficult for a foreigner like me to understand 'in the from' and 'take its toll', can anybody help out there?

: : and 'to name but two other commodities' means 'just name two other commodities'?

: In tea and sugar, to name but two other commodities, (there are more than two but I'm not going to list them all) it is already taking its toll (its cost...toll meaning "fee, tax or charge") in the from (this should be "form," meaning how the cost will be paid or levied) of reduced purchases by cash-strapped oil-producing states.

"To name but two other commodities": The writer is using "but" to mean "only." That is one of the possible correct meanings of "but." So "to name but two" means "the examples that follow (tea and sugar) are only two of many that I could name."

A toll is a tax or charge. "Taking its toll" also means, in a general way, causing damage or having bad effects.

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