Since the earliest times in England, the traveler"s inn has always been a warm and hospitable place, a gathering place for voyagers to rest and recover. The tireless landlord, the local customers sharing drinks and food, the welcoming atmosphere, have all become part of the legend of the typical English country and city life. In later centuries, the English tavern took on the role of community gathering place, being the location where friendly chatter and fierce social debate mixed with business discussions, and food, wine, beer and coffee were consumed as the noise of convivial (酒宴的) exchanges rose.
In modern times, the English pub often continues to function as the communal meeting place, especially for people whose homes are too small to entertain any number of guests or friends. In many Asian countries, the local restaurant serves a similar social function.
In Ireland, the pub has acted as a central attraction for poorer villagers in the rural areas, and as a literary and social focus in the cities. In keeping with the sociable nature of pub gatherings, music as well as talk has become a central part of this institution in Ireland.
Now people around the world are able to experience the friendly nature of the Irish pub, which follows in the wake of its English equivalent as a welcome and growing export. English pubs have been found in America, in parts of Europe and throughout the world where English people have settled. Today the Irish pub is witnessing an outburst of international popularity as Westerners turn away from their television and computer screens and seek to put a human face to their social contacts. They are finding it in the bars and corners of Irish pubs, where Guinness stout, the Irish national drink, is available in the tall, dark creamy pint glasses and Irish music is the regular fare.
In Mr. McCarville"s view, a pub is a place where you and your friends should be able to walk in and have a drink and talk to each other. But in traditional pubs everywhere there is loud raucous music so that customers can"t talk. He says that in all the traditional pubs in Australia they are putting poker machines, and Mr. McCarville saw many vacant looking people gambling. He feels that these pubs are no longer pleasant places to go to have a drink because you can"t talk to anyone. "The one place where conversation has always been great is an Irish pub, so everywhere they are set up they become very popular," he says.
"There is music in them, but it is Irish music. It may be traditional or modern Irish music, but it is happy, infectious music which stimulates the mood of the place and does not overpower it." So Irish pubs are spreading. What"s the function of the English pub