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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004Strange rhyme
In "Folk-lore of women" by T. F. Thsielton-Dyer, 1906, there's an uncredited quote on page 37 that reads: A silent woman, Sir! you said: Pray, was she painted without a head? Yes, Sir, she was! You never read of A silent woman with her head on Besides, you know, there's nought but speaking Can keep a woman's heart from breaking! Have "speaking" and "breaking" ever rhymed, or is it supposed to be a joke? The book is available as a pdf at: http://www.harvestfields.netfirms.com/01/Index_16.htm --- jouni maho > In "Folk-lore of women" by T. F. Thsielton-Dyer, 1906, there's an > uncredited quote on page 37 that reads: [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Have "speaking" and "breaking" ever rhymed, or is it > supposed to be a joke? Neither. > The book is available as a pdf at: > http://www.harvestfields.netfirms.com/01/Index_16.htm Rhyming "speaking" with "breaking" is an *eye rhyme* (= a false rhyme consisting of words such as "lint" and "pint" with similar spellings but different sounds). [AHD]  SignatureReinhold (Rey) Aman > > In "Folk-lore of women" by T. F. Thsielton-Dyer, 1906, there's an > > uncredited quote on page 37 that reads: [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > consisting of words such as "lint" and "pint" with similar spellings but > different sounds). [AHD] Ah. Thanks. I'm not entirely unfamiliar with that -- just didn't cross my mind. --- jouni maho > Rhyming "speaking" with "breaking" is an *eye rhyme* (= a false rhyme > consisting of words such as "lint" and "pint" with similar spellings but > different sounds). [AHD] This is why I always get worried when experts tell me a certain word was pronounced in a particular way in olden times and that they can be sure of this because it was used in rhymes. SignatureRob Bannister In our last episode, <40096911.DF243285@africanRE.guMO.seVE>, the lovely and talented Jouni Filip Maho broadcast on alt.usage.english: > In "Folk-lore of women" by T. F. Thsielton-Dyer, 1906, there's an > uncredited quote on page 37 that reads: > A silent woman, Sir! you said: > Pray, was she painted without a head? > Yes, Sir, she was! You never read of > A silent woman with her head on > Besides, you know, there's nought but speaking > Can keep a woman's heart from breaking! > Have "speaking" and "breaking" ever rhymed, or is it supposed to be a joke? I don't know whether "speaking" and "breaking" ever rhymed or rhymed at the time this verse was composed, although it seems possible that they did rhyme since "spake" does rhyme with "brake." As it is, it is a *sight* *rhyme*, and sight rhymes are not, in general, intended to be jokes. (The verse as a whole in this case seems to be in a humorous vein.) SignatureLars Eighner -finger for geek code- eighner@io.com http://www.io.com/~eighner/ "Some authors should be paid by the quantity NOT written." --Anon. > In our last episode, > <40096911.DF243285@africanRE.guMO.seVE>, [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > be jokes. (The verse as a whole in this case seems to be in a > humorous vein.) For the benefit of the original poster: Both "eye rhyme" and "sight rhyme" are listed in *Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary,* 11th ed., the first dated 1871 and the second dated circa 1936. The second was given in the online dictionary at www.m-w.com as simply 1936--some uncertainty about the date has seemingly arisen in the interim. SignatureRaymond S. Wise Minneapolis, Minnesota USA E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo . com > In "Folk-lore of women" by T. F. Thsielton-Dyer, 1906, there's an > uncredited quote on page 37 that reads: [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > --- > jouni maho The tradition of rhymes that aren't is fairly strong, and possibly reaches its nadir in the Christmas Carol 'Hark the herald Angels sing:- "Late in time behold him come, Offspring of a virgin's womb" (pronounced 'wum'?) There are also at least two pubs in the Peak District of Central/Northern England called 'The Silent Woman' (one in Leek Staffordshire and another in Earl or Kings Sternham near Buxton). In both cases the pub sign shows a woman's severed head - maybe this is the amusing painting Thsielton-Dyer's quote is talking about. Neither are the most cheery of little boozers. DC Cat > > In "Folk-lore of women" by T. F. Thsielton-Dyer, 1906, there's an > > uncredited quote on page 37 that reads: [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > woman's severed head - maybe this is the amusing painting Thsielton-Dyer's > quote is talking about. Neither are the most cheery of little boozers. The author mentions a painting called "The Silent Woman", and which apparently was the inspiration for the above-quoted poem. Seems like connection. --- jouni maho > > In "Folk-lore of women" by T. F. Thsielton-Dyer, 1906, there's an > > uncredited quote on page 37 that reads: [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > woman's severed head - maybe this is the amusing painting Thsielton-Dyer's > quote is talking about. Neither are the most cheery of little boozers. At some time last year, I posted a message about a "Silent Woman" hotel restaurant/bar in Fennimore, Wisconsin. I was prompted to post, having seen the sign (a headless woman bearing a serving tray) and googled it, because there was a fire which burned the place down, (well, the site is still up, so maybe there was just some damage.) http://www.explorewisconsin.com/silentwomanandfenwayhousehotel/ I don't know which place in England was the inspiration. Some pub or other, I think. >> > In "Folk-lore of women" by T. F. Thsielton-Dyer, 1906, there's an >> > uncredited quote on page 37 that reads: [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > other, > I think. "Zest and charm" eh? I wonder if it's actually a local legend rather than something which crossed the pond. The Peak District pubs both just feature a severed head on their signs - in the case of the Leek version it's pretty gruesome. Menu looks nice in Winsconsin though - what's 'Blackened Orange Roughy' when its at home? DCC >>>> In "Folk-lore of women" by T. F. Thsielton-Dyer, 1906, there's an >>>> uncredited quote on page 37 that reads: [quoted text clipped - 53 lines] > Menu looks nice in Winsconsin though - what's 'Blackened Orange > Roughy' when its at home? Orange Roughy is a fish. m. >> Menu looks nice in Winsconsin though - what's 'Blackened Orange >> Roughy' when its at home? >> > Orange Roughy is a fish. A very long-lived fish, sometimes also called deep-sea perch. Most of the fish that people eat are about a hundred years old. They have been very dramatically over-fished, since the fact that they don't start breeding until they reach about forty was not understood at the time they were first discovered. In most places, I think quotas have now been reduced and it has become hard to obtain, but there is substantial international poaching. Although it is very delicious to eat, I think there's something a bit obscene about eating a fish that's probably older than your grandfather. -- Regards John |
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