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Discussion Groups / English Usage / May 2009I've knocked about the world
Hello: ------ [Uncle Giles boasts a bit] 'All the same, I've had a bit of experience in my day. I've knocked a about the world and roughed it.' A Dance to the Music of Time, Spring, by Anthony Powell, p. 22 ------ Is "I've knocked a about the world and roughed it." a play of words? I mean, I've found that "to knock about" means both "to roam" and "to treat roughly" It's like he says "I roamed the world over and roughed it (the world) in the process, it hit at me and I hit back." -- Thanks. Marius Hancu >Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] >It's like he says "I roamed the world over and roughed it (the world) in >the process, it hit at me and I hit back." It might be, but to me the obvious meaning is the likely one. As described by OED: knock about. b. intr. To move about, wander, or roam, in an irregular way; also to lead an irregular life. colloq. and: to rough it, to face or submit to hardships, rough or casual accommodation, etc.; to do without ordinary conveniences or luxuries; to live in a rough way.  SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > "I've knocked a about the world and roughed it." > a play of words? No. Uncle G has travelled and probably known some hardship in the process. The whole thing is a fairly well-know idiom. -- > > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > No. Uncle G has travelled and probably known some hardship in the > process. The whole thing is a fairly well-know idiom. I'm not sure there is any inference of hardship. "Knocked about" to me just means "frequented". Mike M > > > Hello: > > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > I'm not sure there is any inference of hardship. "Knocked about" to me > just means "frequented". Mmm, I think you're right. There's a element of personal denigration in it though, maybe... -- >> > > Hello: >> > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >Mmm, I think you're right. There's a element of personal denigration >in it though, maybe... It strikes me, particularly with the "roughing it", that it implies going around the block a time or two, taking a few knocks and learning from the experience. SignatureRobin (BrE) Herts, England > ------ > [Uncle Giles boasts a bit] > 'All the same, I've had a bit of experience in my day. I've knocked > a about the world and roughed it.' > A Dance to the Music of Time, Spring, by Anthony Powell, p. 22 > ------ Is that "a" a typo? If not, is Uncle Giles Scottish? "A", usually "a'", could be a form of "all". > Is "I've knocked a about the world and roughed it." > a play of words? If you'll pardon a correction of your highly-competent English, that's "a play *on* words", unlike the French "jeu de mots". > I mean, I've found that "to knock about" > means both "to roam" and "to treat roughly" > It's like he says "I roamed the world over and roughed it (the > world) in the process, it hit at me and I hit back." The second meaning is made less likely by the word order: he has knocked about the world, not knocked the world about, as rough treatment would have it. |
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