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Discussion Groups / British English / July 2004Lincolnshire Speach
I find the following passage in 'Possession' by A.S. Byatt: Th'otchin 'at wasn't niver suited wi' nowt. Fra fo'st off he was werrittin' an witterin' an sissin an spittin perpetiwel. I would be grateful if anyone could help me with these words. Thanks T. Maekawa "MAEKAWA" <florence@titan.ocn.ne.jp> wrote... > I find the following passage in 'Possession' by A.S. Byatt: > > Th'otchin 'at wasn't niver suited wi' nowt. Fra fo'st off he > was werrittin' an witterin' an sissin an spittin perpetiwel. > > I would be grateful if anyone could help me with these words. I'm British but not from Lincolnshire. I can translate a good part of it for you, I think: The ..... hat (?) wasn't never suited with nowt. From first off he was worriting and wittering and ... and spitting perpetually. Which in more modern speech would be: The ... hat was never suited to anything. From the outset he was constantly worrying and chattering tediously, and ... and spitting. Matti Thank you for your response. The translation is very helpful. T.Maekawa > "MAEKAWA" <florence@titan.ocn.ne.jp> wrote... > > I find the following passage in 'Possession' by A.S. Byatt: [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Matti >"MAEKAWA" <florence@titan.ocn.ne.jp> wrote... >> I find the following passage in 'Possession' by A.S. Byatt: [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > >Matti I also am British but not from Lincolnshire. I would modify Matti's translation slightly: The urchin [1] that was never suited to anything [2]. From the outset he was constantly worrying and chattering tediously, and hissing and spitting. [1] Urchin. a small child, especially one who behaves badly and is dirty or untidily dressed. [2] "never satisfied with anything"  SignaturePeter Duncanson UK (posting from u.c.l.e) "Peter Duncanson" <mail@peterduncanson.net> wrote... > >"MAEKAWA" <florence@titan.ocn.ne.jp> wrote... > >> I find the following passage in 'Possession' by A.S. Byatt: [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > dirty or untidily dressed. > [2] "never satisfied with anything" That's entirely convincing, Peter -- I'd never have arrived at the "urchin". I hope you don't mind if I cross-post this to its counterpart in m.e.l.e. & a.u.e., where other good but incomplete translations have been given. Matti >"Peter Duncanson" <mail@peterduncanson.net> wrote... >> >"MAEKAWA" <florence@titan.ocn.ne.jp> wrote... [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >m.e.l.e. & a.u.e., where other good but incomplete translations have >been given. I don't mind in the least. Let's hope it's not hopelessly wrong. <smiley> SignaturePeter Duncanson UK (posting from u.c.l.e) > >"Peter Duncanson" <mail@peterduncanson.net> wrote... > >> >"MAEKAWA" <florence@titan.ocn.ne.jp> wrote... [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > Let's hope it's not hopelessly wrong. <smiley> Wouldn't "suited with" be more like "pleased with" or "satisfied with"? Also, from an avowed non-expert on British dialects: "that" doesn't make the first part a complete sentence; and doesn't that "...at" 's behaviour make you think of a "[c]at"? CB >> >"Peter Duncanson" <mail@peterduncanson.net> wrote... >> >> >"MAEKAWA" <florence@titan.ocn.ne.jp> wrote... [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] >first part a complete sentence; and doesn't that "...at" 's behaviour make >you think of a "[c]at"? CB Like you I'm not an expert on British Dialects. I'm not at all sure that I would recognise a Lincolnshire one. My only thought on the "[c]at" suggestion is that I would be very surprised to find the initial 'c' dropped in any dialect. However, i'm ready to be surprised. As for the sentence being incomplete - is this a problem as we appear to be looking at spoken words? It would be helpful if we could see two or three sentences before those we are trying to understand. SignaturePeter Duncanson UK (posting from u.c.l.e) >>> >"Peter Duncanson" <mail@peterduncanson.net> wrote... >>> >> >"MAEKAWA" <florence@titan.ocn.ne.jp> wrote... [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] >Like you I'm not an expert on British Dialects. I'm not at all sure that I >would recognise a Lincolnshire one. I was brought up in it and the sentence quoted didn't ring any bells with me. It is meant to be a representation of the dialect in the nineteenth century. As I posted in another part of the thread, 'hotch' was used by the author of the sentence, in another piece, to refer to the gait of a horse; my guess is that the 'at is some kind of horse. >It would be helpful if we could see two or three sentences before those we >are trying to understand. It seems to exist only as a fragment. Mike Page >>Like you I'm not an expert on British Dialects. I'm not at all sure that I >>would recognise a Lincolnshire one. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >another piece, to refer to the gait of a horse; my guess is that >the 'at is some kind of horse. I have missed much of the discussion because I am seeing only the thread in u.c.l.e. >>It would be helpful if we could see two or three sentences before those we >>are trying to understand. > >It seems to exist only as a fragment. SignaturePeter Duncanson UK (posting from u.c.l.e) > >> >"Peter Duncanson" <mail@peterduncanson.net> wrote... > >> >> >"MAEKAWA" <florence@titan.ocn.ne.jp> wrote... [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] > UK > (posting from u.c.l.e) The sentences before those I don't understand: ..though he (Lord Tennyson) wrote some not bad things about Lincolnshire dialect. Not a patch on Mabel Peacock though. She really could hear Lincolnrshire speech. Marvellous story about a hedgehog. T.M. > The sentences before those I don't understand: > ..though he (Lord Tennyson) wrote some not bad things about > Lincolnshire dialect. > Not a patch on Mabel Peacock though. She really could hear > Lincolnrshire speech. > Marvellous story about a hedgehog. There's your urchin. SignatureRay > > Marvellous story about a hedgehog. > > > There's your urchin. That, coupled with Peter Duncanson's rendition, makes sense. Giles. |
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