merry men stevenson

[serhanbener]

An', or the life was oot o' Sandy's body, we kent weel what the thing betokened, and why the wund gurled in the taps o' the Cutchull'ns; for doon it cam'--a wund do I ca' it!

What is the meaning of "we kent weel "?
Does it mean "we know it well"?

An', or the life was oot o' Sandy's body, we kent weel what the thing betokened, and why the wund gurled in the taps o' the Cutchull'ns; for doon it cam'--a wund do I ca' it! it was the wund o' the Lord's anger--an' a' that nicht we foucht like men dementit, and the niest that we kenned we were ashore in Loch Uskevagh, an' the cocks were crawin' in Benbecula.'

What is the meaning of "the niest that we kenned we were ashore "?
Does it mean "we reached to the nearest shore we knew"?

[Whifflingpin]

"An', or the life was oot o' Sandy's body, we kent weel what the thing betokened, and why the wund gurled in the taps o' the Cutchull'ns; for doon it cam'--a wund do I ca' it! it was the wund o' the Lord's anger--an' a' that nicht we foucht like men dementit, and the niest that we kenned we were ashore in Loch Uskevagh, an' the cocks were crawin' in Benbecula.'"

And, before the life was out of Sandy's body, we knew well what it meant, and why the wind howled round the tops of the Cutchullins; for down it came -- a wind do I call it? It was the wind of the Lord's anger -- and all that night we fought like madmen, and the next that we knew, we were ashore in Loch Uskevagh, and the cocks were crowing in Benbecula.

[mal4mac]

I agree with most of Whifflingpin's translation. But differ here:


"for doon it cam'--a wund do I ca' it!

"A wind do I call it!" is fine as it stands.

[Whifflingpin]

" "A wind do I call it!" is fine as it stands."

It is indeed. It's all in the way you say it.

I put it as a question, meaning "Was it something I could really call a wind? If so, then it was the wind of the Lord's anger"

Or as a statement, meaning "I call it a *wind*, that is to say the sort of wind that makes a gale seem like a gentle breeze."

Either way, it shows that Stevenson can say in five words something that takes me twenty words to explain.

[serhanbener]

Many Thanks Whifflingpin. Many Thanks mal4mac. I wish you a happy new year.

[mal4mac]

If you want to go deeper into the Scottish dialect, or just read another great adventure story (!), might I suggest Waverley by Sir Walter Scott. I've just read the Penguin version, which comes with excellent notes. Ivanhoe and Rob Roy are twa other braw books by the big yin.

[Whifflingpin]

Also recommend Neil Munro, for the west coast Scottish speech. Try the humorous Para Handy tales, or "John Splendid."

[serhanbener]

Now I am reading "The complete stories of RL Stevenson". As soon as I finis it I am planning to read "The Moonstone" by Wilkie Collins.

[serhanbener]

I have read Ivanhoe.
But I will read other books you have recommended.
Many Thanks mal4mac
Many Thanks Whifflingpin