Posted by Ed Kiser on March 08, 2003 at 06:11:00 from 64.12.96.103 user Kisered.
In Reply to: Re: Swimming posted by Adam Quinan on March 07, 2003 at 22:08:37:
Did a look-up on the more Anglo Saxon version of that French
expression of emphasis, and came up with the following (no
confusion with accent marks the way Ransome spelled it.)
It seems that Mr. Farland, Captain Flint, and the Swallows'
Daddy were the users of this word. Mr. Farland's usage however
could hardly be called swearing, mearly a use of a very
descriptive adjective form of the word.
At least its usage remained in the domain of the adult world.
Ed Kiser, South Florida
Scanning for the word, "DAMN" and we find:
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BS - ch32
Mr. Farland is reading the riot act to Owdon and Co.
Between now and then I shall
expect you to write an exact confession of all that you have
done in this damnable, yes, damnable plot to bring discredit
on the innocent.
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ML - ch26
They are trying to escape on a Chinese Junk, and hear a strange
noise below.
"Gibber!" called Roger.
"Shut up," said Captain Flint.
"But he'll come if I call him..."
"Damn that monkey!" said Captain Flint.
Titty felt about her, found Roger's wrist and held it firmly. She knew.
They all knew. For the first time since they had known him, Captain
Flint was afraid.
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GN - ch15
They see that the egg-collector has managed to find them again.
He heard Captain Flint say "Damn!" under his breath. He saw the
horror on Dorothea's face and Titty's, the anger on Peggy's.
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ML - CH4
They are prisoners on the Junk. Captain Flint is locked up away
from the others elsewhere on the ship, communicating by tapping.
"Hove to," Nancy tapped back. "In sight of land."
"Damn!" tapped Captain Flint, paused a moment and tapped again...
"Bother!"
Nancy laughed.
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SW - ch1
Getting ready for a lot of family fun, then bad news comes that
will take Daddy away, much to his dismay.
Everything was ready, and then,
that morning, the postman had handed ovr the letters, and
Daddy, who had been ragging John about taking a compass
bearing of the coffeepot from the cruet, saw the O.H.M.S. on
one of them, tore it open, and said one "Damn" as if he really
meant it.
"What is it?" Mummy had asked.
"We can't go. It's all off. The First Lord's chucked a
spanner in the works."
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