Posted by Ed Kiser on May 01, 2001 at 00:28:47 from 216.67.56.216:
In Reply to: Re: LARDER or PANTRY posted by Mike Dennis on April 30, 2001 at 18:24:59:
Mike Dennis references the PROBLEM that North Americans and Aussies may
have in understanding English English, as written by AR, an English who
wrote English English.
I have made several entries in the TARBOARD regarding usages and meanings
that are a special part of English English. As an American in South
Florida, there are expressions and terms that AR used in his wonderful
stories that perhaps have unclear meanings to a person of my background.
To call these possible misunderstandings a PROBLEM is not at all the
situation here. What I see here is all a part of the wonder and delight
and excitement of reading the works of AR. I wish to know more about My
Mother Country, and to learn more of the customs and language used there is
a part of a life time of education for me. No problem here; it is a
learning experience. The differentness of language is indeed a part of the
fascination, a part of its appeal.
In the discussions involving "Translations", Robert Dilley, no doubt with
"tongue in cheek", has suggested that perhaps, as was done for the Harry
Potter series which came out in AMERICANIZED versions, that I undertake
"translating" the works of AR into AMERICAN versions. What an appalling
thought - especially the idea that I do the writing. The very idea of
reading these stories in the AMERICAN version would just so badly miss the
point. It would be a "so what" recounting of some children's games. Can
you imagine Cook speaking in a Brooklyn accent, or the Death and Glories
using every Red Neck expression possible from southern Alabama? To
restrict "jolly" to mean only "happy" - what a sad thought. How plain and
mundane to refer to a stream, a pond, a hill rather than a beck, a tarn, or
the Fells? Where is the magic - where is the adventure - where is the
mystery that held me spellbound and enthralled as I eagerly turned to yet
another Ransome book that I had just discovered and had not read yet.
No, Mike, there is no PROBLEM here. There is wonder, the thrill of
discovery, the overall pleasure in learning about another place, another
set of customs, another time. By my lengthy submissions to TARBOARD I only
hope to share my wonderment as I try to piece together these concepts that
on first reading, are not all that well understood. To read the replies
from those that are more closely related to the AR understanding, and
thereby be more equipped to fill in those gaps of my understandings, is a
wonderful bonus to the overall pleasure of reading, enjoying, and
delighting in all things Ransome. Perhaps those of you that are quite "at
home" with these concepts, with this language, with these places AR wrote
of, perhaps you can learn to appreciate even better what you have, what is
a part of you, and just who you really are. What you take for granted is
for someone else something to marvel at, to be at least curious about, and
finally, to learn about.
Perhaps the reverse is also true - what I have here as part of my normal
daily experience is to some, the objective of a vacation trip of thousands
of miles. The beach at Ft. Lauderdale - just a few miles away. The wild
untamed nature of 'gators in the Everglades, just several hundred yards to
my west. The clear waters for scuba diving in the Florida keys are less
than an hour away to the south. To me, this is home, this is normal, this
is daily experience, but to the visitor, it becomes a marvel. I find that
I get to appreciate what we have here primarily when we have guests from
out of state, and in showing them around, I get to see my own environment
in a different, more fascinating way. It is said that the typical New
Yorker has never been to the Statue of Liberty - unless escorting relatives
from out of town.
South Florida and Northern England - there are differences. This house
where I live would not be inhabitable for 10 months of the year without air
conditioning. Keeping warm is not the problem. I may actually turn on the
heat mode of my air conditioning unit for as many as 3 whole days during
the coldest time of the year. Yet I read in Ransome that even though it is
the Summer holidays, they have to be sure to have blankets to sleep under
to ward off the chill of the night. When the Swallows set out on their WAR
with the Amazons, Roger was told to put on "two of everything". And it was
SUMMER. It all is part of the fascination.
To each of you that have responded to my questions and have provided such a
wealth of background and understanding - my eternal thanks. It is you that
have made the works of Ransome increase in value as a positive influence on
my life. Hopefully my questions have encouraged you to see his works in a
somewhat different light, and thereby have your own views enhanced by this
light.
Three million cheers...
Ed Kiser