Posted by Ed Kiser on May 31, 2002 at 17:07:26 from 152.163.195.207 user Kisered.
In Reply to: Re: Outdoor Pursuits - a-tenting we go --- posted by Eric Abraham on May 31, 2002 at 13:21:06:
The thing our English cousins call a CARAVAN - is that what us
colonials call a "trailer" or an "RV" (recreation vehicle)? The
difference between these two is that the RV has its own motor
and a place for the driver, whereas the Trailer is hitched onto
some motorized vehicle that has the muscle to do the pulling, but
otherwise, the accomodations in both become somewhat similar. Now,
which one is this "Caravan" thing?
Too bad both camps on both sides of that ocean don't speak the
same English. Things do get lost in the translations...
But then, that is part of the fascination with reading stories
written by a foreigner (to us colonials). We get to see a bit
of how that other camp talks, the names they have for things that
have to be learned to understand what's happening. It is good
that thru Ransome, we on this side of the pond can get perhaps
just a glimpse of our mother country, and thus come to appreciate
from whence we have come, our heritage.
Where else would we have learned to mouse our sisterhooks? How
to fit the pintles into the gudgeons. (my spelling may be off.)
The difference between pantry and larder. The location of the
"back kitchen". How to scull over the stern. How to use that
extra letter "u" in words like LABOUR, HARBOUR. How to use grey
instead of gray. Don't forget to drop the centreboard (not
centerboard). To remember the advice, "Fingers! Fingers!" when
handling the tiller. "port gives way to starboard."
It has been an education of a lifetime as well as a love of a
lifetime.
Thank you Arthur. You have taught us well...
Ed Kiser from SUNNY S. Florida, getting ready for hurricane season.