I
dunno. First the Spanish King, now the EU. It'll be the Legislature and the
Executive falling out of favour next. And then where will be? Right
here, as a matter of fact. Whither España? At least they knew what to do at times like this in the 19th century.
It
might just be the time to start thinking about that castle in Spain
again. Prices are still 8% down on last year but last quarter saw the
first increase for quite a while. Albeit only 0.7%. If you are
thinking of buying, then you should take on board this
excellent advice from the British government. And if you need an
honest, property-specialist lawyer, write to me on colin@terra.com
It's
not me, by the way. I'm neither of these things.
I've
just finished a book about the two major British naval mutinies of
the last decade of the 18th century. I'm not sure why. But now that I
have, here's a list of all the words which the (American) author used
which were new to me. Or not entirely new but very unusual. As it's a
book about sailors and ships, I imagine some of them relate to the
sea.
Recognised
by my spellcheck, if not by me
betimes
wight
propinquity
top
hamper
to
close-haul
hanger
(as a weapon)
barratry
a
scottish shingle (as a person)
dropsy
a
junker (as in 'band of junkers')
marplot
a
tartan (type of boat)
dunnage
doxology
crimp
(as a noun, but not in today's sense)
chanticleer
to
buss
carronade
burgoo
crank
(as an adjective)
forepeak
to
tattle
venireman
a
Jonathan (American usage suggests someone from New England)
to
gam
to
duke out
to
ring the welkin
to
rive (pp. rove)
pother
brummagem
to
pike
to
twit(t)
bindle
to
shot(t)
souse
(as a noun)
talebearing
pawl
hawseholes
to
kedge off
moloch
flummery
to
gyve
orlop
to
plash
to
slat(t)
to
tell off (meaning to put in position)
shoal
(as an adjective)
holograph
sally
port
cathead
Not
recognised by my spellcheck
to
unreeve
rumfustion
gasconnade
to
tweetle
pantisocrat
hippocratist
pour-parler
abrawl
(as an adjective)
lobsterback
slutswool
bilboe
gangsmen
shindy
rondy
beserk
(as an adjective. See below)
I
did look one or two of these up, e. g. brummagem
- Dated: cheap, showy or counterfeit. Yes, I've had a couple of dates like that.
As
I say, the author was American and so some of these (old English?)
terms may still mean something in the USA. Where there may also be
the expression 'to dry one's hands of something', as opposed to 'to
wash one's hands of something.' But, anyway, the above list would be
a handy reference for a game of Dictionary.
The
fact that he was writing in 1964 probably explains his liberal use of
queer and queerly to mean something quite different from today.
Reading
about England in the late 18th century was an odd experience, as it
kept reminding me of modern Spain. For example, this resolution from
a petition: That no good to the country can arise from a change in
administration, unless their successors pledge themselves to sort out
the corruptions of the State, and to restore to the people their due
weight in the Legislature.
And
I enjoyed this paragraph on the differing approaches of the French
and British navies:- The frugal French went to the limit of
delicacy; they aimed their cannons to bring down British top hamper,
not to smash up stout hulls that would be costly to repair [after
capture]. The British, more of a beserker folk [??], aimed only
for the hulls, which accounted for the almost unbelievable disparity
in casualties. It was not uncommon in fierce engagements between
matched ordnance for ten Frenchmen to fall for one Englishman.
Finally
. . . and still on the subject of words and phrases, here's The
Local's list of the top ten 'naughty' expressions in Spanish.
They really are common. In every sense of the word. Enjoy.
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