Ulster Scots
Apr. 6th, 2005 04:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hellisonI can't help it. I try, but I can't help it. It makes me laugh so much...
We just got some of our guides to monuments 'translated' and they are cracking me up. This one in particular... To get the full effect, try reading it out loud.
In Airlann in tha days o tha Normans, a laird wud hae taen care o himsel, his femilie an aa tha hingers-on by wye o his tooer-hoose. Frae tha tap o its thrie or mair flairs he cud leuk oot owre his lanns an see onie boadie, frien or fae, cumin up near. Tooer-hooses wus bigged tae sut strang agin roads, wattèrwyes an fords; quhiles, lake at tha boat-key in Airdgless, the’ wur bigged thegither fur strenth in nummers. Quhan tha Laird shut tha airn-strappit dorr, as lang as his guids lastit, he wus maistèr in his tooer richt eneuch. No that it cud hae bin aisie leevin. In 16&44, quhaniver tooer-hooses wus big in tha kintra yit, acause o tha troubles bak then, this French boy cum on thaim in his trip, but didnae think much o thaim; quo he, ‘naethin but square tooers athoot wundaes nor even wee apenins that wud gie onie mair licht nor a jail. The’ hae next tae nae plenishins, an pit reeds doon fur beddin in tha simmertim an strae in tha wuntèrtim. The’ pit reeds doon on tha flair tha depth o a fit an up thair wundaes, an a wheen o thaim decorates tha ceilins wi reuch sticks’.
I don't have the original to hand but I believe the first few lines should run something like this. Have fun working the rest out for yourself!
Tower-houses in Co.Down
In Ireland in Norman times, the local Lord would protect himself, family and retainers by building a tower-house. From the top of its 3 or more floors, he could survey his lands and monitor the approach of anyone, friend or foe. Tower-houses were built to defend important strategic locations, such as roads, waterways and fords; while in other places, such as at the harbour at Ardglass, they were built together for strength in numbers.
The best bit has to be that they even translated (feh, mangled) 'the French boy' quote.
I don't really want to get into the whole language/dialect/political tool debate, it just makes me laugh :p
If you need anymore help try here http://www.ulsterscotsagency.com/
There are some great made up phrases, tho they have alas stopped referring to disabled children as 'daftie wains'
We just got some of our guides to monuments 'translated' and they are cracking me up. This one in particular... To get the full effect, try reading it out loud.
In Airlann in tha days o tha Normans, a laird wud hae taen care o himsel, his femilie an aa tha hingers-on by wye o his tooer-hoose. Frae tha tap o its thrie or mair flairs he cud leuk oot owre his lanns an see onie boadie, frien or fae, cumin up near. Tooer-hooses wus bigged tae sut strang agin roads, wattèrwyes an fords; quhiles, lake at tha boat-key in Airdgless, the’ wur bigged thegither fur strenth in nummers. Quhan tha Laird shut tha airn-strappit dorr, as lang as his guids lastit, he wus maistèr in his tooer richt eneuch. No that it cud hae bin aisie leevin. In 16&44, quhaniver tooer-hooses wus big in tha kintra yit, acause o tha troubles bak then, this French boy cum on thaim in his trip, but didnae think much o thaim; quo he, ‘naethin but square tooers athoot wundaes nor even wee apenins that wud gie onie mair licht nor a jail. The’ hae next tae nae plenishins, an pit reeds doon fur beddin in tha simmertim an strae in tha wuntèrtim. The’ pit reeds doon on tha flair tha depth o a fit an up thair wundaes, an a wheen o thaim decorates tha ceilins wi reuch sticks’.
I don't have the original to hand but I believe the first few lines should run something like this. Have fun working the rest out for yourself!
Tower-houses in Co.Down
In Ireland in Norman times, the local Lord would protect himself, family and retainers by building a tower-house. From the top of its 3 or more floors, he could survey his lands and monitor the approach of anyone, friend or foe. Tower-houses were built to defend important strategic locations, such as roads, waterways and fords; while in other places, such as at the harbour at Ardglass, they were built together for strength in numbers.
The best bit has to be that they even translated (feh, mangled) 'the French boy' quote.
I don't really want to get into the whole language/dialect/political tool debate, it just makes me laugh :p
If you need anymore help try here http://www.ulsterscotsagency.com/
There are some great made up phrases, tho they have alas stopped referring to disabled children as 'daftie wains'
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no subject
Date: 2005-04-06 09:32 am (UTC)When the Lord shut the iron-strapped door, as long as his provisions lasted, he was master in his tower right enough. Not that it could have been easy living. In 1644, when tower-houses were still being built in the country, because of the troubles then, a Frenchman came across them in his travels, but didn't think much of them: he said, Nothing but square towers without windows or even small openings to give any more light than a gaol. They have almost no furnishings, and for bedding they put down reeds in the summertime and straw in the wintertime, to the depth of a foot, and open their windows; and one of them decorates the ceilings with rough sticks.
The last bit is guessing, I can't work out what he's talking about. But then, it's been awhile since I studied seventeenth-century interior decoration.
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2005-04-06 11:32 am (UTC)This actually sounds like how my dad talks!
Although not me. I'm a modern quine fit spiks English.