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Re: McCarthy: batboard jakes
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Snidely
Dec 18, 2011, 3:42:31 PM12/18/11
to
Glen Gentoras <glen.g...@gmail.com> scribbled something like ...
> His wet hatbrim fell to his
> shoulders save in the front where it was pinned back.
> Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
> ---
>
> "pinned back": ?
> "batboard": ?
"pinned back" is easy ... the hatbrim, presumably an extensive one like
on <http://lh3.ggpht.com/_
7o7vQfyObbo/S9buNDTscaI/AAAAAAAAAz0/oZsqpP5fhDs/ten%20gallon2_thumb%5B1%
5D.jpg>, has been turned up in front, and either the folding or an actual
(hat)pin has caused it stay in that position.
I was guessing that batboard was something like rough siding (as used on
frontier buildings), or the battens used to cover seams in the side. But
check out this page:
<http://howlingwithmirth.blogspot.com/2010/05/words-from-suttree-
chapters-2-through-6.html>
where the claim is
<quote>
Batboard – (batting = fabric, cotton, often used as stuffing) Here it’s
likely a compound—board made of batting.
Jakes – Latrines, privies.
</quote>
I'm surprised at some of the entries on the list, although I admit I only
know "nates" from it appearing in AUE recently. I didn't realize
Warfarin had been around in the Old West, much less that they verbed it
then (to speak cross-threadenly).
/dps
> His wet hatbrim fell to his
> shoulders save in the front where it was pinned back.
> Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
> ---
>
> "pinned back": ?
> "batboard": ?
"pinned back" is easy ... the hatbrim, presumably an extensive one like
on <http://lh3.ggpht.com/_
7o7vQfyObbo/S9buNDTscaI/AAAAAAAAAz0/oZsqpP5fhDs/ten%20gallon2_thumb%5B1%
5D.jpg>, has been turned up in front, and either the folding or an actual
(hat)pin has caused it stay in that position.
I was guessing that batboard was something like rough siding (as used on
frontier buildings), or the battens used to cover seams in the side. But
check out this page:
<http://howlingwithmirth.blogspot.com/2010/05/words-from-suttree-
chapters-2-through-6.html>
where the claim is
<quote>
Batboard – (batting = fabric, cotton, often used as stuffing) Here it’s
likely a compound—board made of batting.
Jakes – Latrines, privies.
</quote>
I'm surprised at some of the entries on the list, although I admit I only
know "nates" from it appearing in AUE recently. I didn't realize
Warfarin had been around in the Old West, much less that they verbed it
then (to speak cross-threadenly).
/dps
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