Lee: crisp as toast
Marius Hancu
It's funny to see the two meanings related to "crisp," one of which is
related to "toast," the other to "moving briskly/sharply."
I guess it amounts to a play on the word to say that:
"crisp as toast, moved,"
right?
----
The back porch was bathed in moonlight, and the shadow, crisp as
toast, moved across the porch toward Jem.
Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
---
--
Thanks.
Marius Hancu
Marius Hancu
Does
"Do-o-o Jee-sus"
indeed come from the French:
"Doux [Sweet] Jesus"
as a French glossary tells me?
Still used in the South?
----
[Dill is a boy]
We had no chance to find out: Miss Rachel went off like the town fire
siren: “Do-o-o Jee-sus, Dill Harris! Gamblin’ by my fishpool? I’ll
strip-poker you, sir!”
Peter Duncanson (BrE)
<marius...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Hello:
>
>It's funny to see the two meanings related to "crisp," one of which is
>related to "toast," the other to "moving briskly/sharply."
>
>I guess it amounts to a play on the word to say that:
>"crisp as toast, moved,"
>right?
>
It is strange wording. I'm inclined to understand it to mean that the
shadow was crisp in the sense of having a sharp outline.
>----
>The back porch was bathed in moonlight, and the shadow, crisp as
>toast, moved across the porch toward Jem.
>
>Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
>---
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
Horace LaBadie
"Peter Duncanson (BrE)" <ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
> On Wed, 13 Oct 2010 02:47:43 -0700 (PDT), Marius Hancu
> <marius...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >Hello:
> >
> >It's funny to see the two meanings related to "crisp," one of which is
> >related to "toast," the other to "moving briskly/sharply."
> >
> >I guess it amounts to a play on the word to say that:
> >"crisp as toast, moved,"
> >right?
> >
> It is strange wording. I'm inclined to understand it to mean that the
> shadow was crisp in the sense of having a sharp outline.
Implying blackness, also.
CDB
>
> It's funny to see the two meanings related to "crisp," one of which
> is related to "toast," the other to "moving briskly/sharply."
>
> I guess it amounts to a play on the word to say that:
> "crisp as toast, moved,"
> right?
>
Peter Duncanson (BrE)
wrote:
>Marius Hancu wrote:
>>
>> It's funny to see the two meanings related to "crisp," one of which
>> is related to "toast," the other to "moving briskly/sharply."
>>
>> I guess it amounts to a play on the word to say that:
>> "crisp as toast, moved,"
>> right?
>>
>Don't think so. Moon-shadows don't generally move briskly.
It doesn't say what or who the shadow was of. Something or someone
moving briskly would cast a briskly moving shadow.
>> ----
>> The back porch was bathed in moonlight, and the shadow, crisp as
>> toast, moved across the porch toward Jem.
>>
>> Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
>> ---
>
--
Marius Hancu
wrote:
> On Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:02:38 -0400, "CDB" <bellema...@sympatico.ca>
> wrote:
> >> It's funny to see the two meanings related to "crisp," one of which
> >> is related to "toast," the other to "moving briskly/sharply."
>
> >> I guess it amounts to a play on the word to say that:
> >> "crisp as toast, moved,"
> >> right?
>
> >Don't think so. Moon-shadows don't generally move briskly.
>
> It doesn't say what or who the shadow was of. Something or someone
> moving briskly would cast a briskly moving shadow.
They children thought the ghostly neighbor Boo Radley was the one
doing it .... thus yes, a person moving might lead to a briskly moving
shadow.
> >> ----
> >> The back porch was bathed in moonlight, and the shadow, crisp as
> >> toast, moved across the porch toward Jem.
>
> >> Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
> >> ---
Thank you all.
Marius Hancu
Marius Hancu
Any takers on this one? Thanks.
CDB
may be a Louisiana connection, since googling turns up the Doobie
Brothers (Doo doo doo doo doo doo Jesus is just alright with me) and
'"Voo Doo Jesus" will getcha!' on the first page.
CDB
>"Peter Duncanson (BrE)" <m...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>> "CDB" <bellema...@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
>>>> It's funny to see the two meanings related to "crisp," one of
>>>> which is related to "toast," the other to "moving
>>>> briskly/sharply."
>>
>>>> I guess it amounts to a play on the word to say that:
>>>> "crisp as toast, moved,"
>>>> right?
>>
>>> Don't think so. Moon-shadows don't generally move briskly.
>>
>> It doesn't say what or who the shadow was of. Something or someone
>> moving briskly would cast a briskly moving shadow.
>
> They children thought the ghostly neighbor Boo Radley was the one
> doing it .... thus yes, a person moving might lead to a briskly
> moving shadow.
>
outlines, though (and maybe to the colour, as Horace has suggested.
Irwell
> In article <1f4bb6t74i6kisc0o...@4ax.com>,
> "Peter Duncanson (BrE)" <ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 13 Oct 2010 02:47:43 -0700 (PDT), Marius Hancu
>> <marius...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Hello:
>>>
>>>It's funny to see the two meanings related to "crisp," one of which is
>>>related to "toast," the other to "moving briskly/sharply."
>>>
>>>I guess it amounts to a play on the word to say that:
>>>"crisp as toast, moved,"
>>>right?
>>>
>> It is strange wording. I'm inclined to understand it to mean that the
>> shadow was crisp in the sense of having a sharp outline.
>
>
> Implying blackness, also.
As in burnt to a crisp.
Peter Moylan
> Hello:
>
> It's funny to see the two meanings related to "crisp," one of which is
> related to "toast," the other to "moving briskly/sharply."
Both of these meanings relate back to the historical "brittle" meaning
of "crisp".
--
Peter Moylan, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. http://www.pmoylan.org
For an e-mail address, see my web page.
Robert Bannister
> Marius Hancu wrote:
>> "Peter Duncanson (BrE)"<m...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>>> "CDB"<bellema...@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>>
>>>>> It's funny to see the two meanings related to "crisp," one of
>>>>> which is related to "toast," the other to "moving
>>>>> briskly/sharply."
>>>
>>>>> I guess it amounts to a play on the word to say that:
>>>>> "crisp as toast, moved,"
>>>>> right?
>>>
>>>> Don't think so. Moon-shadows don't generally move briskly.
>>>
>>> It doesn't say what or who the shadow was of. Something or someone
>>> moving briskly would cast a briskly moving shadow.
>>
>> They children thought the ghostly neighbor Boo Radley was the one
>> doing it .... thus yes, a person moving might lead to a briskly
>> moving shadow.
>>
> True. Sorry. I still think the adjective refers only to the shadow's
> outlines, though (and maybe to the colour, as Horace has suggested.
I'm for crisp outlines too.
--
Rob Bannister
Marius Hancu
> On 13/10/10 11:59 PM, CDB wrote:
>
>
>
> > Marius Hancu wrote:
> >> "Peter Duncanson (BrE)"<m...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
> >>> "CDB"<bellema...@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
> >>>>> It's funny to see the two meanings related to "crisp," one of
> >>>>> which is related to "toast," the other to "moving
> >>>>> briskly/sharply."
>
> >>>>> I guess it amounts to a play on the word to say that:
> >>>>> right?
>
> >>>> Don't think so. Moon-shadows don't generally move briskly.
>
> >>> It doesn't say what or who the shadow was of. Something or someone
> >>> moving briskly would cast a briskly moving shadow.
>
> >> They children thought the ghostly neighbor Boo Radley was the one
> >> doing it .... thus yes, a person moving might lead to a briskly
> >> moving shadow.
>
> > True. Sorry. I still think the adjective refers only to the shadow's
> > outlines, though (and maybe to the colour, as Horace has suggested.
>
> I'm for crisp outlines too.
OK, then, that it is.