Scanning? I think not.
Posted by Bob on January 03, 2003
In Reply to: Scanning posted by . on January 03, 2003
: In Reply to: Scanning posted by R. Berg on December 27, 2002
: : : : : : : : : : The full Scottish proverb:
: : : : : : : : : : "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride
: : : :
: : : : : : If turnips were swords, i'd wear one by my side
: : : : : : : :
: : If ifs and ands were pots and pans,
: : : : : : : : : : there'd be no
need for tinkers' hands"
: : : : : : : : Is it just me? I can't make this scan:
:
: : : : : : : If turnips were swords, i'd wear one by my side
: : : : : : :
: Either there's another way to read it, or word it ... or the Scots can't scan.
: : : It does scan. There are twelve beats per line. The word "swords" lasts for just one beat not two.
: : The part that gives me trouble is "wear one by my side": its length and pattern of accents. It doesn't divide into DA-da-da like the rest. And the first line has only ten syllables. Are you counting more than one beat for some syllables? "If wi-shes were ho-or-ses, beg-gars would ri-ide"?
: Sorry, I wasn't too clear. The verse is some sort of amphibrachic tetrameter, I think, which is short-long-short four times per line. The uppercase syllables below are stressed:
: "If WISHes were HORSes, BEGgars would RIDE.
: If TURnips
were SWORDS, I'd wear ONE by my SIDE.
: If IFS and ANDS were POTS and PANS,
: There'd BE no NEED for TINkers' HANDS."
: When you say the second line, do not pause at all. Ignore the comma. It scans. Really.
I ain't buyiin' it. I don't think there are 12 syllables in any of those lines. (Of course, I kept my shoes on, so counting to 12 is a challenge for me.)
- Scanning?
I think not. R. Berg 01/03/03
- Scanning? I think not. Bob
01/04/03
- Scanning? I think not. James Briggs 01/04/03
- Scansion TheFallen
01/04/03
- Scansion afterthought TheFallen 01/04/03
- Giving us pause
R. Berg 01/04/03
- Giving us pause Bob 01/04/03
- Giving us pause
R. Berg 01/04/03
- Scansion afterthought TheFallen 01/04/03
- Scansion TheFallen
01/04/03
- Scanning? I think not. James Briggs 01/04/03
- Scanning? I think not. Bob
01/04/03