Bears

Posted by Miri Barak on February 09, 2004

In Reply to: Bears posted by ESC on February 08, 2004

: : : in the first chapter of the "enchanted castle" by Edith Nesbit (children book) Gerald, Jimmy and Kathy come across a tunner, the elder brother, Gerald says:
: : : "...because after all there might be somebody about, and the other arch might be and ice-house or something dangerous".
: : : "What?" asked Kathleen anxiously.
: : : "Bears, perphaps," said Berald briefly.
: : : "there aren't any bears without bars - in England, anyway." said Jimmy. "They call *bears bars* in America," he added absently.
: : : obviously *bear bars* is a kind of pun, or playing with the sounds, do I miss some hidden meaning in it, or any cultural hint?
: : : my thanks!!!

: : No further meaning that I can see.
: : Bears without bars - bears not in cages.
: : They pronounce 'bears' 'bars' in America.
: : Absently means absent mindedly.
: : A tunnel, I presume, in the text. An ice-house is an underground room to store ice in for use in summer.

: It refers to how "bear" is pronounced in a region of the U.S. -- "bar."

Thank you, I misunderstood it, and now I don't think I can translate it into Hebrew.
Thanks again!!