a burlesque biography 5

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a burlesque biography

When this questionable passenger came on board the ship, be brought nothing with him but an old newspaper containing a handkerchief marked "B. G.," one cotton sock marked "L. W. C.," one woolen one marked "D. F.," and a night-shirt marked "O. M. R." ......

1 questionable: What is questionable in his character? Questionable for what? For his disagreeable character?

2 "B.G.", "L.W.C.", "D.F.", "O.M.R.": What are these? Famous brands? I would like to learn more about this. Could you please give out the full spell of these abbreviations?

And yet during the voyage he worried more about his "trunk," and gave himself more airs about it, than all the rest of the passengers put together.

give more airs about it: What is the meaning of "airs" here? And what's the meaning of this sentense? It should be which of the following:

he gave himself more airs about it, than all the rest of the passengers put together gave him

he gave himself more airs about it, than he gave all the rest of the passengers put together

3 "If the ship was "down by the head," and would not steer, he would go and move his "trunk" further aft, and then watch the effect. ": My understanding to that sentense is "would not steer" means the ship couldn't change its course from one direction to another because of its sinking "head". I'm not a ship expert. So I don't know if this is right. And to "watch the effect" means what he actually want to "watch" is whether or not his baggage will sink. But Mark Twain instead tell us what he want to "watch" is whether or not his baggage could balance the ship, right?

4 "shift that baggage" means to "move them", right?

5 gagged: I really want to know what is it like to be gagged. To be mouth-stuffed? Or arms taken and drag away?

6 "gravely unbecoming thing": Could you please take something for example?

7 albeit: ancient english?

8 queensware crate: I know queensware is procelain, but what is a queensware crate?

9 champagne baskets: I don't know what is it like, I'm curious about it. And want to know if this is like what we use for champagne transportation.

10 overboard: I guess the poor fellow was thrown into the sea.

11 dimmed: not in effect? The letters are not as sharp as newly written ones with time goes by?

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Re: insolent, swaggering

translatorcz wrote:

a burlesque biography

When this questionable passenger came on board the ship, be brought nothing with him but an old newspaper containing a handkerchief marked "B. G.," one cotton sock marked "L. W. C.," one woolen one marked "D. F.," and a night-shirt marked "O. M. R." ......

1 questionable: What is questionable in his character? Questionable for what? For his disagreeable character?

2 "B.G.", "L.W.C.", "D.F.", "O.M.R.": What are these? Famous brands? I would like to learn more about this. Could you please give out the full spell of these abbreviations?

And yet during the voyage he worried more about his "trunk," and gave himself more airs about it, than all the rest of the passengers put together.

give more airs about it: What is the meaning of "airs" here? And what's the meaning of this sentense? It should be which of the following:

he gave himself more airs about it, than all the rest of the passengers put together gave him

he gave himself more airs about it, than he gave all the rest of the passengers put together

3 "If the ship was "down by the head," and would not steer, he would go and move his "trunk" further aft, and then watch the effect. ": My understanding to that sentense is "would not steer" means the ship couldn't change its course from one direction to another because of its sinking "head". I'm not a ship expert. So I don't know if this is right. And to "watch the effect" means what he actually want to "watch" is whether or not his baggage will sink. But Mark Twain instead tell us what he want to "watch" is whether or not his baggage could balance the ship, right?

4 "shift that baggage" means to "move them", right?

5 gagged: I really want to know what is it like to be gagged. To be mouth-stuffed? Or arms taken and drag away?

6 "gravely unbecoming thing": Could you please take something for example?

7 albeit: ancient english?

8 queensware crate: I know queensware is procelain, but what is a queensware crate?

9 champagne baskets: I don't know what is it like, I'm curious about it. And want to know if this is like what we use for champagne transportation.

10 overboard: I guess the poor fellow was thrown into the sea.

11 dimmed: not in effect? The letters are not as sharp as newly written ones with time goes by?

1. "Questionable": adj. dubious, doubtful, suspect; debatable, controversial

2. These were initials embroidered on the goods. That they are all different implies that they were stolen.

Airs: n. artificiality; affected behavior that is meant to make one seem more important; arrogant manner

The sentence means he made a dramatic fuss about his luggage, to make himself appear seem important.

3. I think this means that, if the ship was deeper in the water at the bow, so that the paddles and rudder in the stern could not engage fully, he would move his trunk to the rear of the ship, as though this single item were heavy enough to make the ship sit more evenly in the water. It is another example of the man's exaggerated attempts to seem important....ie he had so much in his trunk that it was extraordinarily heavy. Yes, he watches to see if his baggage will trim the ship.

4. Yes.

5. Yes, either to have an object placed in/across the mouth so that one cannot speak...or sometimes not allowed to speak.

6. Gravely unbecoming thing......if one does such a thing, one has behaved very badly...been very rude or dishonest...not been a "gentleman".

7. No...though not so very often used now. It means: although, even though

8. A crate with Queensware in it...so it can be transported.

9. Probably little cane baskets the champagne bottles were placed in to protect the champagne bottles from breakage during transport.

10. Yes.

11. Yes, I suspect so, though you have not given a context.

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And yet during the voyage he worried more about his "trunk," and gave himself more airs about it, than all the rest of the passengers put together.

So I know the meaning of "give airs about sth.", And I think this is the correct understanding: "he gave himself more airs about his baggages, than all the rest of the passengers put together gave his baggages.", right?

Then in the ship's dimmed and ancient log we find this quaint note:

"In time it was discouvered yt ye troblesome passenger hadde gone downe and got ye anchor, and toke ye same and solde it to ye dam sauvages from ye interior, saying yt he hadde founde it, ye sonne of a ghun!"

Above is the context of my last question.

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No...he carried on more about his baggage than all the rest of the people on the ship combined did about THEIR baggage.

He had clearly stolen a great deal of baggage that belonged to everyone else.

You do understand that this is a humorous piece?

You are right about dimmed.

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The first question in my last post is OK. Thank you for your patience.

But the second, please confirm which is right? Not validate(of no practical use) any more or not as sharp as newly written ones any more?

Quote:

11 dimmed: not in effect? The letters are not as sharp as newly written ones with time goes by?

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translatorcz wrote:

The first question in my last post is OK. Thank you for your patience.

But the second, please confirm which is right? Not validate(of no practical use) any more or not as sharp as newly written ones any more?

Quote:
11 dimmed: not in effect? The letters are not as sharp as newly written ones with time goes by?

Not as sharp is correct....I suspect that they have been worn away, and covered with years of grime.

Lol...Twain pretends his disreputable ancestor came over with Christopher Columbus, in 1492!

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Ha, yes, You're right about Twain's "ancestor".

Thank you very much.

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a burlesque biography 5

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