the abyss means...

'All folks as come to Sussex
Must follow Sussex wyas,
And when they've larned
to know us well
There's no place else
they'd wish to dwell
In all their blessed days.
There ant no place like Sussex
Until you goes Above,
But Sussex will be Sussex,
And Sussex won't be druv!
(traditional)

wyas?
druv?

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"If ye've got one you can run;
If ye've got two you may goo;
But if ye've got three You must bide where you be."
(Sussex proverbial advice to a young mother)

goo?
bide?

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It's not often you find old English in anything but a ye olde english manner.

(Except for old english)

Or perhaps that's just me.

I hate that.

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bide? Isn't that usage current? As in 'bide your time'?

Dave Ph on June 5, 2003 10:38 PM

yes/no. Goo is obviously go, just pronounced differently. Same with Bide. If you read it, it does not scan. Or at least not the way I'm reading it.

Also, do you actually hear anyone say bide apart from 'bide your time'? I mean in everyday conversation. Isn't it just an idiom?

Of course that could just be me...

Good to see that aint is proper English though!

joh on June 5, 2003 11:03 PM

Giese. Soþ is þæt þu segst!

'ye olde' must be like the dreaded "Aussie" as in "Aussie slang" pages. aussie beware.

Boynton is min nama on June 6, 2003 03:26 AM

Ic þancie þe.

joh on June 6, 2003 08:45 AM

I'm guessing that wyas is a typo & it should be ways. However, bide does seem to be used correctly. One of its meanings is 'to stay' which seems quite reasonable in this context.

pete on June 6, 2003 10:24 AM

What else can bide mean but 'to stay'? Surely that is its only meaning?

joh on June 6, 2003 11:45 AM

there are other meanings that are subtly different - some examples are here

pete on June 6, 2003 01:04 PM

I think the 'bide' thing may have been a case of otosis on my part...

joh on June 6, 2003 04:03 PM