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imchongjun
Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 120
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 Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:27 am Post subject: "took up" |
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Hello, teachers.
I am puzzled over "took up" in the following passage.
"So I took a pint of rum and milk, and sat down at the nighest table, and the people as were waiting to see me took up, made room now, and stared as if I'd been a lord."
(The speaker is an old Dorset man who uses a lot of Dorset dialect)
What does "took up" mean in this sentence? Does the sentence just mean people "moved" and made room for the narrator?
I appreciate any comments from you!! |
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Philo Kevetch
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 564
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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Hello Im Chong-jun -
Since 'took up' is followed by 'made room'.... it must mean 'stood up' or 'moved out of the way'. (perhaps a combination of the two?)
What is the title of the book you are reading? Philo |
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imchongjun
Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 120
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| Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 5:51 am Post subject: thank you for your comment |
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Hi Philo
The book I am reading is "The Nebuly Coat" by John Mead Falkner published a hundred years ago. A kind of mystery novel with a lot of historical, ecclesiastical detail. |
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Philo Kevetch
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 564
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| Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you for your reply.
There is a pleasure to be found in the 'richness' of language in literature from that era.
Who are some other authors you have enjoyed reading? Philo |
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cgage2
Joined: 11 Jun 2007
Posts: 192
Location: US
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| Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:06 am Post subject: |
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| I'm not sure if I agree. If the people "took up" as in a verb sense, then there should be a comma after "waiting to see me". So it sounds like that "took up" could be an archaic adjective or adverb describing a condition or action. Perhaps someone from England could help us put on this. |
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imchongjun
Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 120
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| Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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hi, cgage2
I thought of the same possibility too. ("took up" being an adjective or adverb)
The narrator, Dorset country man, went into a dining tent in a fairground and bought a dish of beef and jack-pudding and paid with a note. Since the maid, the gaffer and his wife were not accustomed to receiving notes they got suspicious and asked the exciseman if the note was genuine. The exciseman said it was all right, so the countryman received the plate and sat down on the bench.
I thought "took up" might mean "arrested" for using a fake note, but could not find such meaning in any dictionaries. |
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