The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #140533   Message #3929472
Posted By: meself
06-Jun-18 - 12:22 PM
Thread Name: New evidence for 'shanty' origins?
Subject: RE: New evidence for 'shanty' origins?
In relation to O'Grady's 'Shanty Song', I don't think anyone has pointed out - perhaps because there was no need - that, in modern usage at least, a canoe is paddled rather than rowed - which raises the question of whether the poet was using 'canoe' to mean 'rowboat' or 'row' to mean 'paddle'.