translation of a Scots dialect phrase

Subject: RE: translation of a Scots dialect phrase
From: friskett
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 10:48 PM

As always, people here are wonderfully informative. Thanks for the info. and the many leads to explore!

k.

Subject: RE: translation of a Scots dialect phrase
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 03:26 PM

Burns provided a copy for The Scots Musical Museum (V, no. 440, p 452) but he didn't write it. Various past discussions here, as both Tibby and Tibbie. "Bee" is an error of transcription, not a traditional variant.

The Susanna Blamire lyric is not the one being asked about, though it was likely written to the same tune, perhaps as an "answer" to the original song.

Subject: RE: translation of a Scots dialect phrase
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 03:00 PM

Not at the Burns site because it isn't a Burns song.

Subject: RE: translation of a Scots dialect phrase
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 02:25 PM

A woman may be without money, or even a fly might knock her down, before she regards a man as her equal.
Giok

Subject: RE: translation of a Scots dialect phrase
From:
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 02:16 PM

Have you tried the Robert Burns site?

Had a look but didn't see the title you asked about there.

Subject: RE: translation of a Scots dialect phrase
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 02:10 PM

I think you read it aright. It's more likely that a fly will knock her down than a man will succeed in getting to her.
See thread 4850: Tibbie

The song predates Burns. See thread 50687; a bee instead of a fly: Tibbie
A link in the second thread leads to the version in Henry's Songbook.

Subject: RE: translation of a Scots dialect phrase
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 01:45 PM

No immediate rush to translate, but several sites on the net e.g. This one atribute it not to Burns, but to Blamire, Susanna, 1747-1794

CHEERS

Nigel

Subject: translation of a Scots dialect phrase
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jan 06 - 01:38 PM

Hi,

I'm puzzling over a phrase in Robert Burns' "Tibby Fowler o' the Glen." In the last verse, (Be a lassie e'er sae fair/ An' she want the pennie siller/ A flie may fell her in the air/ Before a man be even till her.),
does "a flie may fell her in the air" mean she'll be knocked down by a fly before etc.? Or is it something else entirely? I tried two Scots Dictionary and the DSL online, but couldn't find an answer.

tx,
k.