What are 'plainsteens'?

Subject: What are 'plainsteens'?
From: GUEST,Chanteyranger
Date: 08 Aug 03 - 07:40 PM

In the Scottish song The Sailor Laddie there's a line that goes, "He skips upon the plainsteens an' he sails upon the sea..."

Anyone know what plainsteens are? A look at a dictionary (though not the largest dictionary) and on a Google search for the word comes up zilch. Thanks.

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: What are 'plainsteens'?
From: Hillheader
Date: 08 Aug 03 - 08:59 PM

I think it might be plein staines,as here .

Not sure what it means though, but could it be some form of the Cutty Stool (where the wrongdoer sat a kirk to be berated by the Minister). Anyone from NE Scotland? Could be that neck of the woods.

Subject: RE: What are 'plainsteens'?
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 08 Aug 03 - 09:02 PM

Found plainstanes (smoothed rocks) but no plainsteens.

Subject: RE: What are 'plainsteens'?
From: masato sakurai
Date: 08 Aug 03 - 09:29 PM

If it is "plainstanes",

Plainstanes, the pavement

(From GLOSSARY OF CERTAIN SCOTCH WORDS AND PHRASES)

Subject: RE: What are 'plainsteens'?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 08 Aug 03 - 10:17 PM

You had me puzzled for a bit, there (it isn't a song I know), but I find a set in the DT:  SAILOR LAD AND TAILOR LAD.  The spelling there, planestanes, would make the meaning a little more obvious; that is, "flat stones". Pavement or flagged roadway.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SAILOR LADDIE (from Christine Kydd)
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 09 Aug 03 - 11:00 PM

Thanks. The spelling I got is from a lyric sheet passed out to a class at a music camp about six years ago by the instructor, Scottish traditional singer Christine Kydd. I never did ask her about the word when she was here. It's a different song than Sailor Lad And Tailor Lad. Here's this one:

            THE SAILOR LADDIE, as sung by Christine kydd

I've been East and I've been West and I've been in Dundee
But the bonniest lad I ever saw, he ploughs the raging sea

   CH: Awa' with the sailor laddie, awa' with him I'll go (2)

I've been East and I've been West and I've been in Montrose
But the bonniest lad I ever saw, he wears the tarry clothes
   CH
His jacket's o' the bonnie blue, his jersey's o' the white
an' he's a curly kep wi' a tinsel band, that sailor's ma delight
   CH
He skips upon the plainsteens an' he sails upon the sea
an' he's a bonnie sailor lad, the lad that I gan wi'
   CH
I saw ma laddie gang aboot, I saw ma lad set sail
I saw him turn his ship aboot, awa' to catch the whale
   CH
He bad me aye keep up ma hert, he bad me nae be dull
He bad me aye keep up ma hert til he'd tak me tae himsel'
   CH

Her solo CD "Dark Pearls" which has this song, is, pardon the pun, a real gem. "Planestanes" just might be it, with "...steens" being a Scots dialect version spelled out?

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: What are 'plainsteens'?
From: Megan L
Date: 10 Aug 03 - 04:13 PM

several areas in scotland have plainstanes, though you might find the spelling varies with the area. In the days before tarmacadam towns couldn't afford to have such well cared for streets and pavements so while some areas might if you were lucky be cobbled the more important area had large flat stones making it easier to walk, try skipping up the cobbles and you would get a twisted ankle.

In my home town of Stromness the plainstanes is suprise suprise the area in front of the biggest kirk in the toon. The stone was also used in roofing locally and was known as Caithness slate, though it bears no resemblance to the welsh variety.these sones can be a good 18" by36"and anything from 3/4 to an inch and a half thick

Subject: RE: What are 'plainsteens'?
From: Stewart
Date: 10 Aug 03 - 04:35 PM

From the Dutch (Nederlands):

plein = plaza, square, public square

steen = brick, stone

Proost, S. in Seattle