Meaning of 'daighsoe'??

Subject: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: coldjam
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 04:57 PM

Become obsessed with "Sammy's Bar." Wondering if one of our United Kingdom friends could clue me into the meaning of this word? Any other info on the song, like location, or if it is based on a true event would be appreciate.Oy.

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 05:05 PM

It is the local name of a small boat used in Valleta harbour in Malta to ferry people and supplies to Royal Navy ships at anchor.
Dhaiso is the way it's spelt I think.

Yours, Aye. Dave

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Willa
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 05:09 PM

A Daighsoe (mentioned in the chorus) is a type of gondola specific to Malta. source
.
http://www.singerscircle.com/apr05.html

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 05:10 PM

Sorry i should have checked on google first LOL ;-) here ya go mates.
http://www.maltavista.net/en/list/photo/1605.html

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: coldjam
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 07:24 PM

Thank you Willa.

Dave, you're a peach!

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: coldjam
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 07:35 PM

Whoops, and Willa-great info! Thanks again!

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST,Joe_F
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 08:27 PM

The OED makes the standard spelling "dghaisa", but also lists "dghajsa" & "dhiassa". Mr Tawney spells it "dyso".

--- Joe Fineman    [e-mail]

||: The temptation in business, politics, and public health is to judge everything by one number. :||

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Trevor
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 11:04 AM

And here's a piccie of Ghajn Tuffieha bay.

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST,Melani
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 02:49 PM

I am indebted to RiGGy for defining it for me several years ago. When I googled "daighsoe" all I got was the words to "Sammy's Bar"!

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: michaelr
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 07:31 PM

What is the language? It's not Arabic, is it?

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Charley Noble
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 08:14 PM

It is Maltese, the nathinal language of the Empire of Malta.

The national bird is, of course, the falcon.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST,Joe_F
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 08:42 PM

Maltese, as you might guess from Malta's complicated history, is a mongrel language like English. To judge from the following link, it is Arabic about the way English is Anglo-Saxon:

http://aboutmalta.com/language/maltesegrammar.htm

--- Joe Fineman    [e-mail]

||: An exact science is one that makes good approximations. :||

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 09:26 PM

Malta has three major languages, Maltese, Italian and English (as one might guess from the several ways of spelling that boat once typical of their islands. Maltese is the only Semitic language written in the Roman alphabet.
Malta is a republic, not an empire. There are several interesting buildings in the capital, including the governor's residence, which used to be the palace of the grand masters of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem.
The famous almond pastry, figoli, I have found in Toronto, but it is best to make it yourself.

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Lady Hillary
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 10:39 PM

The literal meaning of dhaiso [or any of its other spellings] as used by Tawney is a harbor boat used for transporting passengers or carrying cargo between the shore and vessels out in the harbor.

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: michaelr
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 11:40 PM

Thanks for that info.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: breezy
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 04:21 AM

and would get you back to ship after a night onshore and you had missed the official boat back to ship cos you had been more intent on other matters, booze, women etc

I asked this question awhile back to Cyril himself but address most matters maritime to Johnny Collins

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST,Keith A o Hertford
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 09:55 AM

You might have searched our forum too.
See the related threads at top of page.

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 03:22 AM

Guest Jo Mapes. Woulk like the History of "Sammy's bar", Malta

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 03:50 AM

National plant of Malta?














The concrete plant

L in C
No longer welcome in Malta

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: JeffB
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 09:23 AM

Hi Jo,

The history of the song is on Cyril's website. It was written in 1958 when he was about to leave the Navy to chance his arm at professionally singing and composing, and was deliberately written in the stamp-and-go shanty form. It also happened to be a time when he was very disillusioned and cynical about girls, which perhaps explains why this particular one was killed off, and he had also been in a car accident shortly before, which might have been an influence as well.

The problem with finding a girlfriend in Malta at that time was that there were comparatively few British girls around. They were all naval nurses and military office staff, and they of course only wanted to meet officers. If you were a naval rating who did get a date you either took her somewhere crowded on a ramshackle Malta bus or splashed out a lot of money to hire a (Yankee) car to somewhere more secluded, such as Ghajn Tuffieha Bay. Obviously, officers had the advantage here. The characters in the song are supposed to be British Services personnel.

Cyril later said that Sammy's Bar on Pieta Creek (since demolished) was "more like a little cave than a bar, and a couple of dozen people would fill it." It had two things in its favour - Sammy sold very strong and cheap white wine, and the high ceiling gave it great acoustics. So it was a favourite drinking-hole for Cyril and his mates. It became fashionable after Princess Margaret patronised it.

As mentioned above, the dghaisa or dysoes are gondola-like harbour craft which were (perhaps still are) used as water taxis. If a sailor missed the liberty boat back to his ship, which was of course a free ride, he would have to pay for a dyso later. Nowadays everyone sings, "Hey the last boats are leaving ..... Haul away a dyso." Cyril actually wrote, "Hey the last boat's a-leaving .... Call away a dyso." The idea is of a bunch of sailors shouting out to a love-sick mate that the last liberty boat is about to go, but he wants to down a few more drinks on his own and tells them he will call for a dyso later.

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 01:05 PM

Cyril's wife Rosemary kindly sent me a copy of his original transcript and jeff B is correct.

However, Rosemary made the following comment in relation to dyso

Quote
As you'll see from Cyril's note, the spellings is dghajsa - I'm not sure if that's exactly what I said. However, have just checked "Tawney in Depth" on his website and find it as dghaisa - this is taken straight from his own notes, so I think I will stick with that it being the more recent version, although vastly more google references use the 'j'.
Unquote

Looking at the transcript, he puts an * against dyso and Ineniffeya (Bay)

and makes the following comment

Maltese words have been spelt phonetically for ease of pronunciation. Correct spelling is as follows.

Dyso - Dghaisa

(although it looks like he put a little tag on the bottom of the i as though it was mean't to be j - which is what Rosemary mentioned above)

Ineniffeya - Ghajn Tuffheja

Hope that adds to the topic

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Jack Campin
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 01:27 PM

Considering that Maltese for "No Smoking" is "Tpejjipx", it coulda been worse.

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 01:33 PM

Indeed Jack :-)

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 06:28 PM

Are Maltesers made there?

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Dead Horse
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 06:40 PM

They actually grow there Seamus.
They force feed chocolate to donkeys, then harvest the 'Maltesers' from the rear end of said donkeys as they begin to collect on the short hairs of their ass. :-)

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: The Sandman
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 06:50 PM

its a good job they dont feed chocolate to Norfolk Dickeys.

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Leadfingers
Date: 21 Jul 10 - 07:00 PM

I DID hear that the site of Sammy's Bar is now a Mercedes Dealership ! Talk about 'From the Sublime to the absolute Gor Blimey'

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: bubblyrat
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 02:07 PM

Always wanted to visit Malta,after I joined the Navy in 1964 ;after about three weeks as a raw recruit,we saw an "insructional film" ( one of but dozens !), which showed the carrier HMS Hermes in the Mediterranean,operating her aircraft and visiting Malta (Valetta). The film was really to see who might be interested in specialising in electrical and engineering work with naval aircraft,in the Fleet Air Arm , for which I happily volunteered,along with a few others !
      Fast-forward to 1967, by which time I am "Qualified to Maintain" three different types of Naval jet aircraft, and am serving aboard the large carrier ,HMS Eagle, which I know,from talking to shipmates,has had a good "Run" in Malta the previous year (1966).So ---I am really looking forward to the two great experiences of A) a great "Run Ashore" in Malta,going down "The Gut" ( Straight Street) in Valetta, and drinking the fabled "Marsa Vin" pokey wine, and B) transiting the Suez Canal !! Two "Life Ambitions"!! And bringing Cyril's songs to life, as it were,having heard them in Sidmouth & other places.
    Then.....DISASTER !! The "Six Day War" closes the Suez Canal, meaning that there is now little or no reason for entering "The Med"!!! So my first-ever foreign port-of-call on the (very long) voyage to Aden ??   CAPETOWN !! And I don't think Malta's economy ever really got over the loss ! And here I am, aged 63 ,and NEVER been to Malta, or gone through the Suez Canal !!

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Leadfingers
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 07:43 PM

But DID you get to see Aden ? And dd you know there was a Folk Club at Steamer point ? AND a Folk Music half hour on Aden Forces Broadcasting Association ?
Would have made up for missing Malta !

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Mingulay
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 12:19 PM

According to a local, the site of Sammy's Bar is now under a slip road that leads down to the waterfront at Pieta overlooking the old submarine pens. Glad I noticed this thread and the references to the song as it reminded me that I still haven't paid the parking fine I picked up in Paula Square!

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: bubblyrat
Date: 28 May 14 - 09:18 AM

I have been looking again at Cyril's great song,and am amazed at how many people not only SING "haul away" but WRITE "haul away " , when it should be "CALL AWAY " , as one does with a boat ( Example ; "Please be good enough to call away my gig, Mr Christian ; I fancy a Breadfruit for lunch !" .

   I have discovered ANOTHER Royal Naval Instructional Film ( A FIRST for Michael Winner !!) entitled "Floating Fortress " , in which one can see two "True British Sailors " being transported ashore from carrier HMS Victorious , in Valletta harbour, in a genuine Bedouin "Dghaisha " , or Dyson, or whatever !! I am now 67 , by the way , and have been a Naval Pensioner for 40 yes FORTY years !!

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST,Dai Jeffries
Date: 15 Aug 14 - 08:00 AM

Martin Simpson tells a story about how he was informed by a large Glaswegian that the correct pronunciation is "dyser". Given that Cyril knew Malta well enough to write about it, I suspect he got it right. On the other hand "o" is a stronger sound than "er" with which to end a stanza.

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Mysha
Date: 15 Aug 14 - 08:44 AM

Hi,

I guess, "dghajsa" is pronounced something like "dysa" in Maltese. But that doesn't preclude the English on the base pronouncing it "dyso". I expect what's in the song is a good approximation of what was said there.

"Calling away" a boat is a bit of counter-intuitive idiom to the landlubber, I guess, as you want it "here", rather than "away". I expect that problem is in part responsible for the "haul away", especially since everyone knows that "haul" is part of the vocabulary of the sea, whatever it means.

Bye,
                                                                Mysha

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST,ripov
Date: 15 Aug 14 - 08:57 AM

Sounds as though it's etymologically connected somehow with 'day-boat', which our friends over the water apparently call a 'daysailer'(vide Merriam-Webster)?

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 15 Aug 14 - 09:25 AM

From the spelling, my first guess from the title was that it might be Irish for do-si-do.

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 16 Aug 14 - 08:50 AM

yes, cyril Tawnie (tawny?) described it as a small harbour boat or harbour taxi. One of my fav songs Sammy's Bar

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Aug 14 - 07:18 PM

As far as we can tell, the Maltese language is the one survivor of Phoenician to have made it. There's bits in Madeiran, Catalan and Basque too.
When Malta entered the EU, they were asked to supply 74 translaters and interpreters between Maltese and English, qualified to Doctoral level. In fact, there were just 4, and they all worked in the Maltese Parliament, who were not best pleased at the thought of the only experts in the language all clearing off to Brussels. So they had a recce round and discovered there were barely that number of bilingual tour guides. Guess who got the job?

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Mar 15 - 04:32 PM

Try this for info and pics
http://www.maltesewatertaxis.com/home/

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Gurney
Date: 08 Mar 15 - 03:36 PM

Luzzu is another name for the craft, and a search will give you a picture of one.

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Mysha
Date: 08 Mar 15 - 04:59 PM

Except that as a name for a Luzzu "daighsoe" is sort of a misnomer, so the type of boats you would find that way may sometimes be called "daighsoe", but in reality they aren't.

A daighsoe is historically a (stand-up) rowing boat, the type with the high end pieces. A luzzu is, I believe, historically a sail boat, the type with blue hulls, colourful bands, and yellow bows with eyes.

Bye,
                                                                  Mysha

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: bubblyrat
Date: 09 Mar 15 - 07:09 AM

Interesting ,Mysha ! Actually, there is a type of Scottish fishing vessel called a "Zulu" , which is almost an anagram of "Luzzu" ; we can deal with "Fifies" another time ! !

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Mysha
Date: 09 Mar 15 - 11:44 AM

Ah, the boats that sail backwards!

Not for real, of course, but when you don't see them in full 3D, the straight bow will sometimes give the impression of a sideways view of a transom. Since the real stern doesn't give such an impression, it can cause you to picture the boat the wrong way round. A lot of sail on them, so: Fast but probably not easy to handle, especially with all that sail in only three sheets.

Bye,
                                                                  Mysha

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 10 Mar 15 - 05:35 AM

As othrs have said it is indeed a harbour bot/taxi. Sammy's was a real small bar in Valetta Malta where it's said the rich, famous, including Royalty, mixed with local,workmen the poor etc as equals. Sadly believe it no longer exists

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Mysha
Date: 10 Mar 15 - 12:49 PM

Thanks Desi for reminding me of the topic of the thread.

So let me make clear that my previous message, about the boats that sail backwards, is about zulus, not about daighsoes.

OK, back to Malta,
                                                                Mysha

Subject: RE: Daighsoe?
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 22 Sep 17 - 04:55 AM

The call the benzinas in Greece
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 22 Sep 17 - 05:57 AM

Crab boats sail sideways.

Subject: RE: Meaning of 'daighsoe'??
From: GUEST,Jim Lucas
Date: 30 Dec 23 - 12:03 AM

An Excerpt from "Last Days of MAST & SAIL", by Sir Alan Moore, originally published in 1925, in which he describes the various vessels he encountered in his travels: "When a ship comes to her berth in the Grand Harbour at Valetta she is surrounded by a throng of boats as different from anything English as is the country in which they invite the newcomer to land. ... They are nearly always manned by two rowers who stand facing forward. ... These craft are called 'dghaisas', 'dghaisa', pronounced 'dysa', being merely the Maltese for boat."