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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary
Cow cabin, barley axe
Hello,
I am reading a book. The story takes place on a ship (a sailing ship). There's a sentence: "I caught her between a coil of rope and the cow cabin."
What does "cow cabin" mean? Is it a cabin used to transport cows or animals or is it something completely different?
On another place I found one more sentence which is not quite clear to me: "I went into the very patch of woods that had been spared the barley axe." The plot takes place at the end of 18th century in Devon.
What does "barley axe"mean? Is ti an axe that is normally used to cut barley, but this time was used to cut down trees?
Thanks for reply
I am reading a book. The story takes place on a ship (a sailing ship). There's a sentence: "I caught her between a coil of rope and the cow cabin."
What does "cow cabin" mean? Is it a cabin used to transport cows or animals or is it something completely different?
On another place I found one more sentence which is not quite clear to me: "I went into the very patch of woods that had been spared the barley axe." The plot takes place at the end of 18th century in Devon.
What does "barley axe"mean? Is ti an axe that is normally used to cut barley, but this time was used to cut down trees?
Thanks for reply
Top answer
Both phrases are new to me, Anon, but I suppose yes, the "cow cabin" is presumably a stall for cows. The "barley axe" is more troublesome; I would be surprised to discover that even 18th century Devon folk cut barley with an "axe", and were then likely to use it on trees. So perhaps it means "the axe that would have cleared the area in readiness for planting barley".
- Both phrases are new to me, Anon, but I suppose yes, the "cow cabin" is presumably a stall for cows.
- The "barley axe" is more troublesome; I would be surprised to discover that even 18th century Devon folk cut barley with an "axe", and were then likely to use it on trees.
- So perhaps it means "the axe that would have cleared the area in readiness for planting barley".
- (Is this from a novel by Peter Carey, by the way?
- ) All the best, MrP
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2 Answers
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Both phrases are new to me, Anon, but I suppose yes, the "cow cabin" is presumably a stall for cows. The "barley axe" is more troublesome; I would be surprised to discover that even 18th century Devon folk cut barley with an "axe", and were then likely to use it on trees.
So perhaps it means "the axe that would have cleared the area in readiness for planting barley".
(Is this f
So perhaps it means "the axe that would have cleared the area in readiness for planting barley".
(Is this f
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Thanks once more for the answers. Yes, it is from Peter Carey (Parrot and Olivier in America). It is a very interesting book and also quite difficult to read for a non-native English speaker.
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