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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Usage
Lors
Hello:
I have a difficulty finding the meaning of
"lors"
in this context.
Seems to be similar to "come on/come on now/let's be serious". Funny, couldn't find it in any dictionary.
Also, curious about its etymology; seems close to the Fr. "alors".
"Bessy, I'm sorry for you," said Mrs. Glegg, very much with the feeling of a cur that seizes the opportunity of diverting his bark toward the man who carries no stick. "It's poor work talking o' almonds and raisins."
"Lors, sister Glegg, don't be so quarrelsome," said Mrs. Pullet, beginning to cry a little. "You may be struck with a fit, getting so red in the face after dinner, and we are but just out o' mourning, all of us, and all wi' gowns craped alike and just put by; it's very bad among sisters."
George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss
1 7
Thank you.
Marius Hancu
I have a difficulty finding the meaning of
"lors"
in this context.
Seems to be similar to "come on/come on now/let's be serious". Funny, couldn't find it in any dictionary.
Also, curious about its etymology; seems close to the Fr. "alors".
"Bessy, I'm sorry for you," said Mrs. Glegg, very much with the feeling of a cur that seizes the opportunity of diverting his bark toward the man who carries no stick. "It's poor work talking o' almonds and raisins."
"Lors, sister Glegg, don't be so quarrelsome," said Mrs. Pullet, beginning to cry a little. "You may be struck with a fit, getting so red in the face after dinner, and we are but just out o' mourning, all of us, and all wi' gowns craped alike and just put by; it's very bad among sisters."
George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss
1 7
Thank you.
Marius Hancu
Top answer
[nq:1]Hello: I have a difficulty finding the meaning of "lors" in this context. Seems to be similar to "come on/come ... to the Fr.
- [nq:1]Hello: I have a difficulty finding the meaning of "lors" in this context.
- Seems to be similar to "come on/come ...
- to the Fr.
- "alors".
- "Lors, sister Glegg, don't be so quarrelsome," said Mrs.
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12 Answers
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[nq:1]Hello: I have a difficulty finding the meaning of "lors" in this context. Seems to be similar to "come on/come ... to the Fr. "alors". ... "Lors, sister Glegg, don't be so quarrelsome," said Mrs. Pullet, beginning to cry a little..[/nq]
It looks to me like a euphemism for "Lord". (Or conceivably a typo.)
Jerry Friedman
It looks to me like a euphemism for "Lord". (Or conceivably a typo.)
Jerry Friedman
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Marius Hancu typed thusly:
[nq:1]Hello: I have a difficulty finding the meaning of "lors" in this context. Seems to be similar to "come on/come ... out o' mourning, all of us, and all wi' gowns craped alike and just put by; it's very bad among sisters."[/nq]
As you suggest, it is similar to "for heaven's sake". I presume it's a toned-down form of "For the Lord's sake", in the same way as "
[nq:1]Hello: I have a difficulty finding the meaning of "lors" in this context. Seems to be similar to "come on/come ... out o' mourning, all of us, and all wi' gowns craped alike and just put by; it's very bad among sisters."[/nq]
As you suggest, it is similar to "for heaven's sake". I presume it's a toned-down form of "For the Lord's sake", in the same way as "
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[nq:1]Hello: I have a difficulty finding the meaning of "lors" in this context. Seems to be similar to "come on/come ... and just put by; it's very bad among sisters." George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss 1 7 [/nq]
It would represent the same sound to a non-rhotic person as does "Laws" as in "Laws-a-mercy" distantly derived from "Lord, have mercy."
Example in Those Extraordinary Twin
It would represent the same sound to a non-rhotic person as does "Laws" as in "Laws-a-mercy" distantly derived from "Lord, have mercy."
Example in Those Extraordinary Twin
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[nq:2]Hello: I have a difficulty finding the meaning of "lors" ... Eliot, The Mill on the Floss 1 7 [/nq]
[nq:1]"Ah, they're a boon, ma, just a boon! don't you think so?" "Laws, I hope so, I don't know." I'd say it conveys a wide range of emotions: surprise, dismay, exasperation, uncertainty...[/nq]
Then it should be our motto for aue
John "Lawks" Dean
Oxford
[nq:1]"Ah, they're a boon, ma, just a boon! don't you think so?" "Laws, I hope so, I don't know." I'd say it conveys a wide range of emotions: surprise, dismay, exasperation, uncertainty...[/nq]
Then it should be our motto for aue
John "Lawks" Dean
Oxford
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[nq:1]Hello: I have a difficulty finding the meaning of "lors" in this context. Seems to be similar to "come on/come on now/let's be serious". Funny, couldn't find it in any dictionary. Also, curious about its etymology; seems close to the Fr. "alors".[/nq]
Zut alors?
Zut alors?
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[nq:2]"Lors, sister Glegg, don't be so quarrelsome," said Mrs. Pullet, beginning to cry a little.[/nq]
[nq:1]... It looks to me like a euphemism for "Lord". (Or conceivably a typo.)[/nq]
This should be it. Not a typo: it's used multiple times.
Thank you all.
Marius Hancu
[nq:1]... It looks to me like a euphemism for "Lord". (Or conceivably a typo.)[/nq]
This should be it. Not a typo: it's used multiple times.
Thank you all.
Marius Hancu
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[nq:1]As you suggest, it is similar to "for heaven's sake". I presume it's a toned-down form of "For the Lord's sake", in the same way as "strewth" which is descended from "***'s truth".[/nq]
Or "zounds" for "***'s wounds," much to the surprise of many modern AmE speakers, who have only seen it in print, and therefore think it's pronounced "zownds" instead of "zoonds." Or at least, that was th
Or "zounds" for "***'s wounds," much to the surprise of many modern AmE speakers, who have only seen it in print, and therefore think it's pronounced "zownds" instead of "zoonds." Or at least, that was th
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[nq:2]As you suggest, it is similar to "for heaven's sake". ... same way as "strewth" which is descended from "***'s truth".[/nq]
[nq:1]Or "zounds" for "***'s wounds," much to the surprise of many modern AmE speakers, who have only seen it in print, and therefore think it's pronounced "zownds" instead of "zoonds." Or at least, that was the case for me until I was in college.[/nq]
*The Cent
[nq:1]Or "zounds" for "***'s wounds," much to the surprise of many modern AmE speakers, who have only seen it in print, and therefore think it's pronounced "zownds" instead of "zoonds." Or at least, that was the case for me until I was in college.[/nq]
*The Cent
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[nq:2]Or "zounds" for "***'s wounds," much to the surprise of ... thatwas the case for me until I was in college.[/nq]
[nq:1]*The Century Dictionary,* an American dictionary of 1895, written during a period when most dictionaries were prescriptive and whichI believe ... in 1895. In addition, I have to wonder if "wounds" rhymed with "hounds" at the time that "zounds" was coined.[/nq]
This i
[nq:1]*The Century Dictionary,* an American dictionary of 1895, written during a period when most dictionaries were prescriptive and whichI believe ... in 1895. In addition, I have to wonder if "wounds" rhymed with "hounds" at the time that "zounds" was coined.[/nq]
This i
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[nq:1]as modern was[/nq]
I'd think it just went along with the Great Shifting Vowels, like the pronunciation of Latin did, giving us such obscenities as the pronunciation of "Abies" as 'ay-beez' rather than 'ah-bee-ehss'.
"Wounds" was probably influenced by the initial /w/ to behave more conservatively. But this is sheer speculation.
I'd think it just went along with the Great Shifting Vowels, like the pronunciation of Latin did, giving us such obscenities as the pronunciation of "Abies" as 'ay-beez' rather than 'ah-bee-ehss'.
"Wounds" was probably influenced by the initial /w/ to behave more conservatively. But this is sheer speculation.
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