Staid, bedmen, bores, some doubts

[ookami]

This ploughman dead in battle slept out of doors
Many's a frozen night, and merrily
Answered staid drinkers, good bedmen, and all bores:


Hello. I'm here again Well, let's see:
1- I just can't understand Many's and how it conects with the previous and fordward expressions.
2- staid drinkers: bebedores serios?
3- bedmen: ???
4- bores: melosos/cargosos would be a good translation here?

Well, in general, if you can translate that three sentences you would do me a big favour.

Thanks in advance.

[bobjenkins]

Me parece ser un poema , no? Porque "many a night" no es común aquí, se lo usa más en los poemas que en la palabra hablada.

Many a night / Often I have stayed up late trying to learn Spanish

No estoy seguro de lo que las otras palabras significan, más contexto me puede ayudarme, pero en la fin creo que hay muchas traducciones a ese poema, como todos

[pjt33]

"Many a frozen night" - muchas noches heladas. "Many's" podría ser un error o tal vez una variación dialéctica.

"Staid drinkers" - si, pero en el sentido de que son personas serias y sobrías que toman una cerveza, no en el sentido de que toman muy en serio el beber.

"Good bedmen" - no sé. Igual es una palabra que era común entonces pero ya ha muerto. Del contexto adivinaré que sería "Aficionados de buenas camas" que no pueden entender como alguien podría dormir bajo un arbusto.

Bores - personas aburridas, pesadas.

[ookami]

Ahh "Many a frozen night" would be, that's a little more clear, I couldn't understand the 's. Equally, the "a" makes it sound wear to me, it's the same if it's not there right?

I think now I understand it better, the "many's" thing was the main problem. The poem:

A Private

This ploughman dead in battle slept out of doors
Many's a frozen night, and merrily
Answered staid drinkers, good bedmen, and all bores:
'At Mrs Greenland's Hawthorn Bush,' said he,
'I slept.' None knew which bush. Above the town,
Beyond 'The Drover', a hundred spot the down
In Wiltshire. And where now at last he sleeps
More sound in France – that, too, he secret keeps.

by Edward Thomas

I don't know if analazing poems - that aren't contemporary- it's a good way to learn, but contemporay authors aren't my best friends, I can't find poems I like.
Some authors you recommend?

[bobjenkins]

Originally Posted by ookami

Ahh "Many a frozen night" would be, that's a little more clear, I couldn't understand the 's. Equally, the "a" makes it sound wear to me, it's the same if it's not there right?

I think now I understand it better, the "many's" thing was the main problem. The poem:

A Private

This ploughman dead in battle slept out of doors
Many's a frozen night, and merrily
Answered staid drinkers, good bedmen, and all bores:
'At Mrs Greenland's Hawthorn Bush,' said he,
'I slept.' None knew which bush. Above the town,
Beyond 'The Drover', a hundred spot the down
In Wiltshire. And where now at last he sleeps
More sound in France – that, too, he secret keeps.

by Edward Thomas

I don't know if analazing poems - that aren't contemporary- it's a good way to learn, but contemporay authors aren't my best friends, I can't find poems I like.
Some authors you recommend?

Robert Frost es bueno

[ookami]

Thanks bob; I know just a punch of English authors and you just say one of those
I use his poems to practice pronunciation

* And you just say one of those - Y vos justo decis uno de esos ?

[Tomisimo]

Many's a frozen night = many is a frozen night = muchas de las noches son heladas.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by ookami

Ahh "Many a frozen night" would be, that's a little more clear, I couldn't understand the 's. Equally, the "a" makes it sound wear to me, it's the same if it's not there right?

I've slept out of doors on many a frozen night.
Many's the frozen night I've slept out of doors.
I've slept out of doors on many frozen nights.
Many a frozen night I've slept out of doors.
Many frozen nights I've slept out of doors.
Many's a frozen night I've slept out of doors.
Many frozen night I've slept out of doors.

I don't know if analazing poems - that aren't contemporary- it's a good way to learn, but contemporay authors aren't my best friends, I can't find poems I like.
Some authors you recommend?

Poetry is a good way to stretch yourself.

Keats.

[hermit]

another english poet to recommend for those studying esl - Blake - "Songs of Innocence", and "Songs of Experience" -
basic vocabulary, delightful poetry.

hermit

[ookami]

Thanks for the recomendations.

pjt33 can you tell me the difference(maybe by translation to Spanish) between these two:
- I've slept out of doors on many a frozen night.
- I've slept out of doors on many frozen nights.
I'm having trouble finding what the "a" changes.
Thanks

[pjt33]

Singular vs plural, y es más poético. "Many a" pone el énfasis en "many".

Según un diccionario que acabo de consultar,

many
1. a number of people or things, esp. a large one: his many supporters, have as many as you want
2. many a each of a considerable number of: many a man

[ookami]

I think I catch it know. The translatiion of those two sentences I think that can be the same, but if you want to remark the difference, is this right?:

- I've slept out of doors on many a frozen night.
He dormido a puertas abiertas en cada una de las/entre muchas noches heladas.

- I've slept out of doors on many frozen nights.
He dormido a puertas abiertas en muchas noches heladas.

Thanks pjt33

[pjt33]

Decir "en cada una" me parece que da un poco demasiado énfasis.

On many a: Son muchas las noches heladas en las que he dormido bajo las estrellas.
On many: He dormido bajo las estrellas en muchas noches heladas.

[ookami]

crystal clear.
Thank you a lot.

[brute]

Originally Posted by ookami

Thanks for the recomendations.

pjt33 can you tell me the difference(maybe by translation to Spanish) between these two:
- I've slept out of doors on many a frozen night.
- I've slept out of doors on many frozen nights.
I'm having trouble finding what the "a" changes.
Thanks

Many a frozen night
Many's the frozen night works well in modern English.
= many is the frozen night {that)
Many's a frozen night May be old dialect, poetic licence or spelling error