Antedating of Yeah

[Mark Mandel]

"Lorboard" ("larboard") I understand here, as a synonym for "port" 'left'.
But "to leeward"? That means 'downwind'. I wonder if Bynner knew that, or
just thought it was another one of those peculiar nautical synonyms for
"left" and "right".

m a m

On 10/18/07, Baker, John <JMB at stradley.com> wrote:
>
>
>         Bynner also used "yeah," but apparently only once and in
> dialect, in an earlier novel, Agnes Surriage (1886) (Google Books full
> text), which has a Massachusetts boy, asked if he can tell the way to an
> inn, say:  "Yeah, can oi; g' down ther' by Skipper-r Pennel's, 'n' go
> off on th' lorboard tack till ye come to Moll Pitcher's; 'n' ther' ye'll
> see 't stret to leeward."
>
>

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