yonder - English or Irish?

[Joel S. Berson]

At 6/20/2008 09:47 AM, Barbara Need wrote:
>I first knew a version of this song as "Johnny has gone for a
>soldier" sung by Burl Ives (without _yonder_ in the song). The notes
>accompanying the text says it was sung during the American
>Revolution. A web search also identifies it as a Revolutionary War
>song, "probably an American adaptation of the Irish tune Shule Aroon
>from the 17th Century".


And at 20 Jun 2008 22:21:03 Josh Macfelder wrote:
>I have assumed that since the song reads, in one place:
>
>But now my love has gone to France,
>To try his fortune to advance;
>If he e'er comes back, 'tis but a chance,
>Is go dte tu mo mhuirnin slan
>
>Therefore, to me it's obvious the war was on the Continent,
>not on the British Isles nor in the Americas.

So, people -- doesn't this still leave open the question of what war
sent Irish soldiers to fight with swords in France in the 17th
century?  Or perhaps the *tune* is from the 17th century, but Josh's
or Barbara's set of words from later?

Joel

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org