Dear teachers,
Would you be kind enough to give me your considered opinion concerning the interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?
Then on Saturdays we escaped to the nearby woods and hills, travelling through the suburbs by tramcar, and then walking many miles across the moors, wind-burned and carefree.
wind-burn = wind-blown
V.
Last edited by vil; 12-Aug-2011 at 13:21.
Hi amigos4 and Rover KE,
I agree with both of you about your weighty rejection of my frivolous interpretation of “wind-burn”.
Thank you for your kindness.
V.
It was not frivolous. If I were to suggest that 'wind-blown' meant that somebody had burped in my face, that would be frivolous.
I can't think of a single adjective to describe your interpretation. Mistaken is a little strong; misinformed would only be appropriate if somebody else had given you the interpretation. The best I can come up with at present is imprecise.
Hi fivejedjon,
I agree with your Solomon judgment concerning my frivolous interpretation of “wind-burn”. Sure enough it was imprecise. Thank you for your condescension towards my slap-dash writing.
wind-burn = an irritation or chafing of the skin caused by long exposure to the wind
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/windburn#ixzz1UpSgPO4L
There is another term, namely “weather-beaten” which is very close to my interpretation “wind-blown”.
weather-beaten= damaged or worn by exposure to the weather
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/weather-beaten#ixzz1UpfI14Gb
This made me think that I may change “weather” with “wind” and so go so far that I identified faulty “wind-burn” and “wind-blown”.
Now I see, my interpretation is beyond the pale.
Please excuse my fatuity.
Thank you again for your unremitting watchfulness.
V.
Last edited by vil; 12-Aug-2011 at 17:16.
Hi, Vil. Your interest in words prompts me to pick up another infelicitous usage. Jane Austen used it differently, but 'condescension' is used today with a suggestion of being patronising. I did not intend to appear patronising.
Also, at the risk of appearing picky, I would not describe your writing as slap-dash (done too quickly and carelessly - ALD). You occasionally come up with an interpretation that is perhaps not the most appropriate, but that is not slap-dash.
Last edited by 5jj; 12-Aug-2011 at 19:38. Reason: typo