a soft scuff of leather

[suprunp]

The elf Arya accompanied Saphira. Her long black hair billowed wildly around her angular face as she sprang off the pile of rubble. Lines of splattered blood striped her arms and neck; gore smeared the blade of her sword. She alit with a soft scuff of leather against stone.
(C. Paolini; Inheritance)

Does the part in bold mean that a soft scuff was that of her shoes made from leather?

Thanks.

 

[5jj]

It means there was the gentle sound of soft leather brushing against stone. Her shoes were of leather.

 

[BobK]

'She alit' - ye gods, who writes this stuff?

b

 

[5jj]

'She alit' - ye gods, who writes this stuff?

b

"'Twas not I," quoth 5jj.

 

[suprunp]

'She alit' - ye gods, who writes this stuff?

b

Is this so 'awful' or does this just sound old?

Thanks.

 

[5jj]

If one is writing about gory elves, it's fine.

 

[BobK]

:-? I agree that a bit of archaic language used as local colour is not inappropriate in this sort of context. But that particular irregular past of a word that is already archaic struck me as an excessive level of arch obcurity. And I wouldn't recommend it as reading for an English language student - who will spend more time getting misleading (current) meanings in a dictionary than enjoying the story. ;-)

b

 

[5jj]

And I wouldn't recommend it as reading for an English language student

Pshaw!

 

[BobK]

Yea verily would I not. ;-)

b

 

[suprunp]

And I wouldn't recommend it as reading for an English language student - who will spend more time getting misleading (current) meanings in a dictionary than enjoying the story. ;-)
b

I, for one, can't help reading it, as I'd read the first three parts claimed to be a 'trilogy' and it turned out, quite unexpectedly, that there was the fourth part of a 'trilogy' still in the process of creation (and now that it's out I'm obliged to know the ending)

 

[5jj]

and now that it's out I'm obliged to know the ending)

I have just tried to read the synopsis. I don't think I'll bother with the full version. The good guys probably win in the end, but at a heavy cost. It will take several hundred pages to establish this.

 

[BobK]

A lot of 'trilogies' are like that!

b

 

[suprunp]

I have just tried to read the synopsis. I don't think I'll bother with the full version. The good guys probably win in the end, but at a heavy cost. It will take several hundred pages to establish this.

The main reason why I bothered with the first three parts in the first place was that they were pretty easy to read (the author must have worked on his style since then), which was of great concern to me at the time.

 

[Frenchclem]

:-? I agree that a bit of archaic language used as local colour is not inappropriate in this sort of context. But that particular irregular past of a word that is already archaic struck me as an excessive level of arch obcurity. And I wouldn't recommend it as reading for an English language student - who will spend more time getting misleading (current) meanings in a dictionary than enjoying the story. ;-)

b

Exactly ! It's my case. I try to read "Inheritance" and it's very difficult. And, when I don't find a word, it's worse...
Can you help me ? What does "alit" ?

 

[bhaisahab]

My daughter read this trilogy when she was 10 or eleven and I read some of the first one to see what she was reading. I believe the author was 17 or 18 when he wrote the first book.