I infers that

[Johnyxxx]

Hello.

I cannot understand the sentence in bold text, or, I would rather say it makes no sense to me in the context at all. Can anybody help me understand it? (Travers and his two friends are on a dangerous mission for him to get the money he needs so bad in order to be allowed to get married with a girl he is in love with)


"Travers, my boy," he growled, "we've got one helluva job in front of us. It's goin' to take days to crawl through this, huntin' for a trail. If we find one, an' spot the Boh an' his fellers first, well an' good. If Mr. Boh spots us first--well, he can handle that silver-plated gun of his like an expert. Meanwhiles, no noise, no campfires,no dry clothes, an' no fresh grub. I'm goin' to have some holiday. Whosit says, 'fools rush in where angels fear to tread'?"
"Meaning how?" demanded Travers.
"Well, we're havin' all this picnic so you can commit matrimonial hara-kiri; an' I've read somewheres that in heaven they neither marry nor are given in marriage. I infers that angels fear to tread."
"And that I'm a fool," laughed Travers, with a perfect understanding of the deep strength and determination that lay beneath his friend's misogynistic grumbling. "You're a cold-blooded beast, Moro, and a wicked cynic; but you're a crafty hunter all the same, and I guess you're right about cutting out all betraying fires and being mightycautious. Today's march wasn't so bad, but I suppose the real campaign begins tomorrow."


The Wood Devil-thing, Gordon MacCreagh, 1926.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Re: I nfers that

Hello.

I cannot understand the sentence in bold text, or, I would rather say it makes no sense to me in the context at all. Can anybody help me understand it? (Travers and his two friends are on a dangerous mission for him to get money he needs so bad in order to be allowed to get married with a girl he is in love with)


"Travers, my boy," he growled, "we've got one helluva job in front of us. It's goin' to take days to crawl through this, huntin' for a trail. If we find one, an' spot the Boh an' his fellers first, well an' good. If Mr. Boh spots us first--well, he can handle that silver-plated gun of his like an expert. Meanwhiles, no noise, no campfires,no dry clothes, an' no fresh grub. I'm goin' to have some holiday. Whosit says, 'fools rush in where angels fear to tread'?"
"Meaning how?" demanded Travers.
"Well, we're havin' all this picnic so you can commit matrimonial hara-kiri; an' I've read somewheres that in heaven they neither marry nor are given in marriage. I infers that angels fear to tread."
"And that I'm a fool," laughed Travers, with a perfect understanding of the deep strength and determination that lay beneath his friend's misogynistic grumbling. "You're a cold-blooded beast, Moro, and a wicked cynic; but you're a crafty hunter all the same, and I guess you're right about cutting out all betraying fires and being mightycautious. Today's march wasn't so bad, but I suppose the real campaign begins tomorrow."


The Wood Devil-thing, Gordon MacCreagh, 1926.

Thanks a lot.

It alludes to the saying "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."

Now does it make sense?

Notice also that Moro's grammar is terrible. Don't use him as a model for yours!

 

[Johnyxxx]

Re: I nfers that

Yes, I had looked the saying up before I post my request for help. But, still, I cannot comprehend WHERE angeles fear to tread.

Moro: „And it reminds me. Who is the author of the line ‘Fools rush in where angeles fear to tread?‘“
Travers: „How do you mean it?“
Moro: „You are going to commit suicide by getting married and because I have read somwhere there are no marriages in the heaven I suppose angels fear to tread.“ (where do they fear to tread?)

I really cannot get the meaning …

Thank you for helping me.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Re: I nfers that

Oh! Fools jump into situations that wiser people avoid. Thanks to American singers of the mid-twentieth century, we now usually use it to talk about falling in love recklessly.

Two hit songs of the era used the expression:

- Elvis Presley: "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You"

- Rick Nelson: "Fools Rush In"

So I'm not sure of the whole situation there, but Moro thinks Travers is rushing into "matrimonial hara-kiri" — suicide.

 

[Tdol]

Re: I nfers that

Notice also that Moro's grammar is terrible. Don't use him as a model for yours!

Mind you, he knows the difference between infer and imply.

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: I nfers that

Yes, I had looked the saying up before I posted my request for help. But no comma here I still no comma here [STRIKE]I[/STRIKE] cannot comprehend WHERE [STRIKE]angeles[/STRIKE] angels fear to tread.

Moro: "And it reminds me. Who is the author of the line ‘Fools rush in where [STRIKE]angeles[/STRIKE] angels fear to tread?‘“
Travers: "How do you mean it?“
Moro: "You are going to commit suicide by getting married and because I have read somewhere there are no marriages in the heaven I suppose angels fear to tread.“ (where do they fear to tread?)

I really cannot get the meaning.

[STRIKE]Thank you for helping me.[/STRIKE] Unnecessary. Thank us by clicking on the "Thank" button.

Please note my corrections above. "Angeles" is the Spanish spelling of the word for "angels". We use the same quotation marks at the start of a quote as we do at the end.
"How do you mean it?" isn't grammatical but I've left it in because I assume you took the whole quote from the original.
Moro's response seems to be suggesting that because there are no marriages in heaven, and heaven is where angels live, angels would not enter into marriage (so marriage is where they fear to tread). I can't pretend that I'm 100% sure of my interpretation though!

 

[TheParser]

I infers that angels fear to tread."

NOT A TEACHER


I thought that some learners might be puzzled by the "s" on the end of "infer."

1. Many years ago in some parts of England, some speakers attached "s" to all persons in the present tense. Today, of course, that is not considered standard English.

2. Some speakers, however, may use this non-standard usage when they want to be humorous.

Mona: Was the boss angry when you arrived late to work today?

Juan: He sure was.

Mona: What did you say?

Juan: Well, I says ( = I said) your necktie today is very nice. He started laughing and decided to forget about my tardiness.

 

[Ryan the Lion]

As someone whose native language is English and speaks several languages fluently (I have two languages that I'm a native speaker of) and from England, I feel suited to answer this question.

The text quoted is actually written in a dialect with many colloquialisms employed. Quite often in London and other parts, the 3rd person singular was sometimes used with an 's' (this can be seen and indeed with dialect in general in the 60/70s sitcom 'Steptoe and Son'). In fact, you can use it in the 2nd person such as 'If you needs'.
As we all know, dialect very often has its own rules, breaks standard rules along with a whole plethora of unique nuances. It's important not to mistake dialect as being bad English.
It's definitely non-standard and reflected the situation regarding people not having a great education ergo solely relying on language that they hear.

 

[Johnyxxx]

The other day I read a story that takes place in London at the end of the 19th Century. (it was written around cca. 1895). One of the characters says:
"In a few months we had learned a new language, become acclimatized denizens of a new world--the language and the world of the East of London. Our dress was the dress of the "navvy"; our habits those of the ne'er-do-well."
And then there comes a flood of sentences like:
"I buys my lord a seven-and-eleven pair in the summer and sends him hop-picking in them; two months ago he turns up with his own boot on the right foot and somebody else's on the other."
"Every time I asks him about it, it's 'Drop it, mate', and 'Drop it, I tell you, mate.' He was on the job, you may bet, got into some scrape, and now dursn't say nothink about it."

(The Case Of Euphemia Raphash by Matthew Phipps Shiel, 1895)

It is funny but quite understandable.

 

[GoesStation]

I buys my lord a seven-and-eleven pair in the summer and sends him hop-picking in them ….

Except for the conjugations, that bit is standard if slightly elided English of the period. "Seven-and-eleven" is seven shillings eleven pence; "pair" leaves out of boots, and "hop-picking" is simply picking hops.

 

[Tdol]

You'll hear I says in London today.

 

[jutfrank]

This third person 's' conjugation of the first person is widely used across the UK. Most noticeably (for me), in the London area, and Wales and the West Country.