Those M&D words: knaahs

[David Payne]

OK -- I sort of confirmed that "knaahs" is "knows" by cross-referencing a Durham miner's tune with a Scottish translation!

You can listen to the Durham tune here: . I've copied the lyrics below.

And you can find the Scottish translation here: . The Scottish version replaces "knaas" with "kens," and the site goes on to translate "kens" as expected: "knows."

Here are the Durham-style lyrics:

"One Miner's Life"

Now you are born, another to feed
Small are our wants lad but great is our need
For the work is scarce, yer dad’s on the dole
They want nee mair men ‘cos they’ve got too much coal.

Chorus:
Wee knaas wee yer cryin’ for?
Wee knaas wee made us so poor?
Wee knaas what yer ganna dee?
Wee knaas what’s in store for ye?

Now you’re a boy, yer play in the streets
Fish in the burn and performing great feats
While the pit heaps stand, marking the graves
Of fathers and sons and the lives that they gave.

Chorus:
Now you’ve left school, a man at thirteen
Yer mother is grim as she looks at the scene
And she makes up yer bait, yer off down below
And away t’ the pit with yer father yer go.

Chorus:
Now yer a man, yer work in the mine
With fightin’ with strugglin’ yer old for yer time 
For the work is hard, conditions are bad
And yer promise yer son lad what ye nivver had.

Chorus:
Now you are old, yer’ve worked aal yer can
But they’re closin’ the pits and yer part of the plan
To cut out waste, make the mines pay
So t’ hell with yer now lad and be on yer way.

Chorus:
Wee knaas wee yer cryin’ for?
Wee knaas wee made us so poor?
Wee knaas what yer ganna dee?
Wee knaas what’s in store for ye?


> On Wed, 5 Mar 2008, Ya Sam asked:
>
>> What is "knaahs'?
>>
>> You were the Baby, the Baby can do no wrong, don't you know thah'?"
>> "So Dad came to an agreement," Jeremiah press'd, "with Mr. Bird."
>> "Dear knaahs, Jeremiah."
>> "How could he repay Mr. Bird," Dixon asks of Mason, years later. "Thah's what I can't see."

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