AtD translation: brakebeam stiff

[Mike Jing]

That's certainly a possible interpretation, but I have to side with Jochen
on this one. For one thing, a brakeman seems a bit too specific in this
context, but that's just how I see it.


On Thu, Mar 4, 2021 at 7:45 PM Ian Livingston <igrlivingston at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Except that a “working stiff”, or in this case, a brakebeam stiff is not
> necessarily a down and outer, though he may or may not be down or in his
> game at any given time and circumstance. It’s an identity thing. A working
> stiff identifies as a working person, so a brakebeam stiff would respond to
> the question, “What do you do?” by saying “I’m a brakeman” whether he’s
> employed or not.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Mar 4, 2021, at 4:23 PM, Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> 
> I think that makes sense, "stiff" here meaning tramp. Thanks, Jochen.
>
>
> On Sun, Feb 28, 2021 at 3:36 AM Jochen Stremmel <jstremmel at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I don't think a brakeman fits into this context of vagrant,
>> down-and-outer, helpless looking citizen – rather a fellow riding the rods,
>> like Leon, Ian's namesake, who obviously rode a wooden brake beam once.
>>
>>
>>