my ain countree

[matt kevin jones]

I know this may sound ignorant on my part, but what does this phrase actually mean ??

[theebmonique]

Good question Matt. To me, it sounds like it means: "my own country", but I thought I would see what I could find in a search.

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/m/a/mainctry.htm

In part, from the above link:
Many years ago John Mac­duff and his young bride left Scot­land on a sail­ing ves­sel for Amer­i­ca, there to seek their for­tune. Af­ter tar­ry­ing a few weeks in New York they went on West, where they were suc­cess­ful in ac­cum­u­lat­ing a good com­pe­tence. By and by the wife’s health be­gan to fail. The anx­ious hus­band said that he feared she was home­sick.

“John,” she replied, “I am wear­y­ing for my ain count­rie; will you not take me to the sea, that I may see the ships sail­ing to the home­land once more?”

These also seem to show the meaning as "my own country":

http://www.bartleby.com/246/180.html

http://www.nls.uk/broadsides/broadside. ... anscript/1


Tracy...

[matt kevin jones]

Tracy
Thats what I thought also, But I was afraid it was too simple to be that.

Heres what Robert Sullivan had in His Book Goodbye Lizzie Borden

The Green Leaf of Loyalty's beginning to fall
The Bonnie white Rose it is withering an' all
But I'll water it with the Blood of usurping tyranny
And green it will gow in my ain countree

I agree with you it does sound like my own Country.

Sullivan had a question that could it be some kind of message from Lizzie ?

[twinsrwe]

Matt,

I thought you might enjoy reading the full length poem of "HAME, HAME, HAME" by Allen Cunningham.

http://www.cs.utah.edu/~goller/books/CUNNINGH/667.NEW

As you know, Lizzie had the words "AT-HAME-IN-MY-AIN-COUNTRIE" inscribed in one of her mantles. You can view a picture of her two mantles at:

http://lizzieandrewborden.com

Go into the LIZZIE BORDEN WEB SITE, click on GALLERIES; under IMAGE GALLERIES, click on MAPLECROFT.

[doug65oh]

I think Tracy alluded to this above, but Mine Ain Countrie sounds an awful lot like Scot dialect. Let's see if I can translate.

I am far frae my hame, an’ I’m weary aftenwhiles,
For the langed for hame bringin’, an’ my Father’s welcome smiles;
An’ I’ll ne’er be fu’ content, until mine een do see
The gowden gates o’ Heav’n an’ my ain countrie

frae would be the English "from" - hame of course is "home."
aftenwhiles I'm guessing at, but "oftentimes" makes sense in context with the rest. (The writer - obviously - misses something or someone here and wishes to return.)

Hame-bringen would be "homecoming" or as here the bringing home.

And I'll never be fully content, until mine *eyes do see
The golden gates o' Heav'n and my ain Countrie.

*een

howsat?

[matt kevin jones]

Thanks
That was Great.
I could almost see you in your Kilt, while you were speaking.
I needed a good laugh.

It truly does make sense though.
Matt

[doug65oh]

Thanks... but...Skirts I do not do -no way, no shape, no how!

[lydiapinkham]

Methinks the laddie doth protest too much!


--Lyddie