Page:English as we speak it in Ireland - Joyce.djvu/27

12 ‘Oh I'll pay you what I owe you.’ ‘’Tis a pity you wouldn’t indeed,’ says the other, a satirical reply, meaning ‘of course you will and no thanks to you for that; who'd expect otherwise?’

‘I am going to the fair to-morrow, as I want to buy a couple of cows.’ Reply, ‘I know,’ as much as to say ‘I see,’ ‘I understand.’ This is one of our commonest terms of assent.

An assertion or statement introduced by the words ‘to tell God’s truth’ is always understood to be weighty and somewhat unexpected, the introductory words being given as a guarantee of its truth:—‘Have you the rest of the money you owe me ready now James?’ ‘Well to tell God's truth I was not able to make it all up, but I can give you £5.’

Another guarantee of the same kind, though not quite so solemn, is ‘my hand to you,’ or ‘I give you my hand and word.’ ‘My hand to you I'll never rest till the job is finished.’ ‘Come and hunt with me in the wood, and my hand to you we shall soon have enough of victuals for both of us.’ (Clarence Mangan in Ir. Pen. Journ.)


 * ‘I've seen—and here's my hand to you I only say what's true—
 * A many a one with twice your stock not half so proud as you.’

‘Do you know your Catechism?’ Answer, ‘What would ail me not to know it?’ meaning ‘of course I do—’twould be a strange thing if I didn't.’ ‘Do you think you can make that lock all right?’ ‘Ah what would ail me,’ i.e., ‘no doubt I can—of course I can; if I couldn't do that it would be a sure sign