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swing it out and down to the ground

English translation: literally...

05:08 Oct 31, 2019
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
English term or phrase: swing it out and down to the ground
Context:
The Hour of the Dead was different. That was one hour for repairs, replacements, maybe even some paperwork. It was mostly replacements. It was fiddly to repair a shutter high up on the tower with the wind making it tremble and freezing the blood in your fingers, and always better to *swing it out and down to the ground* and slot another one in place. But when you were running out of time, it was tempting to brave the wind and try to free the bloody shutters by hand.
Sometimes the wind won. The Hour of the Dead was when men died.
And when a man died, they sent him home by clacks.
More context, please click:
https://archive.org/stream/TheNewDiscworldCompanion/Book 33 ...
--quoted from Going Postal (2004, fantasy fiction) by Terry Pratchett

"Shutter" is the key part of the clacks tower, which composes a communication system similar to a combination of telegraph & Internet in the imaginary world. "Shutters" tends to be stuck, so repairs/replacements are often needed.
See pic 1 (shutter is the part like window shades): https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/king-roberts-clacks....
See pic 2: https://wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/Clacks
So, does "swing it out and down to the ground" mean that throw the bad shutter down to the ground? Or swing the bad shutter with a rope down to the ground? Or turn the bad shutter over to the bottom (to remove it)? I'm not sure.
Thank you!
updownK
China
Local time: 17:32
Selected answer:literally...
Explanation:
Thought I'd already posted an answer but it didn't post for some reason

swing the shutter out (from its position, after removing it from its fixings) and lower it to the ground (presumably with a rope or crane mechanism). aAnd put another shutter in its place.
But it would not be thrown down but rather lowered carefully so it can be repaired.

When there isn't enough time they try to repair it in situ but that's difficult and dangerous because of the height and high winds/cold

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Note added at 1 day 4 hrs (2019-11-01 10:07:21 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad to have helped
Selected response from:

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 10:32
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4remove the old shutter and drop it on the ground in one quick motion
Ythir
4open it (shutter ), remove it, and lower it to the grouond
airmailrpl
4literally...
Yvonne Gallagher


  

Answers


8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
remove the old shutter and drop it on the ground in one quick motion


Explanation:
'Swing it' would refer to a wide sweeping motion with which you'd remove the old shutter. That is, you wouldn't bother detaching it carefully, with the intent to reuse it later, but instead would just grab it with both arms and tear it off.

'Out and down on the ground' refers to the direction of swinging - implying that in the same swinging motion you'd both remove the old shutter and throw it on the ground. No hesitation, no stopping to see what's below you, no trying to tie up the removed shutter and lower it carefully.

Ythir
Russian Federation
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  B D Finch: If you tore the shutter off, you wouldn't be able to "slot another one in place", as you would have damaged the hinges.
3 mins
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1 day 3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
open it (shutter ), remove it, and lower it to the grouond


Explanation:
swing it out and down to the ground => open it (shutter ), remove it, and lower it to the grouond

airmailrpl
Brazil
Local time: 06:32
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 64
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you!

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
literally...


Explanation:
Thought I'd already posted an answer but it didn't post for some reason

swing the shutter out (from its position, after removing it from its fixings) and lower it to the ground (presumably with a rope or crane mechanism). aAnd put another shutter in its place.
But it would not be thrown down but rather lowered carefully so it can be repaired.

When there isn't enough time they try to repair it in situ but that's difficult and dangerous because of the height and high winds/cold

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 4 hrs (2019-11-01 10:07:21 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Glad to have helped

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 10:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 317
Grading comment
Thank you!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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