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(delwedd C3222a) (tudalen a001)
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THE
DIALECT OF HARTLAND
DEVONSHIRE.
BY
R. PEARSE CHOPE, B.A.
WITH A MAP OF THE DISTRICT..-
XonDon:
PUBUSHED FOR THE ENGLISH DIALECT SOCIETY BY KBGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER. ft
CO^ CHARING CROSS ROAD.
189I. [ALL RIGHTS RESBRVED.j
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(delwedd C3222b) (tudalen a001)
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R. Pearse
Chope. English Dialect Society. 1891. (Chope, Richard Pearse 1862-1938).
(75-76 oed).
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(delwedd C3223) (tudalen a002)
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(delwedd C3224) (tudalen a003)
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PAGE
r^REFACE
Introduction :—
• •
V.
The District
• •
Z
Comparison with the Dialect of West Somerset
2
Pronundation . .
• •
9
Grammar
• •
.. 13
Folk-lore :—
Witchcraft
• •
•• 15
Charms ..
• •
.. 15
Cures for Warts
■ •
• • ■• ••' •• ••
.. 16
Signs of Death . .
• •
.. 17
Christmas ,
• •
.. 17
Muzzling the Sparrow
.. 17
Hunting the Stag
• •
.. 18
Catching the Owl
• •
.. 18
The Mayor of Shamwickshire
.. 19
Miscellaneous . .
• •
•
.. 19
Weather Sayings
* •
20
Glossary
• •
. .
23
Selection from the *'
West Somerset Word-Book •'
;. 87
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(delwedd C3227) (tudalen a006)
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PREFACE.
The Introduclion to the following Glossary is a reprint, with slight
additions and corrections, of a paper read before the Devonshire Association
for the Advancement of Science, Literature, and Art, at Tiverton, in July,
1891, and printed in their Transaclions {xxiii., pp. 420-429). The Glossary
itself has not before been published. It was prepared as a Supplement to Mr.
Elworthy's Wtst Som(rsct Word-Book, but, during its progress through the
press, il occurred to me that it would be advisable to make the list of local
words complete in itself. 1 therefore set to work to extract from the West
SomerstI Word-Book all the dialed words which are also in use at Hartland. As
it was unfortunately too late to incorporate these words in the Glossary, I
have been obliged to give them in a separate list. These two lists together
form a fairly complete Glossary of the Hartland dialect, but. as it has been
made almost entirely from memory, I cannot hope that it is exhaustive.
I have adopted the title Tht Dialect of Hartland, not because I think the
district can claim to have a distinct dialect of its own, but because it is
the only part of the county with which I am familiar. It will be found that
many, perhaps most, of the words are used in other parts of the county,
though often with a different pronunciation. I may say that in alt cases I
have given what I consider to be the umal pronun- ciation in the locality. I
have only to add that I have throughout taken the greatest possible pains to
make my work reliable, and I trust it will be found of sufficient interest to
dialect students to justify its publication.
K. P. C.
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(delwedd C3228) (tudalen 001)
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1 THE DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
THE DISTRICT.
OMITTING Dartmoor from consideration, Hartland is the largest parish in
Devonshire, having an area of 16,700 acres. It is bounded on the north and
west by the sea, Hartland Point being the south-western extremity of Bideford
Bay. On the east and south it adjoins the parishes of Ciovelly, Woo! fardis
worthy, Bradworthy, Moor- winstow, and Welcombe, of which Moorwinstow is in
the county of Cornwall. It gives its name to the hundred, which comprises the
five parishes of Hartland, Ciovelly, Woolfardis- wotthy, Welcombe, and
Yarnscombe ; and to the deanery, which comprises the first four of these
parishes, together with Bideford, Northam {including Appledore and Westward
Ho !), Abbotsham, Alwington, Parkhara, East Putford, Bulk- worthy, Buckland
Brewer, Frithelstock, Monkleigh, Wear Gifford, Littleham, Landcross, and
Alverdiscott. The town of Harton, formerly a borough and market town, is
thirteen .tniles from Bideford and sixteen from Holsworthy, the nearest
lilway stations and markets.
Being thus situated on the road to nowhere, "far from the busy haunts of
men," Hartland seems to present excep- lional advantages for the study
of dialect. For although Mr. Elworthy has shown in his valuable work on the
Dialtit of West Somerset that railways, board-schools, and newspapers, faave
not entirely eliminated provincialisms from our spoken language, it would be
strange if local words and idioms did not linger longest in such remote
corners, which are com-
l^a^M
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(delwedd C3229) (tudalen 002)
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2 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
paratively free from*these influences. New ideas, new tools, new processes, bring
with them new names, and those they replace become obsolete. Consequently it
is obvious that the old words are retained longest where progress is slowest
; that is, in those places which are furthest from railways, for
board-schools and newspapers are now common to all. On the other hand, the
general phraseology is afiected very little by such means, so that one *
would expect the vocabularies of difierent localities in the same district to
difier much more than their idioms.
II. COMPARISON WITH THE DIALECT OF WEST SOMERSET.
As it would be impossible within the space at my disposal to deal
exhaustively, or even fully, with the subject, I will confine myself at
present to a rough comparison of our dialect with that of West Somerset.
Living away from the locality, I have to trust mainly to my memory for my
statements; but I have referred them all to my father, who has lived in the
parish all his life, and I have no doubt of their substantial accuracy.
As Mr. Elworthy has pointed out, the dialects of North Devon and West
Somerset are in many respects the same, although there are several marked
differences. Judging only from a comparison between the West Somerset
Word-Book and Jago*s Glossary of the Cornish Dialect, it would appear that
the dialect of Hartland is much more nearly allied to that of West Somerset
than to that of Cornwall, for whereas in the former book at least two-thirds
(say 4,000 out of about 6,000) of the words are known to me, in the latter
less than one- seventh (say 500 out of 3,700) are known. I am aware that this
method of reasoning is apt to be fallacious; but my conclusion is supported
by the fact that the phraseology
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(delwedd C3230) (tudalen 003)
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3DIAtF.CT OF lURTLAHn. 3
in Mr. Elworthy's books differs from ours much less than the individual
words. I find, too, that in spite of iis earlier date, the grammar and
constrttction of sentences in The Exmoor Scolding and Courtshiii seem more
famiHar to me than in Tregellas's CflMiijA Tales. With regard to the words, I
find that many which are marked " obsolete " in Mr. Elworthy's
edition of the former book are still used at Hartland, and I have made the
following glossary of about 700 words which do not appear in the West
Somerset Werd-Booi, or are there given with strikingly different meaning or
pronunciation.
The most striking differences noted by Mr. Elworthy are : first, we use hs as
a nominative, while in Somerset they do not; 2nd, we use the inflexion th
more than they do; 3rd, our long is much broader in sound than theirs. This
use of us, which is generally pronounced ess, is almost universal. Thus wc
should say, " Us be gwain to carr' our lendy hay (meadow hay) l'
arternoon eef it hoald'th fine." We rarely use the form us 'm instead of
hs be, although we say you 'm and they 'm oftener than you be and Ihey be. If
we is used at all, we say ws'ni not we be; e.g., " We 'm gwain in to
Bideford Toosday." In the first person singular also we generally say I
'm, not / be, except for emphasis ; and we never say / 'se. To complete the
present indicative of the verb to be I should here add that the second person
singular is usually //i«V/, although the r is sometimes dropped, and it
becomes (A« 7. When used emphatically the parts are separated, and we have
thee art or thee at, more frequently the latter. Mr. Elworthy says that bht
is never used, but I think I have heard it when great emphasis is required,
as " Thee bist (or beest] the beggest fule I ivver zeed in all ray born
days;" and 1 am almost sure that I heard it in interrogative sen-
tences, such as " Bist gwain vor do ort to-day ?" However, 1 have
never noted any example at the time of utterance, and I may possibly be
mistaken. For the third person singular we have he 's or a 's, her 's, and 1/
's or '(is.
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(delwedd C3231) (tudalen 004)
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4 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
The inflexion th or eth is almost invariably used with the third person
singular, and occasionally with the first and third persons plural. It
usually occurs in the shortened form, and rarely makes an additional
syllable. Thus we should say: ** There a go*th;" ** A rin'th well, dith
*n a?*' "Us caal'th min Lent-rosens, but the proper name *s Lent-lilies
;'* ** They tell'th up all zoarts o* trade 'bout *n.'* When used with the
plural the inflexion seems to imply continued or prolonged action ; thus the
above examples seem to mean, ** We are in the habit of calling," "
They are accustomed to tell." The use of this inflexion, as well as some
other characteristics of the dialect, is illustrated in the following doggrel
verses :
" Yur liv'th Bill Cruse. A mak*th good shoes, A tak'th the best o*
leather, A zaw*th min strung. They mus' laste lung, Vor a putt'th min well
together.
" But as vor a boot, A dith little to 't,
A mend*th min when they 'm tore ; But vor make min suit, A can't kom to *t,
Vor a putt'th the caav avore."
With regard to our pronunciation of the long o sound, we
certainly say braukt (broke), snaw (snow), draw (throw),
stauld (stole); but we do not say kaul (cold), taul (told).
Other examples of this use of au instead of the literary long
oare: Blaw, daw (dough), graw, haw (hoe), aw (oh, owe),
law (low), knaw, nauze, zaw (sew, sow), auver, clauver,
Clauvally (Clovelly), caul (coal), haul (hole), aup or aup'm
(open), auv'm (oven), pauch (poach), raud (road, rode), draut
(throat), smauk (smoke). We also say yaw (ewe), traw
(trough), abraud (abroad) ; while in West Somerset they say
yoa, troa, abrode. On the other hand, they frequently use
au instead of short o, as paut (pot), vrauk (frock), raud (rod),
whereas we usually retain the literary form. We also
generally say oss (horse), loss or lost (lose), poss (post), mossel
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(delwedd C3232) (tudalen 005)
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5(morsel), squob (squab), squot (squat), kom (come), zom (some),
all of which in West Somerset are pronounced with the au sound. However, this
rule does not apply uoiversally, for we occasionally use the au sound, even
in some of these words, and in others it is the usual form, as kaust (cost)'
kraus (cross), zaut (set, sat, v. pnt.), auvis (office, i.t. eaves), blatisum
(blossom).
Perhaps the feature which struck me most of all in looking through Mr.
Elworthy's books was the frequency with which he uses the words hi/ and tens,
both of which are quite unknown to me. For the former we use etf (if) ; and
etf sa he (• if it happen," ' if it is the case ;' not quite the same as
' if), is a very commoD expression in such sentences as " Eef za be oal'
Tom's raily took bad, thee 'It ha' vor pulch the moo theezelt." For eens
we generally use ei (as). Another liequent word which I do not know is thoff
(though) ; in this case I believe we always adhere to the literary form.
The transposition of the letter r seems to occur much more frequently in West
Somerset than with us. We say gurt (great), purty (pretly), apern (apron),
childern or chillern (children), hunderd (hundred), and I have occasionally
heard ' burd ' (bread), in the phrase " burd an' chaize " ; but we
never say urn (run), urd (red), &c. In all words of this class contain-
ing the letter u. we merely change the u into short », as rin, ciist. rist,
trist, brish. crish, rish, gridge, grint ; and short e we lengthen into at,
as raid (red), braid (bread). There appears, however, to be a tendency to
transpose the r in (he opposite direction, that is, to place it before the
vowel which precedes it in ordinary English. Thus, in addition to 'prespire'
(perspire), and similar words used when talking to gentlefolks, we say scruf
(scurf, dandruff), crilly greens (curly greens, i.e. curled kale). I have
never heard crilly used for curly, except in this connection ; but I notice
Jago gives crulUy-litad for airly-ktad, and I think it likely that criUy is,
or was. used generally.
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(delwedd C3233) (tudalen 006)
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6 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
Mr. Elworthy says, " It is very common to find r inserted between a and
sh;'* and he gives, as examples, arsh, clarsh, garsh, larsh, smarsh, warsh,
vlarsh (flesh). I am not aware that we ever introduce r in this manner ; but
the short a sound, is frequently lengthened into the more favourite open a or
ah sound, as in ' father ' ; indeed, I incline to the opinion that we rarely
use, in any case, the exact literary short a, as in ' bat.' I admit that our
pronunciation of the words ash, clash, &c., approaches the ordinary
pronunciation of arsh, clarsh, &c., but I do not think the r is clearly
sounded in either case. It is certainly not sounded as in the dialectal
pronunciation of the latter words; for the dialectal r is so distinct that it
cannot be easily mistaken. However, we are not by any means chary in our use
of this letter, especially before the letter /, where it often replaces the
silent gh. Thus we usually say ort (ought, aught), nort (naught), bort
(bought), brort (brought), cort (caught), thort (thought), fort or vort
(fought), feart or veart (fight), leart (light), reart (right), neart
(night), zeart (sight), darter (daughter); and we also say arter (after),
rabbert (rabbit). In one case, viz., paltridge (partridge), the r is replaced
by /, while both forms occur as proper names. As the pronunciation of the
letter r is so distinct, a list of a few words from which it is always
omitted may be of interest: Bust (burst), coose (coarse, course), cuss
(curse), duss (durst), athe or aith (earth), Febuary (February), foace
(force), fust (first), fuz or vuz (furze), oace (hoarse), oss (horse), mash
(marsh), massy (mercy), mossel (morsel), nother (northern), notherd (north-
ward), nuss (nurse), paalour (parlour), passel (parcel), paasley (parsley),
paasnip (parsnip), paason (parson), pim- rose (primrose), puss (purse),
skeece or skace (scarce), wuss (worse), wuth (worth).
So far as I know, the only word of the class girl, purl, burl, into which we
insert a d between the r and the / is twiii, which we sometimes pronounce
iwirdle, although even
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(delwedd C3234) (tudalen 007)
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7UIALECT oe HARTLAS'D, 7
in this case the r is frequently dropped, and the word becomes twiddle. Thus
we usually speak of ' twiddling the mbs or fingers,' rarely ' twirdling.' We
never say wordle (world), or quardle (quarrel). The former word, like most of
the class, becomes a dissyllable, wuv-uid ; but the latter is pronouDced
quarly, v. (rhymes with marly), or guarl, s. (rhymes with marl).
Again, we rarely pronounce w in front of r as v, as in the West Somerset
words vrite (write, right, wright), vrastle (wrestle), vrauDg (wrong),
&c. The only words 1 know of this class are rraitk, meaning to wreathe or
interlace gates or hurdles with vui (furze), or wilhy (willow, osier), and
vrilk, the wreath so made.
As in West Somerset, we usually drop the final d or t when it follows a
consonant other than r, although to this rule there are many exceptions. We
add a final d to some ns, as millerd, scholard, liard; and introduce a d into
others, as tailder, cornder, quarrender (quarrencr, a kind of apple). We also
introduce a d into the comparative form of many adjectives ending in I, m, n.
as smallder, tailder, zoonder, thinder; but I do not think I have heard it in
all the cases given in the West Somerset Grammar (p. 19).
On the other hand, we do not often drop i or rf in such words as bramble,
bundle, candle, handle, burden, needle. In all these examples, except ' bramble
' and ' needle," which we pronounce 'brimble* and ' niddle '
respectively, we use the ordinary English pronunciation.
Final ier forms one syllable only in the following nouns, most of which
indicate an occupation : Car-yer (carrier), far-yer (farrier), hel-yer
(hellier or slater), warr-yer (warrior), col-yer (collier), tar-yer
(terrier), bor*yer (borier or borer,
■. auger). In some words in which » is followed by another vowel the i
is dropped |altDgcther, as in fustan (fustian), spannel (spaniel), berrin
(burying), carrin (carrying, carrion), Dannel (Daniel), Ellolt (Elliott),
Wuilams (Williams).
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(delwedd C3235) (tudalen 008)
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8DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
As the pronunciation of proper names differs from the spelling even more than
ordinary words, it may be worth while to give a few more examples. As
surnames we have Colly (written Colwill), Beglaw (Bsggilhole), Shaddick
(Southwood), Tennet (Pennington), Oataway (Oatway), Bavins (Evans), Courtis
(Curtis), Kivvell (Nancekivell), Gilly (Pengelley), Dymant (Dayman), Munjy
(Mountjoy), Pumry (Pomeroy), Yerd (Heard), Haiden (Heddon), Prist (Prust),
Clivverdon (Cleverdon), Dinnis (Dennis), Jinkins (Jenkins), Gals'ry
(Galsworthy). Worthy is a frequent ending for the names of places, and in all
cases it is pronounced as ty or cry. Thus we have Eckens'ry (Exmansworthy),
'Oolsery (Woolfardisworthy), Ashenjerry (Ashmansworthy), Harjery
(Hardisworthy), Hoalsery (Holsworthy), Bradery (Brad- worthy), Eckery
(Eccombsworthy), and so on. We have also as names of places: Yewd'n
(Highdown), Rews*n (Rosedown), Zowd'n (Southdown), Etson (Eddistone), Kernson
(Kern- sham or Kernstone), Kaltern Tar (Catherine Tor), Emskit (Elmscot),
Naddikit (Nattacot), Farrad (Farford), Foasle (Forcewell), Chistaw
(Cheristowe), Cookooda (Cook-wood), Maiden (Meddon), Han Harton (Hind
Harton), Dock'n (Docton), Kilkaton (Kilkhampton), Murstaw (Moorwin- stow),
Frisstock (Frithelstock), &c.
In such words as « click-to-clack,' * clink-to-clank,' &c., we generally
introduce another syllable. Thus we have click- it-a-clack, clink-it-a-clank,
lip-ita-lop, flip-it-a-flop, pit-it-a- pat, &c.
V is changed into h in the following words : Zebbm (seven), lebbm (eleven),
hebbm (have not, heaven), clib (cleave or stick, v.). * Knife,' which is
usually pronounced *knive,' occasionally becomes * knibe.' Similarly in West
Somerset they have curb (curve), valb (valve). In two cases, viz., marvels
(marbles), and ruwle (rubble), Ihe opposite trans- formation takes place.
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(delwedd C3236) (tudalen 009)
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9As in West Somerset, we transpose sp m hasp, clasp, crisp, wasp,
and use y instead of tlie aspirate in yiir, (hear, here), yet (heal), yeth
(heath), yafTer or yaafer (heifer), and sometimes yarbs (herbs). Yur also
means ' ear ' and ' year ' ; and we pronounce ' ewe ' yaw, and ' yean ' {
A.S. Miiiun) j'aiun. It is curious that we say yit for 'heat,' and eat for
'yet,' while the verb 'to eat' is pronounced ait, and 'hate' is pronounced
ae-ul.
PRONUNCIATION.
I will now endeavour to give some of the most striking differences between
the English and the dialectal pronun- ciation of the vowels in ordinary
words. I have postponed the general consideration of vowel sounds until this
point, because I find some difficulty in comparing ours with those of West
Somerset. In the following lists, therefore, I have arranged the words as
nearly as I can according to the ordinary English vowel sounds, wilhout any
reference to those of West Somerset. Our vowel sounds seem in most cases to be
sufficiently near to the English to enable me to give in this way a fair idea
of our pronunciation. However, we seem to have four sounds which have no
equivalents in English. The first is the well-known Devonshire do or u, which
seems to replace generally three distinct English vowels, viz., the v Jn
'bull,' the oo in 'fool,' and the cu in 'new.' In addition to most of the
English vowels containing these vowel sounds, we also use this dialectal ob
in boo (bow, to bend), moo (mow), ploo (plough), sloo (slough), zoo (sow,
5,), when it replaces the literary cu ; bool (bowl), mool (mould), coose
(coarse, course), thuze (those), when i.t replaces long o; zook (suck), doom
(dumb), enoo (enough), drool (drivel), fooster (fester). Altliough the words
bull, pull, full usually fall in this class, they are frequently pronounced
with a short «, to rhyme with " dull.'
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(delwedd C3237) (tudalen 010)
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10 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
The second exception is the long /i, which differs con- siderably from the
literary long a, or diphthongal ai, as in mane, main. We distinguish between
these two vowels, even when they are followed by the letter /, although in
this case the difference is not so noticeable as with other con- sonants.
Probably the a sound (as distinguished from the ai sound) in such words as *
mane,' is produced by a vowel fracture, as mai-un or mae-un, although the
fracture does not seem to me to be very distinct. I think we usually
distinguish the sounds according to the ordinary spelling, although we
certainly use the a in mail, hail, and probably in many other words. I should
also place the following words in this class : Brake (break, s.), crake
(creak), make, strake (streak), part, start, quare (queer), quar}- (quarry),
last, master, dra (draw), na (gnaw), ha (have), wa (whoa), banes (banns).
Perhaps it will be convenient if I give here a few words pronounced with the
literary long a or ai sound. This sound seems to be almost invariably used
instead of long e in words spelt with ea^ and occasionally in words spelt
otherwise; cg.f bain, clain, main (mean), baist, faist (feast), graise, aize,
plaize, taize, bait, chait, ait, mait, trait, wait (wheat), claive, laive or
lay (leave), haive, vlay (flea), kay (key, quay), pay. (pea), say (sea), tay,
braik, laik (leak, not leek), zaik (seek, not sake), waik (weak, not week),
ail (eel, heal), mail (meal), stall, wail (wheal), baich, taich, raid (read),
raip, zlaip (sleep). We also say airly (early), draive (drive), gwain
(going), way (with), braid (bread), braidth (breadth), raid (red). We do not
say fait (fight), nait (night), &c.
The third exception is the o sound in bold, vower (four), which seems to lie
between the English long o and ou. It occurs in all the words similar to *
bold,* as cold, fold, gold, hold, mould, scold, zold (sold), told; and in
four, flour, flower, pour, hour, our, hoa (the word used in driving
bullocks), bow-wow.
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(delwedd C3238) (tudalen 011)
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DIALECT OV HABTLAND. II
The fourth and last exception is the oi sound in ' boy," which seems to
He between the ordinary oi and long i. It occurs in boy, boil, spoil, voice, poison,
boit {bait of corn), point.
The literary short a, as in 'bat,' is approached in the following words,
although there is frequently a tendency towards the open a or all sound, as
in ' father.' It replaces the short o in amang, beiang, beyan (bej'ond), dat,
pSat, trat, crap, drap, rabbin, knack, nat {not, knot}, want, waz, wash, and
sometimes what ; short e in dradge, badge, wadgc, ran or ranny (wren), rack
(wreck), rackon, lattice (lettuce), vatch (fetch), vatches (vetches),
slralch, stap ; an in panch, watter ; long a in slack (to slake) ; long e in
chack (cheek) ; long i in lashins (license) ; and short it in wan (one).
The open a or ak sound, as in ' father,' is a great favourite, and often
replaces short a, especially before s and fA, as in ass, cask, hath, path. I
myself find it difficult to pronounce the short a in such words as these, and
I frequently reveal my native county by lengthening the a in this manner.
This ak sound is also frequently used instead of an before the letter I, as
in ball, bawl, call, fall (pronounced vahl), gal!, maul, small, tall, wall,
scald (pronounced scahl), alter, halter, salt (pronounced zait). fault
(pronounced valt). It also replaces an in darter (daughter), quart, sass
(sauce). R following a is sometimes dropped, as in passle (parcel), paason
(parson), paasnip (parsnip). The ah sound is heard too in the following
words: Had, clath (cloth), falh (faith), prefar (prefer), annivarsary, clargy
(clergy), sartain (certain), yaifer (heifer), arb (herb), larn (learn), sarmon
(sermon), sarve (serve), rastle (wrestle), want (won't, i.e. will not ; a
mole ; want).
The DM, as in 'laud,' I have already dealt with, but the words aurt (hurt),
chaw (chew), and whurraw (hurrah), do not come under the preceding category.
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(delwedd C3239) (tudalen 012)
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12 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
Short e, as in bet, is, I think, rarely heard, but an approxi- mation occurs
in many words besides the ordinary literary words containing short e. This
approximation replaces short a in exe, exle, kep (cap), ketch, gether
(gather), eckney (hackney), met, refter, shell (shall), thenk (thank), thet
(that), yep (yap). In 'rethmetic, comether (come hither, used in driving
horses), beg, peg, melt (milt), negger (nigger), preck, week, peck, leek,
spet, wedth (width), peth, it is used for short i; and in ben (bind), blen
(blind), ven (find), gren (grind), for long i. We say * shet ' for both *
shoot ' and * shut,' and we also say ether (either), nether (neither),
anether (another), tether (t'other, the other), lent or lenth (loan),*dell
(deal wood), werry (weary), yet (heat), retch (reach), feth (faith), and
generally ess (us).
Long ^, as in * feet,' occurs in the following : Bean (bind or band, 5.), ean
(end), deav (deaf), deepth (depth), heed (hide), vearn (fern), gee (give),
gearden (garden), geat (gate), afeard (afraid), eensteeds (instead), veest
(fist), greep (grip), peak (pike, a hayfork), theze (this), meez (mice),
leart (light), neart (night), reart (right), scease (scarce), skeer (scare),
cheer (chair), ees (yes), eez (his), eat (yet). In some of these — e,g, geat,
afeard, gearden — the vowel appears to be fractured.
Short f , as in < fit,' is used instead of short a in brimble, kin (can,
v.), clitter ; short e in agin or aginst (against), chist, bilt, milt,
clivver, ivver (ever), nivver (never), sivver (several), divvil, drinch,
vlish (fledged), git, mit, kipt, kittle, trissel (trestle), pinchin
(pension), zill (sell), sildom (seldom), billas (bellows), shilfjSmill,
jinerly (generally), jin'lman (gentleman) ; u in blid (blood, also bleed),
brish, crish, rish^ drish (thrush), clister, clitch, titch (touch), crist,
rist, din (done), dist (dust, dost), nit, brither, rin, sin (son, sun), sich
(such) ; long e in kip (keep), vit (feet), vil (feel), lick (leek), wick
(week), chick (cheek), scritch (screech), bistle (beastle, or make dirty),
niddle
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(delwedd C3240) (tudalen 013)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. I 3
(needle). We also say chimber (chamber), chill (child), strick (strike), kit
(the kite), Dick (Dyke), dim (climb).
Short 0, as in * not,' occurs in kom (come), komfort, kom- pany, bock
(baulk), grovel (gravel), gollop (gallop), holly (halloo, v.), mother, loss
or lost (lose), poss (post), oss (horse), onny (only), zom (some), sholl
(shawl), slosh (slush), ot (what), rop (wrap) ; and long o^ as in * note,* in
cord, zort (sort), zord (sword), Morte, none.
Short M, as in bud, replaces short o in alung, lung, strung, bunnet, cug,
dug, fug, grug, hug, huvver, knub, furrin (foreign) ; open a in burm, burk,
durk, curt, fur, furm, smurt ; and sometimes oo in bull, pull, full, put,
butcher, puddin\ We also say chuck (choke), yur (ear, hear, here, year), yurd
(yard, heard), uther (either), nuther (neither, another), purty (pretty),
putch (pitch), wull (will), wut (wilt), wuts (oats), mum (mourn), turrible
(terrible), trussel (trestle), wuth (worth).
Long f, or diphthongal ei, is heard in ite (eight), strite (straight), eit*th
(height), chillblines (chillblains), trikle (treacle), rize (raise), hinder,
v.
The only other English sound is the ou in • house,* which we use in rout
(rut), and sometimes in chow (chew), and mow (a stack of corn), although
these latter are usually ' chaw ' and * moo ' respectively.
IV. GRAMMAR.
The grammatical peculiarities differ so little from those of West Somerset,
which have been fully treated by Mr. Elworthy, that I do not think it
necessary to make any additional remarks on this part of the subject.
H
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(delwedd C3241) (tudalen 014)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
The following examples of the " superlative absolute," how- ever,
may be of interest. We say ** Durk *s a sack " {not bag) ; " Zour
's a grab *' (a crab apple), and " Blithe as a grig,*' not " Zour
's a grig." We also say ** Risty *s a badger," and *' Red *s a
badger," as well as " Hairy 's a badger.** Other forms in common
use are " Merry *s a cricket ** ; " Peart 's a sparra," or
" Peart 's a gladdy ** (yellow ammer) ; ** Thin *s a rake,** " Thin
*s a rish,'* " Therle *s a greyhound," *' Poor 's a coot,*' all
signifying leanness ; " Sharp *s a niddle,** " Deep *s a fox,** or
" Deep*s Garrick,*' signifying cuteness ; ** Dry as a bone,** Wet's
dung,'* or " Wet *s a shag ; ** " Dead *s a herrin*; *' ** Slipper
*s a hail *' (an eel) ; " Hard *s a bannick,** ** Zoft as daw **
(dough), or ** Zoft as putty '* ; " Plump *s a paltridge.*'
Finally, I may add that vur or vor (for) is frequently used intead of to with
the infinitive. We very rarely use both in speaking, although this form is
quite general in writing. An example occurs in an epitaph dated 1785: —
What Faults you find in me Take care to shun Look well at home — There's
nough for to be done.
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(delwedd C3242) (tudalen 015)
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DIALECT OF IIARTLANI),
FOLK-LORE NOTES.
WITCHCRAFT.
All sudden or mysterious deaths or illnesses of persons and cattle are still
generally attributed to witchcraft, and many persons of both sexes are
supposed to possess an " evil eye," or the power of
"witching'' or "overlooking." The effects and remedies are
fairly well-known, but the methods adopted for exercising or directing this
curious influence are rarely discovered. The following example I have from a
credible witness: — A roughly-cut wooden figure, representing the person to
be " witched." was stuck all over with pins and floated in a "
cloamen " pan, containing a slightly coloured transparent fluid. The
" witch " then performed the incan- tation, which was designed to
give the subject severe stabbing or pricking pains in his limbs as long as
the wooden figure remained undestroyed. To drive a nail into the witch's
footprint, to hang in the chimney a bullock's heart stuck with pins (which
reverses the above charm), and to draw blood from the witch are the commonest
remedies.
CHARMS.
In addition to the charms or cures described in the glossary the following
may be of interest ; —To cure toothache it is necessary to sUal lead from the
church windows or roof, and place a pellet in the hollow of the decayed
tooth. To cure a wen or swelling in the neck, a handkerchief which has been
wrapped around it is thrown into the grave, preferably at the burial service,
of a person of the opposite sex. The idea is tliat the wen or swelling
disappears as the handkerchief decays, and it is a fact that cures have
followed this treatment. Kidney or bladder complaints are cured by throwing
into the grave a bottle of the urine of the affected
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(delwedd C3243) (tudalen 016)
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l6 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
person. Children having ** blackheads " or boils are passed underneath
an arched bramble, the two ends of which have taken root in land belonging to
different persons ; and those afflicted with hooping cough are passed
completely around the belly of a donkey, starting from a sitting position
upon its back. A " strain " (sprain) is cured by " striking
" (stroking or passing the hand gently over) the affected part three
times in the same direction while uttering tlie words of the charm or
incantation. Dogs ** stung'* by a "long-cripple" (viper) are
treated in a similar manner, but a flow of blood is stanched by an
incantation only. A sty is cured by rubbing it with a wedding ring. As a rule
each " doctor " can cure one complaint only, although a striking
exception is indicated in the verse —
Doctor Clark of Limebridge Cross Is gude vor man an* gude vor 'oss, Gude for
wimmin an' gude vor pegs, Vor rinnin' zores an' brauken legs.
As a preventive against the bite of a viper, or against an accident during a
journey or any special work, a text of Scripture is usually employed. Goats
are sometimes kept to prevent cows from slipping their calves ; and to
prevent freckles or sunburn during the summer the face must be washed before
sunrise on May-day morning with the dew on wheat.
CURES FOR WARTS.
The slime of a *' house-snail " (the common snail). Fasting spittle
applied three mornings in succession. Cut an apple in two, rub one half on
the wart and give it to a pig, and eat the other yourself. Take a number of
stones equal to the number of warts, make them into a parcel, and throw them
away ; the warts will be transferred to the person who picks them up. Tie a
number of knots in a string equal to the number of warts, and throw the
knotted string away; the
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(delwedd C3244) (tudalen 017)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAMl. I7
rarts will disappear as the string decays. Rub a piece of Btoleii bacon on
t!ie warts, and bury it secretly ; the warts will die away with the bacon.
S[GNS OF DEATH.
Robins " weeping " at the window. Ravens flying over the house and
croaking. Dogs howling at right, especially three ights in succession. To
miss a cast of corn in sowing. To See four magpies at once. If a grave
remains open on a Sunday, there will be another before the week is out.
" A green Christmas makes a fat churchyard."
Many nits, Many pits; Many slones, Many groans.
On Christmas Eve it is customary for a farmer to give his men spiced cider
and toast, and to burn a large ashen faggot. •The cows too are then given an
extra supply of food, but it is not until midnight on Old Christmas Eve that
they go down upon their knees in commemoration of the birth of Christ. On Old
Christmas Day the apple-trees are christened with cider to ensure a fruitful
season. On or about this day the r gives a feast to all who assisted him
during the preceding harvest.
A cruel sport practised in the time of parish apprentices, Jut only recently
extinct. A boy had his hands tied togetlier Khind him, and the tip of one
wing of a sparrow or other mall bird placed in his mouth. He tlien tried by
the action (This teeth and lips to gradually draw the wing of the bird Into
his mouth and bite otT its head, the bird in tiie meantime pecking at his
cheeks and eyes and endeavouring to escape. Wagers were laid on the result, but
whether the boy was
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(delwedd C3245) (tudalen 018)
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l8 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
induced to attempt the feat by threats or promises of reward I do not know.
In any case he probably received "more kicks than ha'pence."
HUNTING THE STAG.
A custom designed to express disapproval of various acts of immorality. I am
informed that it is practised when a man is known or suspected to be
unfaithful to his wife, but in the novel Red Spider (by the Rev. S.
Baring-Gould) it is stated that " the stag hunt takes place either on
the wedding- night of a man who has married a girl of light character, or
when a wife is suspected of having played her husband false." This
appears to be the more probable explanation of the origin of a stag hunt, but
as the nominal reason is often a mere excuse for the exercise of ** petty
spite and private grudges,^' it no doubt admits of considerable variation. A
man is dressed up in a stag's skin, with horns on his head and a bladder of
blood suspended from his neck or waist. He is chased through the village by a
noisy rabble, disguised by blackened faces, and furnished with rattles and
other means of attracting attention, and is finally run down at the
offender's threshold, when the bladder is cut open and the blood sprinkled
upon the door and walls of the house.
CATCHING THE OWL.
A trick very commonly practised upon fresh farm lads. The lad is told by his
fellow-servants to hold a fine-meshed sieve over his head at the mouth of a
" tallat," whilst they go up into the " tallat " to rouse
the owl, which is supposed in some mysterious manner to fly into the sieve
and get caught. Instead of catching the owl, however, the poor lad receives a
shower of water or some more obnoxious liquid from a pail which the others
have previously placed in the ** tallat " for the purpose. Of course,
this is always done on a dark night, so that the lad has no inkling of what
is coming ; and if he
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(delwedd C3246) (tudalen 019)
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DIALECT OF HURTUNt), I9
has no knowledge of the habits of owls, there is nothing to excite his
suspicions.
THE MAVOR OP SrrVMWlCKSHIRE.
At East- the- Water, Bideford, it is customary on the ninth of November to
elect a sham mayor, or " Mayor of Sham'ickshire." The mayor and his
" lady " (a man dressed in feminine attire for the occasion) are
carried in procession to all the public-houses in the town, where they are
freely treated with liquor, in return for which they make, as long as they
can, mock speeches to the assembled crowd. The following extract from the
North Dtron Herald of August 20th, 1891, seems to show that the term "
Shamwickshire " is now applied to any burles'iue or mock ceremony or
sport : — "What is known as 'Shamwickshire' Regatta look place on
Tuesday evening" [the day after the real regatta] "above bridge,
and afforded considerable amusement and interest to a large number of
spectators. One of the races consisted of ordinary ships' boats rowed by
shovels."
MISCELLANEOUS.
If you shudder, somebody is walking over your grave. If your cheek burns,
somebody is talking scandal of you. If your nose itches, if the cock crows in
the middle of the day, or if a clean plate is left on the table after a meal,
a stranger is coming. If two wipe in the same towel at the same time, they
will quarrel before the year is out. If you do not run when you first hear
the cuckoo, you will be in debt before the end of the year. If you whet a knife
on a Sunday, you will skin some animal before the end of the week. Such
operations as killing pigs, curing herrings, making cider, and brewing should
never be performed when the moon is " bating," for meat will not
then take salt and cannot be cured, and new fermented liquors turn sour.
" Ait a happle avore gwain to bed An' you'll make the doctor beg his
bread.''
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(delwedd C3247) (tudalen 020)
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20 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
" A haivm laiv ash An* a vower laiv clauver, Youll sure to zee your true
love Avore the day's auver."
[See also the following words in the glossary : — Carcj Chats, Cloam^
Cock'kibbit, Staint, White-mouth.]
WEATHER SAYINGS.
Lundy high, Sign of dry ; Lundy plain, Sign of rain.
Mist vrom the say Bring'th vore a dry day ; Mist vrom the 'ills Bring'th
watter to the mills.
Bar light law, 'Tis sure to blaw.
The zou'-west Is the rain*s nest.
The wind in the East
Is gude vor nether man nor beast.
A wet Vriday, a wet Zinday ; A wet Zinday, a wet wick.
All the rain avore Midzummer Go*th into the farmer's puss ;
All the rain arterwards Is zo much the wuss.
Vrost in November to carr' a duck, The rest o' the winter *11 be a muck.
The grass that graw'th in Januare 'UU graw the wuss vor all the yur.
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(delwedd C3248) (tudalen 021)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 21
Red in the mornin'
Is the shepherd's warnin* ;
Red at night
Is the shepherd's delight.
'Twixt twelve an* two You'll zee 'ot the day '11 do.
Happy's the bride that the zin shin'th on ; Blest is the dead that the rain
rain'th on.
If the ash buds before the oak, the summer will be fine ; but, if the oak
buds first, it will be wet.
The signs of rain are very numerous. The following are a few of them: —The
frequent quacking of ducks. The moon on its back. Gulls flying inland.
Swallows skimming the ground. A multitude of glow-worms or **
dew-snails" (the black shell -less snails). When the pupils of a cat's
eyes look big. When reins or the handles of tools feel dry and slippery and
are di£Bcult to hold. A cloud-cap over Lundy foretells a shower only. When
bubbles form on the surface of water during rain, the rain will be heavy. To
carry a rake in harvest-time with its teeth pointing upwards is an unpar-
donable offence, as it is certain to rake down rain.
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(delwedd C3249) (tudalen 022)
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(delwedd C3250) (tudalen 023)
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GLOSSARY.
The following list contains all the provincial words I can think of, which do
not appear in the West Somerset Word Book, or are there given with strikingly
different meaning or pronunciation. The latter words, as well as other
references to Mr. Elworthy*s book, I have marked with an asterisk. As I have
refrained as much as possible from repetition, it will be found that many
ordinary words are absent from my list, the majority being of comparatively
rare occurence. Except in the three cases marked ** Clovelly " all the
words are given on my own, or my father's, authority. No doubt there are many
faults, both of omission and commission ; the former are due to my long
absence from the locality, the latter to ignorance. The occasional references
which 1 have made to Ogilvie's Imperial Dictionary^ and to Wright's
Provincial Dictionary^ I have indicated as **Imp. Diet." and ** Wright
" respectively. The matter within brackets immediately after the word
relates to its pronunciation.
*A. About a is frequently used in speaking of the time, as *' 'Bout a nine
o'clock," as well as in such phrases as ** 'Bout a two or dree minutes
'' ; ** 'Bout a vower or vive mile " ; ** Bout a zix or zeb'm acres.'*
The a is pronounced very distinctly, and two numerals are used oftener than
one.
* ACCOUNT. I. ** He id'n no 'count " means merely ** He is
worthless" (usually, for a particular purpose), and has no reference to
the person's social position. It is often applied to a lazy fellow.
2. Notice. Observation. " Doan ee take no 'count o' 'n, my dear ; he
waan't aurt ee." ** 1 caan't tell ee 'ow many there waz ; I did'n take
no count o' min " (i,c, I did not observe them closely).
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(delwedd C3251) (tudalen 024)
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24 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
ADAM. This is frequently employed in such phrases as ** I doan knaw more*n
Adam " {i.e. I am quite ignorant of the matter), and " I didn
knaw'n vrom Adam " (i,e. I did not recognize him at all).
ADDLE-GUTTER. A stagnant or putrid gutter or pool. The term is generally used
in the phrase, "addle-gutter mud." Cf. Wright, Addle-pool.
*AGAINST ('gin, 'ginst). i. By the time that. *' Git iv'ry- thing ready *gin
they kom.*' " You waan't ha* time vor do't, I tell ee ; 'ginst you've
had dinner, twull he time vor go home again."
2. In opposition to ; in a contrary direction to. ** Us could'n git alung
very vas' ; *twaz *gin 'eel (hill) *most all the way." ** As I waz
komin* back-alung, I zeed min komin' aginst ma."
AGGLE-BERRY. The haw, or berry of the hawthorn. Generally called Eggle-herry,
AIRY-MOUSE (5 like z). The bat. At dusk the children run about throwing caps
and stones at the bat and shouting: —
*• Airy-mouze, kom roun' me 'ouze. An* I'll gee ee a bit o* bacon ; Eef thee
waan't ha't, the cat shall ha't, An' thee shet go wi'out it."
Instead of the last line, I have sometimes heard : — •' Unless I be
mistaken."
*ALLER (short a). The alder.
ALLER-BED. A marshy place where alders grow. Cf. '^AUer 'grove.
AMERICAN RAKE. The turnover machine hay-rake.
ANETHER {th as in that). Another (generally). " I doan mind eef I loss
'n ; I've got anether home" {i,e. at home). Similarly, /(>///^r (the
other) is frequently pronounced tetJier ; while either^ neitJur, are
sometimes pronounced 6ther (or aitlier), nether (or naitJur), respectively.
ANGLE-TITCH. The common earthworm. Cf. "^Angle.
APPLE-MILL. A machine for grinding apples for cider- making.
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(delwedd C3252) (tudalen 025)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 25
ARBY-PIE. Herb pie, made of parsley, leeks, etc.
t ARGY, To argue. Similarly we have vally (value), continny
(continue). Cf. Mr^, '^'Argify, the latter of which is also used at H.
ARTER. After. (Always.)
ARTER-WjfNDlNG or ARTER-WINNING. Small or light corn. Lit. **
after-winnowing."
*ATH (ae-uth, not eth). Earth, soil ; the earth.
AUGHT. The figure or sign 0. (Always.) The game ** Naughts and crosses"
is always called *' Aughts and crosses." Aught or ought, meaning
"anything,*' and the verb ou^ht are pronounced ort,
*AUVIS. Eaves. Cf. * Office,
AVRORE (avraur). Frozen. Not so common as a-vrecz'd. See Exmoor Scoldings 1.
123.
* BACK- ALONG {0 as «). Refcently, and for some time past. (Very common.) **
Us *ad a terrible zight o' rain back-along.'* Cf. "^'First along.
BACKSYVORE (-vaur). i. Hind-part foremost. CL'-Back and fore,
2. Clumsy, awkward. **He's the moas' backsyvore zoart o' chap I ivver
zeed." ** A cruel backsyvore job he'th a-made o*t."
♦BAD (a as in father).
"^'BAG (short a, not baig). As in West Som., a hag is a sack to contain
three bushels, but a bag of potatoes is seven score, not eight ; a bag of
apples is four heaped half- bushels ; and a bag of grain is two strike or
imperial bushels. See also Sack.
BAGGABONE. A vagabond. (Always.) Cf. Wright.
BAIL. I. The bill of a bird.
2. To hatch. " Onny dree o' min be a bail'd eet."
*BALK (bock, not bank). Also, to frustrate. " Doan ee bock ma."
Frequently used by boys when playing mangels (marbles).
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(delwedd C3253) (tudalen 026)
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26 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
BALKER (a as in father). A coarse-grained spindle-shaped stone for sharpening
scythes, carried in a balker-pooch (i,e. pouch) at the back of the leathern
buckle-strap usually worn around the waist. This stone would not under any cir-
cumstances be termed a whetstofte^ for the latter is locally applied to
fine-grained stones only.
BANNICK. A bannock or hard cake {?). Common in the phrase ** Hard's a
bannick." ** The ground's avrore zo hard's a bannick ; there's no doin'
nort to *t."
*BAR-IRE. I. A crow-bar. (Always.) I have never heard a crow-bar called
Hre-har,
2. Iron in the form of rods or bars. BARLEY-ZEARS. The beard or awn of
barley. Cf. M»7s.
♦BARNS-FLOOR. I have never seen it raised above the hays for the
zesses^ or provided with shirting-hoards.
"^BARREL. A measure of lime =2 bushels (?). (Obsolescent.)
BARROW-QUAILS (barra-). Whippletrees. My father has heard this used at H. by
a Cornishman, but never by a native. We call them Whippintrees (q.v.).
*BATE. I. In knitting, to narrow or decrease the width or size.
2. To wane — applied to the moon.
BEAN. See Bind.
♦BEASTLE (usually bissle). To soil, to befoul, to make filthy.
*BEAT (bait). We speak of ** burning beat," not of ** bum- beating
" ; and I have always considered heat to be a corruption of peat.
However, Risdon (about 1630) speaks of " beating and burning," and
thus describes the process : —
"Paring the grain of their ground with mattocks into turfs, then drying
and loughing those turfs into burrows, and so burning them,
and spreading their ashes on the ground so pared ;
which kind of beating and burning is rare in other shires, and seems to be
originally peculiar to this county, being known by the name of Denshering in
other counties."
I have myself heard the phrase *' The field was baited^ you knaw."
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(delwedd C3254) (tudalen 027)
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27 27UEE-HOLE (bee-aul). A dome-shaped niche made in cob walls for
the reception of a '~bee-biUt.
BEETLE (bittle). i. A thatcher's mallet. Cf. -Draft 2. 2. A wheelwright's
mallet. Cf. *Draft 3, ^Batlle.
BEGGAR 'EE! J
be beggar'd ! " <
BELL-JESSY. BELL-TOPPER.
uasi-oath, Hke Dass '« .' etc.
■'Da:.'
' May you An old-fashioned top-hat. (Rare.) Cf.
•Box-hat.
BELLV-BOND (rf not sounded). In harness, a band passing under the horse's
belly. In ordinary cart harness there are two; one of leather to secure the
saddle, the other of rope attached to the sharps (shafts) to prevent them
from rising, Cf. *BcUy-iie.
BENDER. Anything very large, a bouncer. (Rare.) ".\ proper bender, an'
no mistake ! "
BEQUEATH (bequaith, rhymes with faith). A bequest. (Still used.) This is the
invariable form in the H. Church Accounts, 1597-1706,
BEST WAY. Better, used in such sentences as " You'd best way go an"
zee vor yurzell."
BETS. The ordinary contraction of Betsy.
-BIBBLE. To tipple. Used as a verb only.
BIBBLER. A tippler.
BILLERS. See Bullers.
'BIND (bean, not bine). The twisted bands of straw or hay are called thttmh
-beans, from the fact that the twisting operation is performed on one of the
thumbs. " Jis make a bean o' withy, Jan, and bend up they there
kidney-bain sticks."
BIZZENS. Business, Middlesex Election.
BIZZY-MILK. Biestings, the first milk given by 1 after calving. Cf.
"Bisky-milk, ""Base.
(Always.) See Pettr Pindar, The
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(delwedd C3255) (tudalen 028)
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28 DIALECT OF HARTLAXD.
BLACK DRISH. The blackbird. (Rare.) -BLACKHEAD (black-aid). Also, a tadpole.
BLAKE. To turn pale.
BLAKE AWAY. To faint. ** Her regUarly blak'd away when her zeed the
blid."
BLIND-COLLAR (blen-collar). The ordinary bridle belonging to cart harness,
having two blinkers. Generally called Head-collar, Cf. '^' Blind -halter.
BLIND-NETTLE (blen-nittle). The dead-nettle. CL'^Deaf- nettle,
*BLOW (blaw). In winnowing, to remove light seeds or dust remaining in the
corn which has been passed through the machine. This is done by subjecting
the com to the action of the fan only as it again passes through the machine,
the shaking or sifting mechanism being put out of action.
*BLOWTH (blooth, iiot bloalh). Bloom, blossom.
BLOWTH-PECKER. The tom-tit.
BLUE BETSY. The name of a flower.
BLUNK. I. A large flake. •* A blunk o' znaw.'*
2. A large spark. **A blunk o' vire." Cf. ^Blanks, -Vlanks,
BOCK. See Balk.
BODKIN. In thatching, a wooden tool for holding down the thatch during the
operation of paring.
BODLEY. The universal name for a particular form of cooking range, which comprises
an oven and a fountain on either side of the fire-place. Named after George
Bodley, of Exeter, who patented it in 1802 (No. 2585), with the title ** A
certain Portable Stove or Kitchen for the Purpose of Dressing Victuals."
•BOLSTER (boalster). In a cart or wagon, each of the two strong cross-pieces
which form the ends of the frame for the floor or bottom. Cf. '•^^ Waff on
{Vore-piece and Tail-piece).
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(delwedd C3256) (tudalen 029)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 2g
BOOBY. A big child given to crying, iwl a dunce or a lubber. " [ wuddn
be sich a booliy eef I ivaz you." Cf. "C<y baby, 'Laoly.
BOOT-STRAP. A boot-lace.
BORROD. Boat-ward. Maris apptUns. Cf, Burred.
BORROW (borra). A barrow pig, a liog. According to Imp- Diet. Barrow ( = hog)
is obsolete.
■BOW (biie or boo). To bend. (Always,) " Thikky ire "s all
a-bue'd" {i.e. very much bent).
BRAGGATY. Rough and covered with loose scales like a snake, or a fish in poor
condition. Wright gives "mottled, like an adder, with a tendency to
brown. Coriiw.," but I do not think braggaty has any reference to
colour.
BRAN-TITUS. Bronchitis. (Common.) Cf. Brown-tiKn.
*BRAVE, Great, very, fine. etc. " 1 7.\m you've bin a brave lung time,"
" Her liv'd to a brave age.'' " Brave gwains-on there waz, sure
'nough."
'BREAK (braik ; p.t. brauk). To tear or rend. (Very common.) "You'll
break yur clothes to pieces," It is also frequently used in the phrase
" Her's zo good a humman's iwer brauk braid."
'BREAK UP. To plough pasture for cultivation. BRIT. I. To indent. Cf. Wright.
2. An indentation.
BROAD-FIG (braud-fig). A Turkey fig, (Always.) Cf.
-Dough-fig, BROOK. To wither, to dry. " The hay's hardly brook'd
enoo vor carr', I zim." "Tis a nice brookin' day to-day,
zir." See Daver.
BROWN-LIME or BROWN-LIMED (2 syllables). Ripe. a term applied to common
hedge-nuts when they are easily removable from the husk.
BROWSE-HOOK. A special hook for browsing {i.e. trim- ming hedges), about half
the length of an ordinary sickle or ti4tp-hook (q.v.). The hook used lor the
tops of high hedges, etc., is provided with a long handle, and is known as a
Img-handled browse -book.
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(delwedd C3257) (tudalen 030)
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30 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
BROWSING-GLOVES. Special gloves used in browsing, made of tanned leather.
*BUCK. Lactic ferment. " Her tell'th ma they've a-got the buck in the
dairy."
'•'BUCKED (buck'd). Soured, applied to milk around the
sides of a bucket or pan. ** Mind you clain out the bucket
proper ; the milk's got buck'd."
" Tha wut let tha Cream-chorn be all horry, and let tha Melk be buckard
in buldering Weather." — Exmoor Scoldings 1. 204.
BUCKLE-STRAP. The leathern strap worn by men around their waist. (Always so
called.)
"BULDERY. I think this word is only applied to clouds, in which case it
refers to the large boulder-shaped thunder- clouds, which rise one above
another in apparent heaps.
*BULLERS (billers). At H. the name is given to the whole plant, never to the
flowers only. The stems are used by boys for making squirts, and are
frequently dried for use as spills.
BULLEY (rhymes with gully). A boy's large marble. Generally called * Alley.
BULLIN (first syllable rhymes with gull). The fruit of the bullace, a kind of
black-thorn. Generally used in the plural. It is not the same as crisling or
skne ; the former is much larger and the latter smaller. No doubt they are
different varieties of the same species, but boys are well able to
distinguish between them. Cf. "^ Bullace, * Crisling, '^Sioe, Smollett
speaks of ** haws and bullies ; " and Wright gives Bullions 2^s well as
Bullace and Bullies,
BUNG. To din or beat into. ** I can't bung it into the 'aid o'n nohow.**
BUNKY BEAN. A children's game, similar to S hanky- dudeley-high-ho (q.v.).
Cf. Wright, Buggy bane.
BURDEN. A crop of corn, corresponding to a *shear or '^zwar of grass. ** A
capital burden in thucker viel'."
BUSH (rhymes with thrush). To toss or gore with the
horns. " Mind yurzell now, er he*ll bush ee." Cf. *Hoke^
''Horch ; Wright, Boosh.
" But now she (a cow) bushing roars, and makes a pudder, Afraid thy
hardened hands may steal her udder."
Peter Pindar, A Plaintive Ephtk.
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(delwedd C3258) (tudalen 031)
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DIALECT OF HAi
BUSTER. A big lie. " Ot busters thee dis tell up o"."
CABLE (keeble). A raw-liide or leather loop fixed by sewing it with thongs
upon the top of a tlilt {i.e. flail, or beating-stick of a drashlt) for the
purpose of connecting it to the Annrf-ifflw (i.e. handle). See Dkashle. Cf. ■Ca/'el,
CACKY. Soft. " The ae-uth's all cacky; it clib'th to my boots Hk daw
" {i.e. dough).
"CAG-MAG. Food which one does not rehsh or care to eat, not bad meal or
carrion.
CALK (short a). The spur at the end of a scythe-blade. See ZiE.
CALVES'-DROPPER (kaavz-drapper). A small tub from which calves are fed ; it
has a handle at one side, formed by a hole in a longer stave tlian the rest.
Sometimes C&Uad Drapftr only. Wright gives ^'Dripper. A shallow tub.
West."
CANKER or CANKER-ROSE. The dog-rose, the berries of which are called Canker
-berries, and the buds Canker-biUs, Cf. ^'Canker -ball.
CARE. The mountain ash. There are many superstitions connected with this
plant, of which the following may be mentioned: — If you beat any animal with
it, the animal will become poor {i.e. lean) and never thrive again;
consequently it is never used for driving animals. If you beat a child with
it, the child will never grow any taller. If an animal is witched, a wreath
of care is hung around its neck to counteract or undo the injury ; pigs are
so decorated when they refuse to eat iheir food.
CASE. To separate large corn from small in the operation of winnowing. In
hand winnowing this is done by means of special wooden sieves, called Casers.
The size of the mesh varies according to the kind of grain treated, the
different sieves being distinguished by the name of the grain for which they
are used, as whait-casirs, barley-casers, wut-casers. In machine winnowing
the process of casing consists merely of passing the corn through the machine
a second time, when finer wire sieves are used than in the first process,
which is called hearing (q.v.). See also Winnowing.
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(delwedd C3259) (tudalen 032)
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32 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
*CAST. I. In ploughing, to turn the voars (furrows) away from each other; the
opposite of -''gather, CL *Tkrow abroad, which term is also used at H.
2. In hedging, to repair or bank up with clats of earth.
Extract from a lease, 1741 : —
" Shall not cut shrid lop or steep any hedge or hedges .... but such
only as they shall now make cast plant and lay with layers and plants
according to the best rules of Husbandry immediately after the same shall bis
so cut or shrid." Cf. *Dik.
3. Of corn, etc., the width of the strip sown by hand or machine in one
journey across the field. It is a sure sign of death in the farmer's family
to miss a cast in sowing.
4. To spread or scatter dung or other dressing over a field. ** I toald 'n to
go out castin' dung." Cf. "^'Spur.
CATCH-CHAIN (ketch-). A chain for making fast the wheel of a wagon in case
the ''drufi-chain breaks, or the wheel jumps off the '^'drwj-skoe, Cf.
-'Wagon {Safety-chain),
CAT-HAMMED (cat-ham'd). With crooked hind legs, generally applied to horses
or cattle whose gamhers (hocks) knock together. Cf. -'Cat -hocked,
♦CAUCH. A mess. ** I nivver did zee sich a cauch in all my born
days."
CAUD. I. A well-known disease of sheep and rabbits, con- sisting of the
destruction of the liver by parasites, called flukes. The animals are said to
have the caud, or to be cauded, Cf. *Coe, -^'Coed,
2. Dropsy in animals, distinguished from the above, or liver caud, as waiter
caud.
CAUK. CAUKRUM.
A frightful object, a scarecrow. ** A proper cauk" is equivalent to ** A
perfect fright.'*
"CAUL. Kale, cabbage generally. ** He spring*d up like a spill
caul" {i»e. grew like a cabbage running to seed).
CAVINGS. Same as Copings (q.v.).
CHACK. The cheek. ** 1*11 scat thee chacks, eef thee disn behave
thezell."
CHAT (not chet). A kitten. May-chats (kittens bom in May) are always drowned,
because it is believed by some that they would bring slow-worms into the
house, by others long-cripples (vipers).
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(delwedd C3260) (tudalen 033)
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33D[\LF-CT OF HARTLAND. 33
-CHIBBOLE (chibble). Applied to young leeks as well as onions. Imp. Diet,
gives. "Cliibbal. A small sort of onion ; cibol. Btau. and Fl."
CHID. !. Of a potato, to sprout. "These yur taties be chidded out; they
want peckin' auver." 2. A sprout or bud of a potato.
-CHIEL (cheeld, chill, chee!). A child. The plural is childtTtt or ckilUrn,
generally the former. Cf. ''ChiUer.
•CHILL-BLADDER. A chilblain; usually called CAiVWiW.
CHIMBER (b pron.). A chamber upstairs ; if used alone, a bedroom. A granary
is always called Corn-chmbir. Cf. *Chimmer,
CHIP. The bed or sliding part of a limberu zoU. See SLrLL. Cf. Wright, Chfp.
CHISELLER. A modern kind of cultivator, difTering from a Stuffier (q.v.) in
having any number of feet, which are adjustable and arranged in various ways.
CHIZZUM. A sprout or bud of a potato. (Used at H. by a native of E. Devon or
Dorset). Same as Chti (q.v.). The Complete Farmer, 1777, gives: "To
ckissum, to put forth roots, to grow."
CHOPPER. A large knife with a cranked tang, used for chopping potatoes in a
frying-pan during the operation of frying. Sometimes called Fryingknife.
CHUCK-ILLS. 1. A cold or stoppage in the throat, a choking sensation. 2. The
distemper in dogs.
CHUCK-ROPE. A large rope, which is greased and forced down a bullock's throat
when it is ckiicktd (choked) with turnips, etc.
CHUM. Glum, chuffy. "He's lookin" mortal chum, I
*CLAVEL (^dauvel). Always 50 pronounced. The beam of wood serving as a lintel
over a wide fire-place opening.
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(delwedd C3261) (tudalen 034)
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34 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
CLAW. To handle. "I ba-ant a-g^ain vor titch min arter they've a-bin
claw*d all auver."
-CLEVER (clivver). i. Well in health. "He's purty clivver to-day, thank
ee."
2. Well (adv,) ** He's gittin on clivver " {ue. doing well,
flourishing).
CLEW. A large ball of straw rope, generally about 2ft. 6in. in diameter. From
H. Church Accounts, 1682-3 : — " Pd. John Hender for Sixe Neches of Reed
& one Cleue of Ropes, IS. id."
CLIB. To stick or adhere. " The mux clib'th to ma boots the very zame 'z
daw " {i,e. dough).
CLIBBY. Sticky. " The varnish idn near dry eet, tis all clibby."
Cf. *Clubby.
CLICK. To become ill. " Her waz always clickin'," means she was
continually becoming ill. " Her was a reglar clicker," means she
was a confirmed invalid, and implies that the illness was of an intermittent
nature.
CLICK-MA-DOODLE. A rickety article, a badly finished piece of work. Used also
as an adj. '* A poor click-ma- doodle job."
CLITCHY. Sticky, adhesive. Same as Clibby (q.v.). Cf. *Clitty.
CLITTER. Clatter, or confusion of noises. Cf. *Cliiier'tO'
clatter.
*CLO AM. The following custom is observed at H. in place of the Drawin* 0*
cloam described in W. S. Word-Book. In the evening of Pancake Day the boys go
about the village throwing sherds (broken crockery) at the doors and singing
in a monotonous drawl the rhyme : —
•• Flish, flash ; flish, flash ; Watter. waiter, ling. Hev ee any pancakes ?
Plaize vor let us in. Hev ee any best beer ? Hev ee any small ? Plaize vor
gee us zomtbin' Or nothin' at all."
This is probably a corruption of the original verses, the first two words
being no doubt Fish, Flesh. Of course,
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(delwedd C3262) (tudalen 035)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 35
the object of the boys is to get something given to them — pancakes, beer, or
money ; and the custom resembles in this respect the " Please to
remember the grotto," and other customs in London. Alihough the boys are
usually easily satisfied, they do not forget to terrify (annoy) those persons
against whom they have a grudge.
Another rhyme fretjuently sung on Pancake Day is the following : —
" Shrove Toosday, Shrove Toosday,
Poor Jack went to plow,
His mother made pancakes,
Her did'n knaw 'ow.
Her toss'd min, her lurn'd min.
Her burnt min zo black,
Her piilt zo much pepper
Het poison'd poor Jaclt."
CLOB. A lump of earth, a clod.
CLOVER AND EAVER {clauver an' aiverj. Grasses sown upon arable land, in
distinction to permanent pastuie. Cf. -Young grass.
CLOVER HAY (clanver ay). Hay made from grass grown upon arable land, in
contradistinction to iendy hay (meadow hay).
*COCK. A small heap of hay in the field, smaller than a poke. Cf. 'Cock,
-Pook.
COCK-KIBBIT or COCK-KIPPIT. A sport practised on Good Friday. A cock is
placed underneath an inverted rioaw^n milk-pan, and cudgels
(callediiifciVsq.v.) are thrown at the pan from a fixed distance until it is
broken. The cock is then chased, and becomes the joint property of its captor
and the person who broke the pan. It is perhaps needless to say that a price
is put upon the cock, and that the amount is subscribed and paid to the
promoter of the sport by those who indulge in it. Whether this is anything
Hke the ancient sport of rofA'j/i^, 1 am imable to say. It has t«cn revived
at H. recently, and now forms the most popular Good Friday sport.
COCKLE-bELL. An icicle. (Always.) " There's cockle- bells hangin' vrom
th' auvis zo lung's me arm." Cf -Ctinkervclh.
COCKSCOMB (coxcum). In a rellin' toit (q.v.), a small cutting blade
projecting vertically from the shetr (share), and serving the purpose of a
cudttr (coulter).
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(delwedd C3263) (tudalen 036)
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36 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
COCK-TREADING. The nucleus of an egg. From a MS. Note-book, 1665 : — ** Take
the whitts of eggs, not breaking them in any wayes, but take out the Cock-
treadings . . . ."
CO-HOBE. The call for cows. Cf. ''Hobe !
COLLYWOBBLES. This is probably the sanie as ""Ckolly- wabbles f but
I have only heard it used jocularly in the phrase ** mulligrubs and
collywobbles,*' meaning a pain in the stomach, the gripes. See also ^'Mully
-grubs.
COLTS' LEGS. The mucus of a child's neglected nose.
COLTS' TAILS. The streaky clouds, elsewhere called mares' tails.
COME-HITHER (kom-methcr). i. The call to horses, when they are wanted to move
to the left. It is generally used with the addition of wai, thus kom-tiuther
wai ! This never means stop ! although wai with that meaning is pronounced
exactly the same. The calls fpr the opposite direction are wug, wuij off,
gee, gee offy gee wug. Cf. ''''Cum' ather ! '^'Cum-ather-tvay !
2. To turn towards the left. Thus a ploughman kom- methers round when he is
gathering, and gees round when he i$ casting or throwing-abroad,
-COMFORT (komfort, not kumfort). At H. almonds (tto^ cinnamon) covered with
sugar are called comforts.
COOCHY-H ANDED or COOCHY-PAWED. Left-handed.
COOP. The call for fowls.
COPE. I. In hedging, the top of the bank. Cf. *Comb.
2. To finish the top of the bank with loose earth after the sides are turfed.
COPINGS. In machine winnowing, the intermediate matter which is too light or
large to pass through the sieves and too heavy to be blown away with the
dowst (chaff). It consists chiefly of light corn, and is passed a second time
through the machine to extract any good corn it may contain. The remainder,
called second copings^ is given to cattle on the farm, as it is not fit for
market.
COPPER.FINCH. The cock chaffinch. ^
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(delwedd C3264) (tudalen 037)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 37
COUNTING-OUT FORMULAS. As a substitute for
drawing lots, the following rhyme is generally employed : —
" Ena, mena, mona, mite, Laska. lara, pora, pite, Eggs, butter, cheese,
bread, Stick, stock, stone, dead."
In telling one*s fortune by means of a spike of grass, the
usual formula is : —
" Tinker, taildor. Soldier, sailor, Rich man, poor man, •Potecary,
thief."
^Potecary is often replaced by PottUhelly ((i.v.).
Cherry-stones, &c., left on a plate, are frequently counted to foretell
when one is going to be married. The formula for this IS : —
••This year. Next year. Some time, Never."
Instead of this, the following may be employed to ascertain
the inclinations of the object of one*s affections : —
•* Her lov'th ma. Her don't, Herll ha' ma, Her won't,
Her would if her cuuld, but her can't."
COW. The usual simile to express awkwardness is ** Like a cow handling a
musket."
CRACK. Expert, skilful. ** He's a crack huntsman."
CRACK-HAND. An expert. Cf. -Dab-hand.
CRACKY. Cracked, silly, crazy.
CRACKY-WREN (cracky- wran). The wren ; generally called wranny^ and sometimes
Jinny wren.
CRAKE ALONG. To walk very slowly. ** Tm jist able to crake alung."
♦CREASE (crais). The ridge on a shovel (q.v.).
♦CREAM (as in Eng., not craim). To squeeze. " Doan ee cream me
han* zo." ** He cream'd 'n till a waz fit to bust."
CREEPING-JENNY (craipin*- Tinny). The nameof a flower, probably the Creeping
Buttercup (R, repens). It is, however, cultivated in gardens.
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(delwedd C3265) (tudalen 038)
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38 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
CREEPS. The sensation of creeping or shuddering, produced b^ fear. ** 'Tis
enough to gee anybody the creeps to yur zich trade.'* Cf. -'Creepings.
CRIB* To eat sparingly. " He jis' peck'th an' crib'th a bit, but doth'n
ait nort vor spaik o'."
CRILE ! An exclamation, now rarely heard.
CRILLY-GREENS (crilly-grains). Curly greens, i.e, curled kale. Jago gives
crulley-head, but I have never heard this expression. Chaucer uses crull and
crulle in connection with the hair.
CRIM. A very little, a shade. Possibly a form of the word crumb. " I zim
her's a crim better zinze day-mornin'."
CROCKY-STEW or CROCKY-RATTLE. A common and favourite stew, made of meat,
turnips, potatoes, and onions, the whole being covered with a thick layer of
dough of the same diameter as the crock (an iron pot of special shape) or
saucepan in which the stew is cooked.
•CROOK. This word is almost invariably used instead of hookj except in the
case of edge tools. Thus we speak of chimley-crooks, boot-crooks,
harness-crooks, gate-crooks (part of the hinges), &c. We should say, too,
" Hang it up to the crook,'' never hook,
CROOSLE. To talk confidentially, to gossip. " Th' oal' wimmin waz
crooslin* together auver the vire."
CROSS-TOUCH (kraus-titch). A modification of the game of Last-touch (q.v.).
• CRUB. I. A crust of bread. " Gee us a crub," i.e, a hard piece of
bread, not a crumb.
2, A shovel, spade, or hoe is said to be set too crub when it would tend to
leave its work, that is, when it would not pentrate sufficiently into the
soil. The opposite of this is too deep.
CRUCK or CRUCKY. To stoop down, as in the game of leap-frog. See also Ruck.
CRY-OUT. An accouchement. (Always.) "The doctor waz to a cry-out, an*
cud'n kom.*'
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(delwedd C3266) (tudalen 039)
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CUCKOLD-BUTTONS (cuckle-butlons). The burs of ihc burdock. Cf.
'Ciukao-bullons.
CUCKOO-FLOWER (gooky-). This name is, I think, applied only to the wild
Orchids, of which there is a very large variety.
CUFF OVER. To talk over, discuss. " Let's ha' a pipe an' cuff it
auver."
" on vor whislering and pislerin);. and lioaling and baldening, or
cuffing a Tale." Exmaer Sfolding, I. sijK,
" To Cnf a Talr. To exchange Stories, as il conlcudin^ fur the Mastery ;
—or lo canvas a Story Iwtween one and another," (Obsolete.) Ibii.,
Clossary.
*CUT. In ploughing, a strip of land comprising one set of furrows, that is,
the portion of a field taken in at once.
CUT-ROUND. A small thin cake of bread, similar in appearance to a muffin. It
is cut into two parts in the same manner, and buttered.
DACE. To splash, daced all auver." aneast ma."
' Stand back, my dear, or you'll git ' I'll dace tha, min, eef thee komst
DANDY-GO-RUSSET (risset). A faded or rusty colour. " A dandy-go-risset
jacket."
-DASHLE. Thistle. (The only pron.l The milk-thisile is called Milky-dasMe,
and the Scotch thistle Row-iiaslilt {i.e. rough thistle),
DAVER (rhymes with waver). To wither. "The flowers be daver'd a'ready.
They doan laste no time at all." See also Brook.
DAWDLEKUM. A loiterer or i/on'ftWKA. " Mr. Dawdlekum "
is a frequent term of banter.
DAWKAWK. .\ stupid booby. The commonest of all such terms. "Ya gurt
dawkawk " is very frequently heard. Cf. 'Doak, ''Gawk.
DAY'S-LIGHT (lile or -leart). Daylight. " 'Twaz a-got day's-light, you
knaw." Cf. -Barn's-door.
DEAN RULER. Rural dean. {Still used.) From H. Church Accounts, 16S3-4 :
" Pd. for E.\pcnces upon the dean Ruler, 8d."
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(delwedd C3267) (tudalen 040)
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40 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
DEATH-RITTLE. The death-rattle. See Rittle.
DEATH-TICK. The insect usually called death-watch.
*DEEP. A shovel, spade, or hoe is said to be set too deep when it would tend
to penetrate too far into the soil. The opposite of this is too crub,
DEEPTH. I. Depth. (Always.) Cf. -Deep, "^'Deepness. 2. Craft, subtlety.
Cf. ^'Dupness.
DELL. Deal or pine wood. (Always.) From H. Church Accounts, 1682-3 : "
Pd. for goeing to Clovelly to buy dell, IS.''
DICK. In the phrase up to Dicky meaning up to the mark, in good form. I
suppose this is connected with the ordinary slang word Dickens. Wright gives
: " Dicken — the devil.*'
DIMPS. Dusk, evening twilight. **Twaz gittin* dimps avore us stairted.'* Cf.
^'Dimpsy, '^'Dumpsy.
DOCKING-IRE. A tool for rooting up docks. Cf. "^'Dock- spitter,
DOILISH. Silly, doting. Usually applied to old people in
their dotage. ** Poor oal' zaul, her's gittin* doilish,
I* It zim.
DOLLOP. A large lump or quantity, as **A dollop of fat," " A dollop
of whitpot," &c. An adjective Dolloping is also used, as " A
gurt dollopin' turmut."
•'DOWST. Also dust, as in the children's rhyme : —
•• Millerdy, millerdy, dowsty poll, How many pecks hev you a-stole ? "
I have never heard the word with this meaning except in this rhyme, the usual
word for dust being Dist.
DRACKLY or DRECKLY. Directly ; in the dialect this does not mean immediately,
but shortly. "I'll kom drackly; I mus' finish ot I'm 'bout fust."
Cf. '^'Drackly- minute.
'''DRAFT. This is applied to bullocks and sheep, as well as hounds.
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(delwedd C3268) (tudalen 041)
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IllALECT OH HARTLAND. 4I
DRAFT-CHAIN or DRAFT-IRE. In a plough, a chain or iron, attached to the
breast and running under the beam, to relieve the latter from the strain of
thedraft. This term is never applied to the short-chain (q.v.) by which the
plough is drawn, Cf. Drtiil.
"DRAGS. Heavy harrows. These are of various forms, but in all the liiigi
(tines) are carried by longitudinal wooden l)eams, called larras, which are
connected together by transverse iron strips, called lo-urds (swords). Two
arc liinged together to form a pair by crooks and tyes, similar to ga'.e
-hangings. Originally they were drawn by a hcad-iow (q.v.) at one corner; but
in later forms there is a Afurfditf' at the corresponding corner of the other
part, and both are connected to the whippinlrec. The modern forms are called
harrotus and are made entirely of iron ; in these the parts are not hinged
together, but to a wooden cross-beam.
DRANG, A narrow passage between two walls. Commoner than -Drang-way.
DRAP. I. To drop.
2. To plant potatoes. Tiiis operation is always spoken of as dropping
tetties,
DRAPPER. See Calves'-dropper.
^DKASHLE. A flail. (Always.) As the names of the the parts differ slightly
from those given in the \V. S. Word-Book, I will give a short description of
the implement. The main parts are the handle, called hand- stave, and ihe
flail proper, called f/iVe. The latter is always made of holm (holly). The
connecting parts consist of loops of leather or untanned hide, and are called
toad's head, kecbU, and middk bean (bind). The toad's iuad swivels on the end
of the hnnd-stavc, and the kccble is firmly fixed on the end of the rUte. The
two are connected by the middle bean, the ends of which are fastened together
by a wooden kay (key). The other two parts are sewn with Ihungs (thongs), the
holes for sewing being made with a nale (awl).
DRAVE YOKE (draive voar). To carry on as- a business or occupation. Lit.
"drive forward." '"Ot be you a-draivtn' vore o" now then,
make zo boald?"
"DRAW. To extract the entrails of birds cn!y ; hares and rabbits are
3.]wBys pancked (paunched).
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(delwedd C3269) (tudalen 042)
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42 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
-DRIBBLE. We speak also of dribbling corn or seed, that is, allowing grains
to fall out of one's hand singly along a straight line.
DRIFT. The handle of a turf-paring spade.
DRINKING. A meal provided in the harvest field between dinner and supper. It
usually consists of a large flat cake, called a Drinking-cake, for each
person, and beer or tea as preferred. In some places called Afternoons ox
Afternoons. Cf. -'Drinkings.
" Nif tha beest a Zend to Yield wi tha Drenking, or ort, to tha
Voaken." Exmoor Scolding, 1. 196.
DRIP. In milking, to extract the last drops, usually after the cow has been
sucked by the calf.
DRIPMY. Threepenny. "A dripmy bit.'' Threepenny- worth is pron.
Dree-pennurd,
DRIPPENCE. Threepence.
DROPPER. See Calves'-dropper.
DROW UP fdraw up). To twit with past delinquencies, to rake up old disgraces.
** Ees, they*m always drawin' up that aginst *n." Cf. ''Drow out.
DRUMBLE-DRANE. A humble-bee or bumble-bee. A common simile is — ** He
droan'th the very zame's a drumble-drane in a flop " (i.e, foxglove).
^ DRY. Also, a dray.
-DRYTH. Also, a drying action. ** There's a fine dryth up now, zir."
DUD'N. Does not. Not so common as Dith'n or Dotk*n.
DUNG-HEAP. Dung-hill. (Always.) Similarly, we have want-heap for mole-hill, emmet-heap
or ant-heap for ant-hill.
DWINDLE. The -windlc or field-fare. Mr. Elworthy indentifies windle as the
redwing, but I expect the name is given to both species. ** Rumped up hke a
dwindle " signifies ** shrugged with the cold."
EAR-BUZ (yur-buz). A soft formation between the ears of fowls. Perhaps the
same as "^'Ear-burs.
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(delwedd C3270) (tudalen 043)
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DIALECT OF HARTLASU. 43
EASTER. Eastern. (Always.) Similarly we liave Wesler, Nothtr, and Sulhtr.
Fields are freijuenlly distinguished as Easter and Wester, e._t. Easter
Good-vor-nort and Wester Good-vor-nort, and the names are so printed in the
Tillie Apporliottmenl Book.
EAVANG. A leather strap on a saddle to which the gift (girth) is attached.
Cf. Wright, Arang.
' EAVER (aiver). My father says this name is also given to "a weed which
grows with wheat, makes the flour dark, and is supposed to make people who
eat it sleepy." In the green stage it is similar in appearance lo the
wheat, and the seeds are small grains, something like rye.
EAVEL. A three-pronged dung-fotk ; until recently the only sort in use.
-EAVY. I disagree with Mr. Elworthy's statement thai Halliwell is quite wrong
in defining " Eave — to thaw." I have frequently heard " The
vrost is eavin'," never " The stones be eavin' ■' {i.(. condensing
inoisture). The only word 1 know with the latter meaning is ''Gire, and I
have also sometimes heard "The frost is givin'" {i.e. beginning to
thaw). I find, too, that the word Eavi is used with the meaning of /o thaw in
Mrs. Palmer's " Devonshire Dialogue," the dialect of which relates
to the district of Torrington and is practically identical with ours : —
"Thewind was ago lye. and 't had a'eved, zo ihat I wasa stugg'd
inlhemuTi."
EGGLE-BERRY. The haw or berry of the hawthorn. Commoner than Aggh-berry,
=ELSE, A frequent pron. of the name Alice, which is often written .\lce.
ENTERLEAN. Wilh alternate layers of lean and fat meat, usually applied to
bacon, which is always classified as fat and enttrUan.
EPPING-STOCK. See LiiPPiNG Stock.
"ERRISH. Stubble land. (The only pron.)
ETCH. The letter h. (Always.)
EVERY WHIP AND WHILE. Every now and again. Cf. 'Erery whip'i n'liilt.
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(delwedd C3271) (tudalen 044)
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44 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
EVET (eavet, aivet). Eft, or small lizard. Cf. "^Ehei.
FADGE. To fare. (Rare.) ** 'Ow d'ee fadge ? " {i.e. How are you ?)
*FAIRING. Mixed sweets sold at fairs, consisting chiefly of sugared almonds,
sugared cinnamon, macaroons, and sugared candy. This mixture would always be
supplied in response to an order for, say, ** Jib. of Fairing."
FAITH. This is pron. feth and fay rather than fath and^^ as in W. S.
Word-Book. So we hsLWcfeth an* treth and /ay an' trayy meaning ** By my faith
and troth ! " In epitaphs fjtth is frequently made to rhyme with death.
The following example (dated 1880) is in H. Churchyard : —
Tender in age, but strong in faith, She looked above, and feared no death.
"FALL. In the sense of to he born, this is only applied to colts. Calves
are said to be caavd^ lambs to be yaun'd, pigs to be littered or varried, and
so on.
FAR AND AWAY (var an* away). By far, considerably. " He's var an* away
the bes* meader (mower) Tve a-got."
•'FARMERY. I do not agree with Mr. Elworthy's statement that V is never used
instead of the / in this word, although I admit that / is much commoner.
However, I am sure that I have frequently heard the v, and ** Farmer"
for the name of a horse is almost invariably pronounced varmcr or vurmer,
FARYER (2 syll. only). A farrier. We say also Faryering, not '^•'Farring^ for
farriering.
FELLIN. A disease of cattle, known by the various names of black-leg^
black-quarter j quarter-evil, and quarter-ill, Setons are frequently employed
as a preventive, because they are supposed to draw off the impurities of the
blood.
FETTER (vetter). To tie together a horse's or a donkey's fore and hind legs
on one side to prevent the animal from straying. Cf. ^'Hobble, which with us
is to tie together the two fore legs.
FETTLE. Form, style. ** In good fettle."
FIGGY-DOUGH (figgy-duff). Another name for ^^Figgy- pudding. (Not common.)
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(delwedd C3272) (tudalen 045)
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DIALECT OF I
FIGGY-WHITPOT. SeeWHiTPor.
FITCHY. The polecat. Oftener than "Fitch.
FLICKET. A tantrum or temper. " Her waz in a proper flicket."
FLINK. To jerk, " Doan ee flink yur pen hke that, you'll hail the desk
all auver" {i.t. you will cover the desk with ink). " Jis' flink
the znaw ofT yur jacket avore you kom een."
FLIRT. A slight shower. Same as -Scad.
^FLITTER. To flicker. " I zeed the candle flittering away in the
chimber, zo I went een an' made'n out."
FLOOD-GAP (vlude-gep). Any fence formed across a stream. Cf.
"Flood-gate.
FLOP (sometimes vlop). The foxglove. This and '■■Com- fiop are
the only two names known at H. The plant grows there to a great height; 1
have myself pulled up several over 9ft. high.
FLOP-OATS (flop-wuts or vlopwuts). Tartarean oats.
FLOT (viot). Water or liquid manure for irrigation purposes. " I shall
turn the vIot down auver tother medda nex' year." The gutters or
channels for directing the vM over a field are called vhi-gutUn ; and the
meadow which receives the farm-yard drainage is sometimes called Vlot-uiedda,
FOOL {fuk), " A fool to 't " means much inferior.
FORWARD AND BACK. This is always used instead of "Backwards and
forwards," either in this form or as Forrud an' back pr Voar an' back.
FOUNTAIN. A boiler in a bodUy (q.v.) or cooking- range.
'FRAPE. At H, this always means to draw or lace tightly. " Maids
now-a-days frape their zells up zo's they kin hardly braithe." '■
Frape up the girts" (i.e, girths).
FRICK. To fidget. " The frickio' little toad " (spoken of a pony),
meaning fidgety, 'Iltming and '■' Iteniy are also
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(delwedd C3273) (tudalen 046)
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46 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
FRIZZ or FRIZZLE. To scorch or dry up. FRYING-KNIFE. See Chopper. FULCH. A
blow with the fist.
"Chell pull the Poll o' tha; chell plim tha, chell vulch tha."
Exmoor Scolding, 1. 67.
FUSTLE. To make a fuss.
GADS ! An expression of disgust.
GAIN. Going. Not so common as '-'Gwain.
G AKE. To stare about idly. " *0t b* ee gakin' at ? " Cf. '-Gapy,
GAKEY. A simpleton, one who stares about and does not attend to the matter in
hand. " Thee't a regular gakey, zo thee a't." Cf. -'Gawk.
GALE. An old bull or boar castrated.
GALL {a as in father). A blister or bladder on the hand, not necessarily a raw
or sore place.
"GALLIS. The deuce. **He play'd the very gallis wi* my work " {i.e.
spoilt it). ** Thuze yer chicken 'ull play the gallis wi* the gearden."
G AMBER. I. The hock. Cf. ''Gamble^ ^'Gamniarel,
2. A bent stick, or spreader, used by butchers for suspending slaughtered
animals by their hind legs. Cf. •'Gamble.
GAFFER-MOUTH. A simpleton. Cf. -Gap-mouth.
"GATE. The parts are head, hack (or hang-how q.v.), cross- pieces, 2ind
pales. The hack is hinged to the hangin'poss by crooks an' eyes, and the head
is usually fastened to the vallin'- poss by a Jtapse and stape (hasp and
staple).
GAW ! An expression of surprise. **Gaw! you doan* zay zo? "
GEARING. The "^'lade of a cart or wagon, i.e. the hurdle or frame
inserted at the front and back to enable hay, com, &c., to be piled up.
The open frameworks at the sides of a cart, butt, or wagon, are called rails.
niAI-ECT OF HARTLAND. 47
GEE, GEE OFF, or GEE WUG {g soft). The call to horses when they are required
to go to the right. Wuy and wuff off are also used. To gte or gee round is to
turn towards the right. See also Come-hlther.
ith the saddle-girths. " He'
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(delwedd C3274) (tudalen 047)
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GIRGE. To gall a horse i girg'd a bit, I zee."
GILLER. Same as Gale (q.v.).
GLADDY, The yellow ammer. (Always.) " Peart "s a gladdy " is a
common simile for fearinesi, but " Peart 's a sparra " and "
Peart 's a rabhiti " are also frequently heard.
•GLAM. To attach a plug (a log of wood) to one of the fore legs of an animal
to prevent it from straying.
GL.\ZE. To glare or stare.
" O Lord, my lord, I'm in 3 n]a;ie,
1 do so look aboul and glaze,
Just leek a stmliiDg hare."
Piltr Pindar. The MiddUnt EUctkn.
GLEANY, The guinea-fowl. (Usual name.) Sometimes called, on account of its
peculiar cry, 'Come-biukiOi Tom-fol.
GLIMPSE. To catch a glimpse of.
GLINT. To peep, to look shyly. " Kom inzide ; doan' ee Stan' there
glintm' roun' the cornder."
GLOVES. See Hakvest-gloves, BroWsing-ci.oves.
GLUE. To peer, to look sullenly. " He glue'd 'pon ma ez I went
alung." " 'Ot dis' stan' there gluein' to me zo vor ? "
'GOB. I. A lump, usually applied to expectorated phlegm. 2. To spit.
GOLDEN-APP. A kind of apple. Similarly, we say stape for staple.
GOOSE-GOB. A gooseberry. Cf. ''Goose-gog.
-GRAB. A crab-apple. We say •' Zour 's a grab," not " Zour 's a
grig." Commoner than ''Grah apple.
GRABBLE. To grapple.
- Be quite, ei zey. a grabbling o* wone's tellies." Exmonr Sf^ldlng,
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(delwedd C3275) (tudalen 048)
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. 4^ DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
GRAILS. Same as Gruels (q.v.).
GRAMFER-GRIG. i. The long-l^ged water-gnat. 2. The word also occurs in the
nursery rhyme : —
** Gramfer Greg *Ad a fine peg, An' putt'n into clauver ; The peg a died. An'
gramfer cried, Zo all the fun waz auver.**
GRENDING-STONE. A grind-stone. (Always.) Cf. '^Grindinq-stofu.
'''GRIBBLE. I. I think this word is applied to any seedling tree or shrub,
and is not confined to an apple-tree. The young plants sold by seedsmen are
called grMUs.
2. A small pellet or grain. *<The znaw waz all in gribbles '* {i,e, large
hard flakes).
GRIBBLY. Granular, gritty.
GROVVLE. Gravel. (Always) From a Bill, 1807:— **To 3 seems Ruf cast Grovle
is. 6d.*' From H. Church Accounts, 1656-7 : •* Pd for a seeme of grovel
brought att the Church. 4d." Cf. -'GrawL
GRUBBISH. Hungry.
GRUELS or GRAILS. Greaves, %.e. pieces of pig's fat from which the mord
(lard) has been extracted by melting. They are eaten either fried, or put
into puddings like suet. Puddings made in this manner are called Cruelly
pud'ns or GtaUy pud'ns. Cf. ''Scraps, '^'Scrap pudding.
GRUTE. Loose earth, soil.
GRUTE-REST. The moal-board (mould-board) of a timhcm zole. See Sull.
GULLAMOUTH. A large cloamen pitcher. " Take thucker guUamouth up-along,
wuU ee ? **
-GUTS. " In the guts of the win' " means fully exposed, the
opposite of Hew, Cf. '^'Fleet,
♦HACKLE. Temper, dander. "I rack'n he'd a-got his hackle up, had'n
a, think ? '*
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(delwedd C3276) (tudalen 049)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 49
SL. The left-hand or stouter handle of a limbirn soh. See SuLL.
'HALFENDEAL. This word is now obsolete with us, but it is coinmoa in old
leases in the phrase " moiety or halfendeal."
HALF-HATCH NAIL. A rectangular rose-headed hand- made nail — 2ins. long. A
kalcb nail is 3ins. long.
HALFY (rhymes with Taffy). A fool, or half-witted person.
'HALTER. A hair noose for catching trout and eels.
HAMMER-TACKING. Dawdling, working in a half- hearted manner, taking a long
time about a job. " They've bin hammer-tackin' about yur all day, but I
doan' zim they've got ort to shaw vor "t," " 'Ot b'ee
hammer-tackin' about yur vor ? "
HAMSES (short a). The hames, i.e. the part of a horse's harness to which the
chains or traces are attached. Cf.
HAND-GREEPING-HOOK. A hook formerly used by women for cutting wheat. It was
about half the length of an ordinary reap-kook (q.v.), and was used in the
right hand whilst the wheat was grccpcd (gripped) with the left. About six
grtips or handfuls were made into one sheaf.
HAND-PINS. The handles of a scythe. See Zie.
HAND-REST (an-rest). The right-hand or slighter handle of a Imbtra iole. See
SuLt..
HAND-STAVE. The handle oiaDraskU (q.v.).
HANG-BOW (ang-bue). The back upright of a gate, to which the hangings
(hinges) are attached. Formerly it used to project considerably above the
gate, the upper part being curved towards the head and secured at its end to
a diagonal cross-piece. See Gate.
•HARD, I. This word is also used in mow-making in the sense o! convex. "
I zim the moo's purty hard jis' yur" ((',«. certain sheaves project at
this point). The opposite of this is i/aci {q-v.).
2. Loudly. (Common.) "Spaik harder: I can't yur ee." Cf.
"^Hard of hearing.
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(delwedd C3277) (tudalen 050)
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50 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
HARD-A-GALLOP (ard-a-gollop). Galloping very fast, much faster than a
hand-gallop. <*He raud roun* the comder *ard-a-goIIop.*'
HARD MATTER. Difficult. •' 'Tis hard matter to git about."
HARVEST GLOVES. Special sheepskin gloves for use in bending (binding) corn
into sheaves.
♦HATCH. The doors in a barn are usually made in halves, called
half-hatches, and distinguished as top-hatch and bottom- hatch. In cottages
the hatch corresponds to the bottom-hatch^ but there is an ordinary or
full-length door as well. A trap-door is called trap-hatch.
HATCH NAIL. A rectangular rose-headed hand-made nail — 3ins. long. A
half-hatch nail is 2ins. long.
HAVAGE. Stock or ancestry. "He kom'th of a good havage."
*HAW (hoa, the vowel as in local hold). The word used in driving cattle.
HEAD-COLLAR. The ordinary bridle belonging to cart harness. Commoner than
Blind-collar. Cf. *Blind-halter.
HEAD-TOW (ed-taw). In a plough or other implement, the loop (usually
adjustable) to which the short-chain (q.v.) is attached.
HEAM UP (aim up). To lay by, to save. <« I've 'aim'd up thucker viel* vor
'ay " {i.e. unstocked it). " They zay he *th a-got dree or vower
years* shear o' wool 'aim'd up in shippen tallat."
HEAP. Used instead of hill in the words dung-heap, emmet-heap, w&nt-heap,
&c.
HEED-Y-PEEP. The game of Hide and seek.
"No— dant ren o£f. and A«<^ away." Peter Pindar, Devonshire-Hob^
s Love.
HEIGH, HEIGH IN, HEIGH THERE, HEIGH UP. Terms of encouragement to dogs when
hunting rabbits.
HELLEN or HELLING-STONE. A roofing slate. From a bill, 1807 : " To 250
Helling Stones 3s. gd." From the H. Church Accounts, 1631-2 : «* Pd more
to George Grigg for helling stones 8d.**
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(delwedd C3278) (tudalen 051)
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JENJOUS. I. Large, tremendous. Possibly a corruption of keiMiis.
" A henjous job."
2. Very, " He hit ma most henjous hard.
HEPPING-STOCK. See Leppinc-stock.
HERBY-PIE. See Abby-Pie.
HIGH-GERANIUM. The hydrangea.
HILF. The haft or handle of such tools as an axe, a mattock, &c. Cf. Imp.
Diet., Helve.
HIT. To germinate, said of seed or plant. Cf, '^Hal.
HOA. See Haw.
HOARY MORNING, i. A kind of apple.
2. A morning when (he ground is covered with hoar-frost.
HOG'S-PUDDING (ug's-pud'n ; pud rhymes with mud). A pork sausage.
HOITY-TOITY! (vowels drawn out to a great length). An expression frequently
used to soothe cows when they are being milked, &c. Used also as a verb ;
" Hoity-toity wi' min" (i.e. fondle or soothe them).
HOLT (hoalt). Hold. ee? " " The pole waz
(Co,
Blippei
a.)
' Take hoalt o'n, wull :ud'n git no hoalt."
*HOLUS BOLUS. Wholly, entirely. ■' He swallowed the cherries bolus
bolus " (i.e. stones and all).
HOOK. Applied only to a cutting instrument. See Browse-hook,
Hand-gheepisg-hook, Patch-hook, Reap- uooK, Spear-hook, Thatchinc-hook.
HOOLER. A roller at the back of a hay-cart, used for tightening the
cart-ropes. Possibly a corruption oi haitltr,
HOPPY-GALLOWS ('oppy-gallis). A bar set up for jumping over. Cf,
-Cat-yalloivs, '^Hoppy,
HORNY-WINK. The lapwing plover ; generally called Bfodtty korny-tt'ink.
Bradworthy is a small town, about eight roiles S.E. of H. At Combmartin this
bird is called ChaHacombe horny-wink, and it is a curious coincidence that
Challacombe is about the same distance S.E. of Comb- martin.
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(delwedd C3279) (tudalen 052)
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52 DIALECT OF HARTLAXD.
HORSE LIMPET foss limpit). A coarse unedible limpet.
HORSE LONG-CRIPPLE foss lung-cripple). The dragon- fly. (Always.) Cf.
"^Horse-stinger.
HOUSEN (5 like z). To put into house. (Obsolescent.) «* 'Tis time to houzen
they there bullocks." Cf. "^Piecen.
HOUSE-SNAIL (ouze-znail). The common shell snail. The black slugs are called
^Dew-snails,
HULDER. I. A deafening noise or din. " I could'n yur nort at all, there
waz zich a hulder in the room."
2. To blow violently, to roar. "The win' hulder'd in the chimley."
HUMMICK. A large piece or hunch, generally applied to bread or cheese.
HUMPY-DOWN-DAP. A game consisting in throwing stones at a large triangular
stone set up on end. Each boy before throwing usually calls out :
" Humpy down dap. Knack'n down vlat.**
If he does not call out something, he is out.
IDJIT. I. An idiot.
2. A particular form of cultivator. It consists of a square frame, which
carries 16 short tings (tines) having small triangular feet. It has no
wheels, and is drawn from one comer. It is a modem implement, but I think it
is only made by local smiths.
IDOCITY. Intelligence, gumption. Commoner than "^Docity.
*JACK. To withdraw, or back out of anything. "He'll sure to jack out o*t
eef he kin."
JAY. An exclamation, meaning Indeed, or Tfaith. "Jay, but I wuU
then." (Now rarely heard.)
JULK. To jolt.
KAIN. To squint, to look shyly, to look askance. "He kain'd athort the
table to ma."
KEEBLE. A part of a Drashle (q.v.). Cf. *Ctf/rf,
Dialect op HartlaNd,
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(delwedd C3280) (tudalen 053)
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53 " Take a
KIBBITor KIPPIT. A cudgel or large stick. good kibbit, an' let it into
"n" {i.t. thrash him).
KIBBLES. A disease of a cow's foot. Cf. '-'Kihby-heih. "i^KIP. 1. Keep,
f. ajiii 5.
2. The term used in calling horses. Cf. "Cup.
KISSING-BUSH (bush rhymes with rush). A substitute for the mistletoe. It
consists of a small furze bush, which is dipped ia water, powdered with
tlour, and studded all over with holly-berries.
-KIT. A kite (bird).
"KNITCH. A initch of reed always consists of six small sheaves, called
Wads (q.v.).
KNOB (sometimes nub). A lump or block, not necessarily a protuberance;
applied to coals, stones, &c.
KNOBBY (sometimes nubby). i. In lumps like coals. ^Nubbly also is common.
2. A small cake or bun, called also Knobby -cake.
3. Smart, natty, swellish. Sec also Nobbv,
■^ KNOT (always iial). Any small bed of flowers is called by this name.
I think it is generally applied to the small bed usually found at one end or
corner of a kitchen garden. " Where did 'ee git thuse Sowers vrom ? Vrom
the nat ? "
LADDER. A part of a limbern xoli. See Sull.
LADDER-CART (-curt). A skeleton hay-cart. (Rare.)
LADE-BUCKET. A small dipping-bucket, used in brewing, &c. Cf,
"Late-paH.
"^LAND. Of sand, to carry m^ aiiMf cliff (i.e. from the beach lo the top
of the cHfQ, " He us'd to dralve the dungkeys laodin' zan'."
'LARRAS. In a pair oidrags (heavy harrows), the wooden beams which carry the
tings (tines). The bars of a gate are called PaUs (q.v,).
LASH, Of rain, to pour. " The rain waz lashin' down."
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(delwedd C3281) (tudalen 054)
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54 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
LAST- TOUCH (rhymes with baste pitch). A game in which a person touched has
to run after and touch somebody else. In cross-touch, the chase is diverted
from the pursued by a third person accidentally or wilfully crossing between
the other two.
LAW. To load a cart, or make a tiww or zess, i.e, to arrange or build up the
sheaves, or the loose hay, straw, &c. •* He'd better putch an' you
law." From the H. Church Accounts, 1616-7 : " Pd a fellowe to helpe
lowe up the Shindels 6d.
♦LEASE (laize). To pick out weed-seeds, &c. by hand from
imperfectly winnowed corn.
LEASE-COW (laize-cow). A cow that is not in calf, a
Harrencr,
LEAVE (laiv). To let or allow. " Laiv'n be, he'll git better
drackly." " Laiv'n bide " {i,e. let him alone).
LENDY-HAY. Meadow hay, or hay from permanent grasses, in contradistinction to
clover-hay (q.v.)*
LENTH. Loan. From the H. Church Accounts, 1682-3 : ** Pd for the lenth of two
sarges is. 6d." Commoner than "^Leni.
♦LENT-ROSE. The daffodil. I have heard Unt-rosens for the plural.
"Us caal'th min Lent-rosens, but the proper name's Lent-lilies."
Cf. '^Rexens, and the literary CA^V^ns.
LEPPING-STOCK. The stone steps from which a horse is mounted. Commoner than
Hepping-stock. Cf. "^Uppin- stock,
LERRUP. To beat, thrash. " I'll lerrup tha, eef thee kom'st yur
again." Cf. "^Lurrup.
LERRUPING. I. Walking along in a slovenly manner, usually with the clothes
trailing in the mud. *' I zeed her lemipin' alung jis' now." When
applied to men, it means merely slouching along.
2. Large. ** Ot*s bring zich a lerrupin' gurt bundle *s that vor ? "
LERRUPS. Rags, tatters. ** Her vrock waz all to lerrups.
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(delwedd C3282) (tudalen 055)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 55
"Take a stick an" let it
LET OUT. To sow with grass seeds. "I shell graw tunnuts there these
year, and let'n out nex" year wi' wuts" (ij. sow grass seeds with
the oats).
*LIDDEN. A tale or yarn. " A purty lidden they've bin tellin' up 'bout
'n."
•LILY-HANGER. Our version of the riddle is— Two lookers, Iwo creokin, Vower
sliET standers, Vower I iiy -hangers, And a wbip about.
I have never heard the term applied to a cow's teat except in this instance.
I used to think it meant UttU liangen, because children say a lily bit for a
little hit ; but as we have the phrase to hang /i/v, meaning to hang freely
or limply, it may mean limbir or pliant hangers.
LINGING (rhymes withsingin'). Tiring, wanting a deal of patience. (Common.)
" "Tid'n 'ard work, you knaw, but 'tis cruel lingin', lik skinnin'
tetties."
*L1NHAY (linny). With us a cart-shed is always called a cart-linhay, not
wagon-linhay. Wagons are comparatively rare.
LIP-IT-A-LOP. Limping. " I zeed 'n komin' alung IJp-it- a-lop."
LIT. Little. (Very common.)
LOBBY. Sweet and sticky, as treacle, honey, &c.
LOBLOLLY BOY. An errand boy.
LOGIC. Nonsense. (No other meaning.)
LONG-BIDERS. A kind of wiirdin' -apple (hoarding-apple).
=LONG-CRIPPLE. The viper. (Always.) The word is not applied to a snake, or a
hare. The dragon-fly is called 'on titng-cripple. From the Imp. Diet. I take
:
"Cretplt (obs). A creepinf! animal ; areplile; a serpent or viper.
'There is one creeping beasi, oc long iruflt {as the name is in Devonshire),
thai balh a rattle at his lail tbat doth discover his aga,' Motion."
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(delwedd C3283) (tudalen 056)
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56 DiALECt Ot? riARtLAJ^D.
LONG-STRAW, This is separated from the short-straw (q.v.) by hand, and is
made into bundles for use in covering ricks, &c., as a substitute for
''reed. The process, called making lun^-straw^ consists in taking a handful
in both hands, separating the hands so as to divide the handful in the
middle, and shaking out the short straws. From a lease, 1741 : **Two days
thatch of good wheaten long- straw."
LOP. To limp. A lame dog is often called Loppy. Cf. "^^Loppy,
LOUSTER. I. To waste or litter ; generally applied to straw, &c.
"Thee *rt loustering the straw all auver the raud.*'
2. A mess. " Zee 'ot a louster thee hast a-made."
3. To walk fast with a rolling motion. " He kin louster alung brave, I
kin tell 'ee."
LOUSTERING. Large, powerful. " 'Ot a gurt lousterin' maid it is, to be
sure."
*LUG. Also, grass or green stuff growing with corn. " The whait won't
kom to car' very quick ; there's zo much lug in 't."
MACHINE-HOUSE. The shed containing the horse-gear for driving machinery. Cf.
'^' Round-house .
MADDICK. A mattock. (Always.) There are three different kinds in general use,
viz. : i. Rooting maddick for digging furze, earth, &c. ; 2. Hacking
maddick for cleaning the surface of the earth of weeds, &c. ; 3. Digger
or Digging maddickf formed with two prongs, and used for digging potatoes,
&c.
MAGGOTY-HEADED. Passionate. Ci. Wright, Maggots, Maggoty.
MAHL or ME-AHL. To mew or cry ; generally applied to cats.
MAIDEN. A clothes-horse. (Rare ; probably imported from Liverpool.)
"^'MAIN. Used also as an adj., meaning great, large, &c. •* A main
zight o' things.'* " A main lot."
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(delwedd C3284) (tudalen 057)
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DIALECT OP HARTLAND. 57
MAIZE. See Mease.
MAKE FAST. To fasten. " Make vas' the door, wullee?"
MAKE OUT. To extinguish, applied to a light or fire. '* Make out the
light."
MARK IN. When shooting birds (/.*. partridges) it is customary to send a boy
to an elevated point to mark in, i.e. to observe and note, for the
information of the sports- men, where the birds drop.
'MARVELS. Marbles. The game usually played at H. consists in marking on the
ground a D if two are playing, or a triangle if three or four are playing. A
marble is placed at each angle of the figure, and, when four are playing, at
the middle of one side also. The object of the game is to knock the marbles
out of the figure by trucklini; (trundling) an -alky (a large marble). It is
allowable to run after and stop the alley where and as one likes, and, when a
boy succeeds in knocking a marble out, he has the right to try again.
MASKELL. The common green caterpillar. Cf *Mawl- scrawl,
M.\TRIMONY, A mixture of gin and whisky, or gin and rum. The former is a very
favourite tipple.
MAUR. See Moor.
MAXIM. To play. " I zeed min maximin' about in the fiel'."
*MAXIMS. Also, pranks, tricks; used only in the plural, " Noaa o' yur
maxims, now 1 " " He's up to wan of hees maxims, I'll wilro"
{i.e. warrant or wager).
MEADER. A mower.
MEART. A frequent pron. oimight, as zeavt is of sitiht, hart of light, mart
of ni'jkl, ftnrt or veari ol fight, &c. See the Introduction.
MEASE (maize). The ordinary measure of herrings = 6i2. Imp. Did. gives 500,
and J'lgo 505. " The number is thus made up :^three fish = one cast (as
much as can be held in one hand) ; 50 cast (or a long hundred of 120 + 10
cast) + one thrown in=i53 (the number of the miraculous draught, curiously
enougli) : 4 x 153 = 612, or a mease." Eti'jliih Illustrated MiKjasim,
Dec, 1884.
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(delwedd C3285) (tudalen 058)
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58 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
MEEZE. Mice. (Always.)
'* I'd gee the devils zich a squeeze, I'd make mun look so small as meeze,
Well chow*d by oar ould cat.*'
PetiY Pindar, Tht MiddUstx Election.
MELM. Soft slaty rock. A headland on the north coast of H. is called Blue
Melm Point (marked Blue Mellem in the Ordnance Map), probably from the kind
of rock of which it is composed.
MENJY. A minnow.
MILKY-DASHLE. Milk-thistle. See Dashle.
*MILLERD. A common children's rhyme is : —
Millerdy, millerdy, dowsty poll,
How many pecks hast thee a-stole ?
Vower an* twenty.
My belly's empty,
Zo, grammer, gee ma zom zupper.
*MIND. To be afraid of. " Doan ee mind *n, my dear ; he won't ort
ee."
MIRE. A bog or swamp. (Always.) MIX-MEDLEY. A jumble. MOAT. See Moot.
MOIL. A mule. (Rare.) Marked obsolete in the glossary of the Exmoor Scolding
and in Imp. Diet.
MOKUS. A donkey. Also Moke, as in Imp. Diet.
MOOCH. To saunter. "'Ot d'ee do then all the time? Aw, I jis' mooch'd
about the town."
♦MOOR (maur), i. The several branching roots and rootlets which grow
out from the tnooi fpron. moat) of a tree. •* To pull up a plant maur an'
mooV " ^mould) means to pull it up entirely, with all the roots ana the
mould adhering to them.
2. The term is also applied to wheat when it first appears above the ground,
e.g. "That's a good whait maur," or •* That's a good maur o'
whait," meaning the wheat has a strong root, or has taken root well.
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(delwedd C3286) (tudalen 059)
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DIALECT OP HARTLAND. 59
HOOT (moat). The entire root of a tree, including the moors "(pron.
maun). The latter are often cut off, and the maat placed in an inverted
position in a garden to receive flower-pots and growing planis, especially
creepers. Sometimes the meat forms the basis of a kind of rockery.
MOOT ABOUT (rooat about). Of corn, to throw out blades, to tiller.
•MOPS .\ND BROOMS. "To feel all mops and brooms " is to be Hill of
sorts, generally with a bad cold in the bead ; to be dull and depressed.
MOP UP. To tie up the head with a scarf or comforter, generally in the case
of a cold or of tootliache. " 1 wudn go about wi' my 'aid mopt up like
that, eef I waz you."
MORD (rhymes with lord, not board). Lard. A pig is said to be well morded
when there is a large quantity of fat over the kidneys, &c. Cf.
"Mori.
MOTE. I have only heard this in the compound word ttraw-mote (q.v.), when it
is always pron. tnut.
MOULDER. To mildew. " The boots waz moulder'd aU auver." "
Doan' ee car' th' 'ay to-day, ma ister ; 't wull sure to moulder."
MOULDERY. Mildewed.
MOUNTING-LARK (ff omitted). The sky-lark. (Always.)
MOW-COLLARS (moo-collars). Circular hdlciis (slates) surrounding the
tHow-slona, or stone supports of a mow- tUad (q.v.), to prevent rats and mice
from climbing up.
MOWHAY (moo-y. rhymes with bluey). A stackyard, (Always.) There is a field at
H. called Bariiliay, so called, I suppose, because it once contained a barn.
Cf. '^Mow- barton,
MOW-STEAD (moo-stid). A stand for mows or ricks. Cf. *Moia-staddU.
MOW-STONES (moo-stones), i. Large pebbles or stones placed upon a mow or rick
to prevent the thatch from being blown away, a. The stone supports of a
mow-stead (q.v.).
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(delwedd C3287) (tudalen 060)
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6o DiALfiCt Ol^ HARtLAND.
MUNGE. To munch.
MUTE. The cross between a jackass and a mare.
MY IVERS ! (ivers rhymes with divers). An exclamation. Cf. "^My eyeSf
"^My eyemers.
NADGERS. An expression used when a coin, in tossing, falls upon its edge,
neither head nor tail up.
N ALE. An awl. Cf. -^Nawl ; Imp. Diet., Nail.
NAMMET. Lunch. (Used at Landcross, near Bideford.)
NAN. An expression of interrogation, equivalent to What ? What do you say ?
Not so common as Plaize-fev (q.v.).
NECK-ROPE AND CLOPS. The old device for attaching cows to the upright poles,
called sdltrees (q.v.), in a shippcn. It consists of a wooden collar
{neck-rope), similar to that of a yoke, and a wooden latch or clasp (clops),
conecting the ends of the collar above the cow's neck. The neck-rope is
connected to an iron ring, called a riddle (q.v.), which slides up and down
on the zdltrees.
NEEZE, V and 5. Sneeze. (Not general.)
NESTLE-DRAFT (nistle-draflf). The youngest of a family, or the smallest of a
brood or litter. Cf. "^NesiU-tripe.
NIB. A stout stick, hooked at one end and pointed at the other, used for
securing the ends of straw ropes in mows or ricks, or for fastening reed
against the cut face of a stack which has been partially thrashed.
*NICKY. A short-tailed horse. (Not common.)
♦NIPPER. Also, a sharper.
*NITCH. See Knitch.
NOBBY. The child's name for a colt. " There's a purty little nobby.'*
Apparently a corruption of an hobby, as dumman is of old 'umman (woman).
However, I have never heard dumman used without the preceding old. See also
Knobby.
NOG. To nudge.
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(delwedd C3288) (tudalen 061)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 6r
UT-HAL (nit-al). i ^j^^ jj^^^j^ j ^^ ^^^ ^.^-^^ ..^^^^^
NUT-HALSE (nit-alce)J is used alone.
OAK-MAST. Acorns.
•OAK-WEB (if always pron.). The cockchafer.
OAZE-CORN. Com with adherins chaff separated from the good corn in the
process of winnowing. See Winnowing.
OAZLE-PIPE. The wind-pipe.
OFFY. Contraction of Alfred. (Common.)
•ON. Of. " AUon's"means Allof us.
*ORT. Also, the verb ought. "He dtdn ort vor do 't."
'PADDLE. In brewing, a wooden spade-shaped instrument used for mashing.
PALE. A bar of a gate or hurdle. From H. Church Accounts, i6i6-7 ; "
Paid for four pales for the said yeat (gate) 25."
PALTRIDGE (pal-tridge, not paul-tridge). A partridge. (Always.) Of.
"PalUndge.
•■ Leek palltlges \a slubble." Ptltr Pindar, Dnenshire-Hob's Levi.
PANNIER MARKET. The ordinary vegetable or fruit market in contradistinction
to a meat or fish market.
PATCH-HOOK. A bill-hook.
•PANCH. Also, to prick and work a wound to extract matter, or any foreign
substance, such as a bullet or a prickle.
PEASE. The hard roe of fishes.
•PEAZE OUT (pron. pise out). To ooze, as from a cask.
PEN AND POSSLET. In brewing, the spigot and faucet used for drawing off the
wort from the keeve. Cf. 'Ftn.
PENNERD. A pennyworth, plaize."
'A pennerd o' whip-coard,
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(delwedd C3289) (tudalen 062)
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62 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
*PENTICE. Also, the porch often seen before a cottage door.
PEPPER-DREDGE. A pepper-box. Cf. *Dreige.
PICAROONER. A small herring-boat ; originally applied to boats used in
wrecking. (Clovelly.)
""PICK. A hay-fork is always called peek ; a pickaxe is some- times
called pick^ but oftener pickex^ pickice or peckice. From H. Church Accounts,
1661-2 : ** Pd Peter Wakely for new makeing the Peckice which belongs to the
Church is. 2i."
PICKADOG. The dog-fish. (Clovelly.)
*PICKY-BACK (pron. /^^^-back).
PILE. A heap of ten fackets (faggots) of wood, arranged in the form of a
prism. See Seam.
PIMROSE. The primrose. (Always.)
*PIT. Also, a grave. Cf. ^Pit-hole.
PIZE OUT. See Peaze Out.
PISKY. A pixy.
PLAIZE-PEV. A corruption of " What will you please to have ? " Used
as an interrogation, meaning simply What ? What do you say ? See also Nan.
PLITCH BAG. A thick hemp bag used for grist.
PLUCK- WOOL. Wool plucked from sheep-skins after the sheep are dead, in
contradistinction to Vlaice-wool (fleece- wool). The wool from diflferent
parts of the body is in both cases known by diflferent names, as Tail-wooL
Belly- «w/, &c. CI. ""Fell-wool.
PLUFFY. Spongy. Often applied to bread.
PLUG. A wooden block attached by a chain to one fore-1% of a horse or an ass
to prevent it from straying. See also Fetter, Hobble. '' ^
*PLUM. This also means soft and springy. "The haid's
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(delwedd C3290) (tudalen 063)
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' HARTLAND. 63
POLE. A walking-stick. " Vetch ma ma pole."
*POOK. A large hay-cock is called poke.
PORE (paur). To cram or stuff. '■ He paur'd it down the draut o'n"
{i.e. his throat).
POSSLET. See Pen and Posslet.
POT. Gut or intestine ; generally used in the plural.
POTTLE-BELLIED. Pot-bellied.
POWER. A great quantity, or a great deal, as well as a great number. "A power
of good."
PUNISH. To impoverish, appHed both to animals and land. " 'Ow thuze
sheep be punish'd. to be zure." " He punish'd the Ian' moas'
turribJe bad whiles he'd a-got it."
PURGY (rhymts with clergy). Thickset, podgy. (Common.)
PURT, Sullen, glum, "He's a-go purt" means he has become sullen.
Cf. ^Apurt, 'Purt)',
QUAIL. I. To wither. Cf. -QuiU.
2. To have a sinking sensation in the stomach. " I'm quailin' away vor
w&nt o' zummot to ait."
QUARLY (rhymes with marly). To quarrel. Cf. 'Quardly.
QUARRENER. A kind of apple. Also called Qiiarroider, but generally
-Quarantiw,
A quarry. (Always.) Cf.
QU.\Ry (rhymes with hairy). ^"^uar, '-'Quar-pit.
QUENCH. To slake. From H. Church Accounts, 1681-3 : " To Richard Coule
for quenching 4 bushells of Lime clensing the church yard and stoping the
windowes 31. grf." See also Slight.
QUICK. Soon. {Very common.) " Us shan't git the rail- way yur, nat very
quick."
QUILLET. A small plot of land, generally a coppice. (Rare,) In a lease, 1702,
occurs the phrase: " A platt or quillet of ground." In this case
the plot referred to was used as a garden. The word is still used as the name
of a fidd. Wright gives " QkiW^/. A croft."
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(delwedd C3291) (tudalen 064)
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64 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
'-'RACK. Any gap in a hedge made by animals or persons getting over it.
" Jis* putt a thorn in thucker rack vor buck back the bullocks."
RAGS. Irregular roofing slates, which are nailed to the rafters (not to
battens) by special nails, called rag-nails.
'''RAISE. In making a road, to barrel it or make it convex before the stones
are applied.
'^'RANGE (rhymes with mange, not flange). A hair sieve.
RAW-LAY. Grass land which has been ploughed to grow a crop, generally oats,
which is then called raw-lay wuts.
*REAP-HOOK (raip-). A large sickle used for reaping.
REED-COMB. A hand-tool for combing reed^ i.c. making reed by combing the
straw.
REED-COMBER. A machine for the same purpose. Cf. ''''Reed-maker.
REEP (rhymes with deep), i. To trail in the mud. " Her vrock waz reepin*
all alung the groun'."
2. In harrowing, to gather up weeds, &c., under the harrow. *' The
harrows ha' to be empt'ed aich eend o' the vier, they reep zo."
REMEDY (accent on second syllable). So we hdiVQCotUrdry^ interesting^
mischievious,
REND (ren). To strip oflF bark, to rind. This is done by a rending-ire, a
sort of chisel, flat on one side and convex on the other. Rending-time is, of
course, the early spring, when the buds are forming and the zape (sap) is
nmning. Cf. "^'Rene.
REW (roo). I. To swing the scythe in mowing. " He's a rare chap vor voUy
arter ; he rewth zo aiv*m-like.**
2. To sift corn in a small-sieve (q.v.) by giving the latter a peculiar rotary
motion. The oaze-corn (q.v.) collects at the centre and is picked out by hand
; the small seeds of weeds, &c., pass through ; and the good corn is left
at the circumference. This forms the finishing process in hand- winnowing.
See Winnowing. Cf. */?«w, *Reiving-zieve.
3. To swing as children do. *' The childem be rewin' down top tallat."
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(delwedd C3292) (tudalen 065)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 65
REW-TAUTER. A child's swing.
RHEUMATICS. Rheumatism. (Always.) A safe cure is to carry a potato in one's
pocket.
RIDDAM. The red ferruginous water or ooze from mires, bogs, etc.
♦RIDDLE. An iron ring, used for attaching cows to the upright poles, or
zaltrces (q.v.) in a skippen. See also Neck- ROPB AND Clops.
RIDGER. A ridgel or ridgeling, an animal half castrated. RIFLE. To raffle.
(Always.)
RIP-RENDED. Broken, usually applied to bread. " Thuze yur boughten
loaves be purty nigh always rip-rended."
RISER. The spring part of a springle (q.v.).
RITTLE. A rattle in the throat. Hard breathing is called fittling.
"Twadn snorin* zackly ; twaz more rittling.'* See also Death-rittle.
** And whan tha dest zey mun, tis bet whilst tha art scrubbing, hewstring,
and rittling ib^d.—Exmoor Scoldings 1. 267.
*' Ritiling a-hed. Wheezing, rattling, routing, and snoring. (Obsolete.) *'—Ibid.,
Glossary.
RIXY. Wanton, lewd. ** Rixy as a ram."
*' Pitha dest thenk enny Theng will e'er vittee or goodee wey zich a
wbatnozed, haggle-tooth*d, stare-bason, timersome, rixy, wapper-ee'd Theng as
thee art ? " — Exmoor Scolding, 1. 59.
*' Rixy. Quarrelsome, scolding, carping. (Rather rare.) " — Ibid.,
Glossary.
ROMAN JESSAMINE. The shrub syringa.
ROPE-SPINNING. See Wink.
ROPING-POLE. A long pole used in thatching stacks. See Thatch.
ROUSTER. A great noise, a rouser.
ROW-DASHLE. See Dashle.
ROW-DOGS (rhymes with cow and mugs). Rough men. (Clovelly.)
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(delwedd C3293) (tudalen 066)
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66 DIALECT OP HARTLAND.
RUCKLE. To crumple or crease.
RUMBULLIOUS. Noisy. CL VfrighU Rumlmaiam.
RUMP UP. To shrug or gather up with the cold. " Rumped up like a
toad," or '* Rumped up like a dwindU" (q.v.) are the usual similes.
'^'RUSE (5 like zy Also, a landslip or earth-fiall, including both the portion
of earth fallen away and the act of slipping. << This yur ruze must ha'
kom zinze laste neart." '* There hath a-bin a terrible ruze yur,
looky." Cf. *Ruumcttt,
'''SACK. A sack of oats is Jive bushels ; but of other grain four bushels, as
in West Som.
SALTER (z<er). A large stone or earthenware trough used in salting
bacon, etc.
SAND-LEWS (zan'-looz). A recess formed to receive sand, to prevent it from
being blown away. Cf. "^Lews^ *PigS'loou.
SCABBY. Shabby, sciursry. " A scabby trick."
SCANTLE SLATE. Very small roofing slates, hung to laths by wooden pins and
pointed inside the roof with mortar. From a bill, 1807 : "To 50 Scantle
Slate is. 5^."
SCANTLINGS. The small timber used on roofs. Ct "^Scantling.
SCARE. To slide on the ice. Same as Skerry (q.v.).
♦SCARIFIER (skerry-fyer). A horse hoe (not a cultivator^, which
generally has three legs and sharp cutting feet. It is drawn between the
drills of green crops to kill weeds, etc. It is not the same as a ^Scuffle or
"^ScujffUr.
♦SCAT. I. A shower. Same as *Scad.
2. A slap. " I'll gee ee a scat in the chacks, eef thee disn hoar thee
b&l."
3. To slap.
4. To break or smash. " Her'th a-bin an' scat the putcher." "
The box waz all scat abroad avore us got'n.*'
5. To become bankrupt. *^ 'T wan't be lung, I rack'n, 'vore a scat'th,
jidgin' by his gwains-on."
6. To rough-cast in masonrjc^ Same as Staf-dash (q.v.).
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(delwedd C3294) (tudalen 067)
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'SCORE (skaur). To mark generally, not necessarily by beating. For
example, flagged floors, after being washed, are noted around the edges with
a piece of freestone.
SCOVY. A bad fellow. ■' A purty scovy he I "
SCOW. To trample.
iCRAMMY. Cramped, confined. " A cruel scrammy oal place, id'n it ?
"
ICRAP. I. A skirmish.
2. To snap, to break off suddenly with a noise. Cf. "Crap.
SCRIMMED (scrim'd). Stiff or benumbed by being in a cramped or confined
position. {Common.} "I zim the bull's retber scrim'd ; he hath'o had
much exercise vor a day or two." Cf. ■ Scrambcd.
SCRIMPY, I. Small, scanty. "'Ota scrimpy bit you've a-brort ma." 2.
Stingy. "A scrimpy oal' toad."
•SCRUF. Scurf, dandruff. Cf. Imp. Diet.
SCRUMPED UP (skrumpt up). Over-baked, shrivelled by heat.
SCUFFLER. A cultivator having four wheels and seven long legs, the latter of
which have large triangular feet, and are fixed in a triangular frame. Not
the same as Scarifier (q.v.).
'SEAM. I. A measure of sand = six pecks. An ordinary bvtt, filled to the
level of the sides, is supposed to contain six seams. Imp, Diet, gives "
A measure of eight bushels of com, or the vessel that contains it." From
a bill, 1807: — "To 2 Seems Grovle is. ad." From a lease, 1741 : —
"One hundred and twenty horse Seams of Sea Sand, or two hundred horse
Seams of good Stall or Stable dung."
2. A pile of ten large iiichs (instead of faggots), arranged in the form of a
prism. See also Pile. Cf. ''Cord.
^HALDEE. The common corn-flag or yellow iris.
iHAMMICKS. A poor or lean animal. "A proper oal' sbammicks," "
A poor shammicks of a '05s."
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(delwedd C3295) (tudalen 068)
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68 DIALECT OF HARTLAXD.
SHANKY-DUDELY-HIGH-HO. A boys' game. One, called shanky, clasps his hands
together, and tries to touch another before the latter reaches koms,
SHELF. Soft slaty rock. Same as Milm (q.v.)«
SHERRA-MOUSE (-mouze). The shrew mouse.
*SHET. I. This, too, is the usual pron. of both shut and shoot, •* Shet the
door, wut ? " " Thee't a purty shotsman ! why, thee casn shet a
ha>Tick flyin'." Chaucer uses both sheiCf v.t. or i., to shoot, and
shette^ shet^ v.t., to close or shut.
2. To shet sand is to shovel it into small heaps on the beach to allow the
water to drain ofif previous to landing (q.v.).
SHINDLE. A shingle or wooden roofing-tile. The invariable form in the H.
Church Accounts, 1597- 1706.
SHINGLE. A snail. (Rare.)
SHOCK. The following are the different kinds of shocks of com: —
1. Vowers (4 sheaves), for barley and oats.
2. Dizzens (12 sheaves, including 3 for a hat)^ chiefly for barley. Now
almost obsolete.
3. Stitches (10 sheaves), for wheat.
4. Double stitches (20 sheaves, including 4 for a hat)^ for wheat. The
sheaves for the hat are placed butt-end upwards. This, too, is now rarely
used.
Cf. *Stitch, *Hat, *Wind-mow.
♦SHORD (always shurd), A piece of broken crockery. Sometimes called
potshurd^ but rarely panshurd.
SHOOT (shet). A gutter or pipe to convey water bom a roof ; a spout. There is
a place near H. called Watter-Shet (water-shoot).
SHORT-CHAIN. The draft-chain of any implement. Cf. ^'Foot-chain.
SHORT-STRAW. Straw from which *Yeid or long-straw (q.v.) has been separated.
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(delwedd C3296) (tudalen 069)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 69
SHOVEL (always skocl). The shovels used at H. are the Cornish mining shovels.
They have small pointed flat blades, and very long curved handles to enable
the knee or thigh to assist in the operation of lifting. The method of using
them is strikingly diflerent to that employed for ordinary shovels, which
have much larger blades and shorter handles. The socket for the handle is
called the vals, and the ridge formed on the blade for strengthening purposes
is called the crease (pron. craise).
SHRUMPED UP. Same as rumped up (q.v.). SHUG. Shy.
SIMMITING {g omitted). An inclination or fondness for
a person of the opposite sex.
" But had he ever a simathin vor thicka harum-scarem solvere ?"
Mrs. Palmer, A Devonshin Dialogue (Ed. 1839).
SIMMITY. To look after admiringly, to pay attention to. •* I zeed'n simmitin*
round arter her."
"^'SISS. I. A great fat woman.
2. To throw, generally along the ground. " Siss min auver yur
then."
3. To drive. " Siss min alung."
SISSING-GIRT. The extra or loose girth of a side-saddle.
*SIZE, The fact or truth about a matter. ** I rack'n that's about the size
o't."
♦SIZES. Regular roofing slates, %.e. slates cut to given dimensions.
They are nailed to battens at right angles to the refters (rafters).
SKEANER (rhymes with gainer or meaner). Used in the phrase "rin like a
skeaner," or **go like a skeaner," meaning very fast. What a
skeaner is, I do not know. It may be a winding machine for making skeins.
SKERRY. To slide on the ice. ** 'Ot be pokin* in yur vor. Why s-n go out
skerryin' wi' tethers ? "
SKERRY-WHIFF. Thin soup or broth, skilly.
SKEW-WHIFF (skoo-whiff). Askew. "Why thee'st a-got it all to a
skew-whiff." " A purty skew-whiff job thee'st a-made o't."
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(delwedd C3297) (tudalen 070)
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70 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
SKIBBET. A small box fixed inside a large one, at one end of it.
SKID.' Same as Skit (q.v.).
SKIMMER. I. A skim-coulter, or instrument fixed in front of a plough for
paring off the surface of the land.
2. A hooked iron rod used by children for trundling iron hoops without
striking them.
SKIRT. In ploughing, to skim or pare off the surface of any ]and by means of
a broad share. To skirt grass land is called Vclly (q.v.).
*SKIT. To throw a stone along the surface of the water. << Le*s zee eef
I kin skit a stone athort the pon'."
SKITTERIN G. Spread thinly, scattered. " 'Twaz a cruel skitterin'
dressin' a putt to thucker viel*."
♦SKIVER. A wooden skewer only.
*SKIVER-TIMBER. Withy or nuUhdse is often used as a substitute for the real
skiver 'timber.
*SLACK. This word is also used in mow-making in the sense of concave^ or
" slightly hollow.'* ** I zim the moo*s purty slack alung yur ** {i.e.
certain sheaves do not project sufficiently at this point). The opposite of
this is Hard (q.v.).
"^SLADE. The sliding bed of an iron plough, corresponding to the chip
(q.v.) of a timbern zole.
*SLAMMICKING. Long-limbed and ungainly, applied to animals as well as
persons. The H. words having the meanings given in the W. S. Word-Book to
^Slammick^ *Slammicking are generally slomtnockf slommocking (q.v.), although
the exact difference of meaning between slam- micking and slommocking is not
easy to define. We should say "A gurt slammickin* 'oss," not **
slofnmockih' " ; but we should apply either term to a maid, with very
little difference in the meaning. Imp. Diet, gives ^^Slamkin, Siammerkin. A
slut ; a slatternly woman. (Prov. Eng.)."
'* Thus as a greyhound is meek merit lean, So slammakin, untidy, ragged,
mean, Her garments all so shabby and unpinn*d.*'
Peter Pindar, Ode to a Poor Soldier.
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(delwedd C3298) (tudalen 071)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 7I
*SLAP-DASH. To rough-cast ia masonry. Same as Scat
(q.v.). •SLAT. Also, to slit.
SLEE-HOUSE. A lean-to, Extract from a lease, 1728: " All that messuage and
tenement containing a Kitchen Hal! and Parlour wilh chambers over the same a
slee house on the south side a Dairy Barns Stable and Shjppen."
SLENT. Slackening or cessation of effort — used with a negative construction.
" There's no slent in draivin' a
whailbarra gin 'eel" (i.e. hill).
SLICK, adj. and adv. Quick. " Be slick now."
SLIGHT. To slake lime. Cf. 'SUfl.
*SLIPPER. Also slender and pliant. "A slipper stick" is a young
well-grown shoot, or a straight even pole. " A slipper young chap "
is a tail slender young fellow.
SLOMMOCK. An untidy person. " You slommock ! "
SLOMMOCKING. Untidy, slovenly. "A gurtslommockin' maid."
"Whys-n putt yur kep on vitty, slommockin" ? " This use of the
pres. part, is quite common ; for example, a man might say to his horse
" Now then, shyin'," and so on. It seems almost to have the efTect
of a noun in such cases. See also Slammicking,
SLONE. The sloe, saying : —
(Always.) There is a well-known
SLOTTEE. I. To throw about or waste liquids in eating or otherwise, "
Thce'rt slotterin" the peg's-mait all auver the place." "I
doan think a drink'th much; he's slotterin' more'n haaf o't." 2. A mess.
SLOTTER-POOCH. Lit., a person who drewls. A term of abuse.
SLOUGH (sioo). A bye-road at H. is called Sloo Road, and an adjoining field
Sloo Park.
SMALL-SIEVE (zmahl-zaive). sieve used in Riwing (q>v.).
A fine- meshed wooden
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(delwedd C3299) (tudalen 072)
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72 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
SNAILY-BAILY. A child's name for a snail.
SNEAVING. Sneaking, prying, inquisitive.
SOBER. Frequently used as an imperative, meaning steady ! gently I ** Sober
now ! or thee'lt splash it out auver the tub."
SODGER (often sudger). A soldier. ** To act th' oaP sodger " is to
pretend to be ill, to sham illness.
SOO. Of cows, dry of milk. Cf. *Z(?(?.
SOUSE. To splash with water, not to plunge into water. See also Dace.
SOW-PIG (zoo-peg). The wood-louse. Cf. *Pig'5 louse,
SPADE. In addition to the ordinary gardening and draining spades, and the
turf-paring spade (see * Spader), there is a turve-spade used for cutting
turves for burning in the house. It consists of a round steel cutting-blade,
which is secured to aboard handle (about 4" x li" X 4'), having a
hole at the top for one hand, and a wooden loop near the middle for the other
hand. The word spade alone always means a turf-paring spade, other spades
being distinguished by a prefix.
SPALL. A chip or shaving of wood. Cf. "^Sprawl, From H. Church accounts,
1656-7 : — " Paid for baring up of the spals and Tymber which then rem.
out is."
SPARRA-PIE or SPARRA-PUDDING (-pud'n). A fancy dish, supposed to make a
person preternaturally sharp. " I rack'n he'd a got sparra-pudd'n vor
brexus."
SPEAR. A stick, pointed at both ends, used for thatching roofs and stacks. It
is made by slatting (splitting) shoots of withy or nut-halse by means of a
spear-hook, which is like a narrow-bladed bill-hook. Cf. *Spar,
SPECKETTY. Speckled, spotted; usually applied to poultry. ** A specketty
hen.** Cf. *SpickeUy.
SPEN. I. Turf, sward. Cf. -'Spine.
2. Pigs' skin, or the rind of bacon or pork.
♦SPILL. A part of a timhern sole. See Sull.
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(delwedd C3300) (tudalen 073)
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DIAl-ECT OF HARTL*\D. 73
SPINNING ROPE. See Wink.
•SPRINGLE. Th& ordinary springle, or soare for birds, consists of a
pliant stick, called a riser, having one end stuck in the ground, and the
other carrying a hair noose, the springU proper. The stick is bent into the
form of a bow ; and the noose is passed under a staple, called a bridge, and
set upon a platform, or sieaik. The zivaik consists of a slender withy twig,
vraiihtd into the shape of a battledore, and is ItlUd by a small catch or
tiller, which bears also against the bridge and riser. The bait is placed
upon the xwaik, and when the bird pitches upon it, the catch is released and
the noose is drawn up tight against the bridge, the bird being thus caught by
its legs.
In another form of springle, the riser is bent back upon itself, and the
noose is passed through a hole in it, and set by a peg, which forms also the
platform for the bait. There is still another springle which is fixed in the
side of a mow, but 1 do not know its exact form.
SPUDDER. To struggle, or kick about, Cf. '-Spuddly.
SPUKE. A ring inserted in a pig's or bull's nose. In the H. Church Accounts
the word is used for spilte.
SPUR ROAD. A bridle path. Now obsolete in this sense, although the word
remains in the name of a bye-road. The Complete Farmer, 1777, gives: —
"Spurrt-way, a horse- way through inclosed lands, and free to any one to
ride in by right of custom."
SPURTICLES. Spectacles. (Always.) Cf. *SparticUs.
SQUINCH. I. A small slit or opening, such as is frequently seen between
flooring- boards. Halliwcli gives: " A crack in a floor — West."
window or opening. Extract from the H. Church Accounts, 1602-3: — "Item
pd to Hughe the gtasier for glassefor thelitleSquinches of the Tower —
xrf." Hall! well gives: " A small piece of projecting stonework at
the angle of a tower."
STAFF, A handle or stick for a shovel (pron. shool).
*STAG. A young cock.
STAIN, SeeSrtAjj.
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(delwedd C3301) (tudalen 074)
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74 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
STAINT. To stanch. Some people have the power of ''staintin' blid" by
repeating a cha]:m. I know only one charm for this purpose, viz. : " And
when I passra by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto
thee when thou wast in thy blood. Live ; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast
in thy blood. Live." {Ezek. xvi,^ 6) ; but I have not proved its
eflScacy. The peculiarity of the charms for ** staintin' blid " is that
it is necessary to know the name, and the name only, of the sufferer.
STAPE. A staple. (Always.) From the H. Church Accounts, 1629-30 : " Pd
Charles BagilhoU for 2 Stapes of Iron to make fast y* leads ag^ the Tower iiii."
STAT. I. A stoat or ermine.
2. A clot, as of blood, oatmeal gruel, etc.
3. To clot. ** This yiu: gruel is properly statted."
STEAN (stain). A large cloamcn (earthenware) jar or pot for butter, lard,
etc. Imp. Diet, gives '* Steeny Stean (obs.). A vessel of clay or stone.
(A.S. stctna^ a kind of drinking- vessel)."
STEEP. In hedging, to partially cut through the growing wood and lay it down
on the hedge to grow thicker. Extract from a lease, 1741 : — ** Shall not cut
shrid lop or steep any hedge or hedges."
STENT. I. A common. There was a small common at H. called WaYtnUigh Stents
formerly a favourite camping ground of gipsies, and, although it is now
enclosed, it still bears the same name.
2. The limit of the right of pastiurage for any one farm on a common, used in
such sentences as — '* Burz'on has
isay) 10 bullocks' stent on Burz'on Moor," '* Milford has say) 20
sheep's stent on Milford Common," ix, the right of pasturage for that
number of cattle. Cf. Wright, StitU.
STIFFLE. To stifle. (Always.) " Uz waz purty nigh stiffled."
STILL-IRE. The iron that goes into an ironing-box for ironing linen. Cf.
"^'StUing-ire,
STIRRAGE (sterrage). A commotion. Imp. Diet, marks this as obsolete.
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(delwedd C3302) (tudalen 075)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 75
STOP (stap). To visit. "They stapp'd to Kay laste immer." " Is
her stappin' wi' ee?"
STRABBLY. Thin, scattered.
""STRAM. Also, an act of copulation,
STRAT. To bring forth young prematurely, applied only to cows and ewes.
"The cow has strat her caav," Cf. Wright, Strat.
STRAW-MUT. A single straw. See Mote.
STROKE. "In the stroke of the weather" means fully exposed, in the eye
of the weather, in the teeth of the storm.
STROME. A streak or stripe. Cf. "Slrame. STROMY. Streaky ; often applied
to the sky. STRUM. To beat or thrash. •STUB. 1. To root. "You go
stubbin' vuzz."
2. A large sum of money. " He lef n a good stub, I kin tell ee."
STUGGY. Short, stumpy. Same as -Stubbed.
STUMMICK. Appetite, stomach. Acommon salutation at meal-times is " Gude
stummick to ee, wan an' all."
SUBSTRACT. To subtract. (Always.) Imp. Diet, marks this as obsolete.
SUCCOU R. Frequently used s "a succour bush," meaning ; shelter
from a storm. A desolate region is commonly described as having "
neither a house nor a succour bush,"
♦SUCKER (zooker). A pump-valve. The two valves are distinguished as up
iooher and bottom soaker.
*SU LL (zole, not zocA). As the old timbern zoh is now nearly obsolete, it
may be worth while to give a short description of it, with the names of the
principal parts. The btam is mortised and fastened by a btam-vadge to the
hal, or left handle, a peculiarly-shaped st iffpiece of wood, extending
beyond the beam and formed at its lower end with a foot,
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(delwedd C3303) (tudalen 076)
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76 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
by which it is secured to the chip, or sliding bed. The beam and chip are
connected by two spills, or stout pegs. The hand-testy or right handle, is
comparatively slender, and is nailed to the front spill and to the outside
bar of the ladder^ which is carried by the hal. The grute-rest, or mould
board, is also nailed to the front spill and the ladder. The coulter (pron.
koolter) is passed through a hole in the beam, where it is adjusted and fixed
by three wadges, the front one being called the pole-wadge. The implement is
drawn by the adjustable head-taw, to which is hooked the short-chain. The
only iron parts are the sheer (share), coulter, and head- taw, and, of course
there is no wheel. Nearly all the parts are adjustable by means of wadgeSy
and a hatchet for shaping and fixing them forms a necessary part of the
ploughman's equipment. A paddle is also carried for the purpose of cleaning
the grute-rest and share when necessary.
The above form of implement is almost identical with that described and
illustrated in *<The English Husbandman,** by Gervase Markham, 1613. The
names of the various parts are there given as beam, skeath (corresponding to
our spills), principal hale (hal), plough head (chip), plough spindels
(ladder), right hand hale (hand-rest), plough rest (connecting the plough
head and right hand hale), shelboard (grute-rest or mould-board), coulture,
share, and akerstaffe (paddle).
SUMMER-PIECES {z for initial s). In a cart or Wagon, the longitudinal pieces
mortised into the holsters (q.v.) to support the floor or bottom. Cf.
"^Summer,
SUMMER-PLAYING {z for s). The vibration of the air due to heat, as is. seen
over a lime-kiln. ** Do ee zee the zummer-playin' ? '* I am not sure that it
is right to connect the words with a hyphen, for I have only heard the
expresion as above.
SUMMER-ROTTING (zummer-rattin*). The treatment of land by ploughing and
working it, and then leaving it untitled or fallow. Cf. ^Fallow.
SWANK, s and t. Swagger.
SWORD (zo-urd). In a pair of drags, the thin wooden cross-bars connecting the
larras, or wooden beams carrying the tings (tines).
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(delwedd C3304) (tudalen 077)
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"TACK. I. To clap one's hands. " Now then, tack your
'an's."
2. To smooth down or pat, as a pillow, a horse, etc. " Idn a a booty ?
Koni an' tack'n down, my dear."
TACKER. A little boy. Often used as a Dickname.
TAG. To walk laboriously, or with difficulty. It always involves the idea of
tiring oneself, and is generally succeeded by alonij, about, or around.
" I've bin taggin" about all day." " He waz taggin' alung
zo well's a could."
TAGGING. Tiring, tiresome. "A tagging job."
' TAP. I. The sole of a boot, etc. 2, To sole a boot, etc.
Imp. Diet, gives " Tap. A piece of leather fastened upon the bottom of a
boot or shoe in repairing or renewing the sole or heel."
TATHE {rhymes with lathe). To gather corn into bundles, to be afterwards
bound into sheaves. This is done by women or boys, who follow the meaden
(mowers), and form the bundles from the swan (swaths) by means of lathing-
crooks or tatking-rakes. The former are shaped somewhat like a rcap-kook or
sickle, but, of course, are blunt ; and the latter are about a foot wide and
have four long teeth. The talktrs are followed in the field by the bindirs
(binders), who make their btaas (binds) and bind the bundles into sheaves.
TATY-INGIN (ingin rhymes with ringin'). The potato onion, an onion which is
propagated from the bulb and not from seed. The latter is distinguished as
Sicd-itigm,
TEARING, adj. and adv. Wonderful, well. " 'Ow be 'ee, Jan ? Aw, nort
tearin', thenk 'ee all the zame." " 1 rack'n he idn a-doin nort
tearin', is a, think ?"
TETSAN. The plant tutsan, the leaves of which are frequently pressed in
bibles. Cf. -Tilsum,
THATCH. Mows and ricks are thatched with long-itmw (q.v.), which is secured
by lony ropes [longitudinal ropes) and thort ropei (athwart or transverse
ropes), all of straw. The former are fastened at the ends by nibs (q.v.), and
along the roof by sptan (q.v.). The thort ropes are twisted around each long
rope, and tied at their ends to large
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(delwedd C3305) (tudalen 078)
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78 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
pebbles, called moo-stones, which press upon the edge of the thatch and prevent
it from being blown off by the wind. The end of the long ropes is carried
from end to end of the stack by a roping-pole. See also Wink.
THATCHING-HOOK. A special hook used for cutting the thatch in thatching
houses.
THERLE. Lean and gaunt, applied to animals and to grain in the ear. (Very
common.) " Therle's a greyhoimd," Cf. ^Thirdle or Thurl.
*' Thy buzzom Chucks were pretty vittee avore tha mad'st thyzel therle.*' —
Exmoor Scolding, 1. 73.
Thirl or Therl, gaunt and lank, thin and lean. (Obsolete.) — Ihid., Glossary,
THETCHES. Vetches. (Used by one person only; the usual name being vatches).
Cf. "^Thatches.
THICK-PELTED (-pilted). Thick-skinned. "Thuze sheep be thick-pilted
toads ; there's no proof in 'em " (i.^. they will not fatten easily).
Cf. ^Pelt, ^ Proof.
♦THINGS. Clothes. " Til go an* change ma things gin they
kom."
THUCKER. That, that there. Used as often as ^Thich or *Thicfy,
THUMB-BEAN. A large twisted band of straw made on the thumb. It is used for
binding short-straw into large bundles after thrashing, and, in wet weather,
for coiling around the men's legs to keep them dry.
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING. Bread and cream with streaks of trikle (treacle) on
the top.
THUNGY. Tough and doughy, or putty-like.
♦TIDY. Also, moderately good or nice. Used similarly to Brave (q.v.).
" A tidy zoart o' chap " means A fairly good fellow, A decent
fellow. ** A tidy 'ouze " means A moderately good house. (Very common.)
TIFLE. Any short piece of thread. Cf. *TiJlings.
TIMBER. This is almost universally used instead of wood, except for a wood or
forest, and small wood, such as is made into faggots. Wooden is nearly always
timbem or timberin.
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(delwedd C3306) (tudalen 079)
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DIALECT OF HARTI-AND. 79
TIMBER-HEADED. Thick-headed, stupid.
TING. I. The tooth of a harrow, prong of a fork, &c, Cf. "Tint.
1. The disease of cattle known as hlain. The symptoms are formation of
bladders beneath tlie tongue, and swelling and running of the eyes. The
disease is treated by cutting the bladders, and rubbing in salt.
TINNING-FUNNEL. A large wooden funnel for filling casks, &c. Cf. 'Tinner.
TIT. I. A slap or '''toft under the ear. Same as Clip, Clipper. " Til
gi'e 'ee a tit under the yur."
2. To twit or teaze.
TITMAL or TITTYMAL. The titmouse. Commoner than 'Hack-mal, *Hacky-mal.
TOAD. A very common term of abuse. The ancient super- stition that toads spit
poison is still commonly believed. It is also supposed that witches nurse
them in their house, and even carry them about in their bosom.
TOAD-RIDINGS. Frog's spawn.
TOAD'S-HEAD. A part of a Draskli (q.v.).
TOM-NODDY. The tadpole. "Like a tom-noddy, all head and no body."
TOM-POT. A name sometimes given to the guinea-fowl on account of its peculiar
cry. See Gleanv.
•TOTLE (toatle). A fool or idiot.
"Thadest tbengs vore-and>bach, a cat-hamni'd, a vore-reert, and
vramp-sbaken, like a Tolle.'" — Exmoor Sliding, I. lo.
A Talli, a slow lazy Person : an idle Foot, tlial does bis work awkwardly and
slowly. (Obsolete.]— /ii J.. Glossary.
TOWSER. A large coarse apron.
TOYTE. A hassock covered with straw matting, made in the same way as bu-bults
and knecling-mats. From H. Church Accounts, 1637-8 : " Paid John Couch
for a toyte for Mr. Churton to kneele upon 4d." 1647-6; "Paid for a
tit for the minister 2d."
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(delwedd C3307) (tudalen 080)
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8o DIALECT OF HARTLAXD.
*TRACE. A rope of onions formed by binding them regularly around a small
bundle of reed^ which has an eye formed at one end to suspend the bunch by.
TRAP. I. Any light two-wheeled vehicle, such as a market- cart, a whitechapel
dog-cart, etc. It is occasionally applied to spring vehicles generally.
2. To tramp about. " Her's vor-ivver trappin' up an' down auver
stairs."
TRIP. To turn up the body of a butt to discharge its contents. The stick
which holds the body in position is called a Trip-stick.
TRONE. A row of hay formed by a hay-rake and afterwards made into cocks or
pokes, Cf. "^'Rew,
TRUCK. Rubbish, trash.
*TUCK IN. To set to in earnest. " Now then, soce, tuck in an' le's git
this yur job auver avore durk." Cf. '^Buckle to.
TURMOIL. To work hard.
TWEENY-MAID. A maid of all work, generally in a gentleman's house. (Not
common.)
TWITTY-LARK. The bird which accompanies the cuckoo (called gooky)^ generally
a hedge-sparrow.
TWO-BAIL. A rooting tool, combining a heavy mattock and a small axe. Commoner
than Visgy (q.v.). Cf. "^Two- hill ; Wright, Twihil.
*UGLY. Nasty, underhand. " Twaz an ugly trick, siure 'nough."
UNDERGROUND-NUT (undergroun'-nit). The earth-nut.
UNE AVE Tonaive). To relieve anything from ice by thawing the latter
artifically. ** Jis take out a drap o' hot watter .an' onaive the pump (or
the grendin' stone)," Cf. "^Unthaw.
UPSIDOWN. Upside down.
UTS. A term of encouragement to dogs, generally used to incite them to fight.
«^ Uts ! Uts to 'n 1 "
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(delwedd C3308) (tudalen 081)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 8 1
VADY. Damp, often applied to the weather.
VAIGE. A short run usually taken before attempting to jump over anything. **
Take a gude vaige now, or thee'It nivver clear the gallis " (i.^. the
bar set up for jumping over).
VAKE. A rage or passion. ** He waz in a proper vake, I kin tell ee.**
VALE. The socket for the handle of such tools as shovels, mattocks, etc.
•*VALL. The autumn. (Always.)
VALENCE. A short curtain on a bed, usually reaching from the frame to the
floor. Cf. "•*' VaUnt.
VAT. In cider making, the shallow vessel, upon which the chuu is pressed and
from which the expressed cider runs into large tubs.
VAZE (rhymes with maize). To swing about in the wind. *• The door waz vazin'
to an* fro." Cf. Halliwell and Wright.
*VELLY. To p^re grass land. The plough for this purpose is called H
VeUin'-zolc.
VELVET-DOCK. The mullein plant.
VENN-COCK. The name of a bird (? water-rail). VENN-CRAKE. A dark-coloured
landrail.
VENN -SCRAPE. A mud scraper, similar in shape to a large hoe.
VERRIN-ZOO. A farrowing or breeding sow.
VESTER. A pointer, such as is used in schools.
VISGY. A rooting tool, combining a heavy mattock and a small axe. Cf.
'-'Bisgy ; Jago, Visyay or Visgie.
VLAIL (vlile). The thrashing stick ot aiDrashU (q.v.). VLOT. See Plot.
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(delwedd C3309) (tudalen 082)
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82 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
VOLLER. I. A slab or stone laid upon ledges above the coffin in a built
grave. " Aw, bless ee, zir, there hain't no oal* grave-stones yur about
; they've a-used min all up vor vollers." (A fact.)
2. The part of a cider or cheese press to which the pressure is applied by
screw or lever. Cf. * Vollicr.
VOMP. To vamp or patch clothes. There is a tale of an old woman who was so
long one Sunday decking herself in an old gown, re-made to look like new,
that she only entered the church as the people were saying '* Lord, ha' massy
'pon's ; Christ, ha' massy 'pon's ; Lord, ha' massy 'pon's." Thinking
the words were expressions of surprise at her appearance in such a fine
dress, , the old dame exclaimed ** Law, bless ee, you needn't make zich a
fuss about it. *Tis onny an oal' gown new vomp'd."
*VORE (voar). Forward. ** They'll be zummoned vore to Bideford avaur the
Magistrates." " Kin ee git vore to min, think ? " ** He couldn
go vore ner back." We always say Vore an' back, Vorred an* back, or
Forward an'' back instead of the usual Backwards and forwards, or To and fro.
VORRAD. Forward. **You hain't very vorrad way yur work, I zim." ** I
couldn git no vorrader, try ivver zo."
VUMP. I. A thump.
2. To thump.
•• Chell vump tha.** — Exmoor Scolding, I. 86.
To Vump^ to thump, or give one Blows with the Fist. (Obsolete.) Ibid.,
Glossary.
VUZ-CHAT. The whin-chat. Cf. "^'Vuz-napper.
*WAD. With us the smallest bundles of reed are called wads. Six of them are
bound into a Knitch (q.v.).
WAGON CALF. A calf brought without its dam from a large *^ up-country "
dairy, and sold in a local market for rearing purposes.
*WANGERY (wang-er-y). I think this sometimes means tough merely. " This
mutton's cruel tough ; an oal' wangery yaw, I rack'n,"
*WANT, Used also in such phrases as ** Theze yur drill wants to be putt
away."
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(delwedd C3310) (tudalen 083)
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WARR OFF or WARR UP fwarr rh>mes with bar). The call used in
diiving oxen, corresponding to gre or tiiig for horses. (Obsolete.)
WAY-BREAD. A large wart on horses or cattle.
WEEP. To chirp in distress — applied to birds.
WELGER. The basket willow, or osier. Not the same as Withy. From H. Church
Accounts, 1682-3: "Pd. for welgers is. Bd."
WERRY. Weary. (Always.)
WHILE. Business, occupation. "Tiz wan body's while to look arter thucker
chill ; a more mischievious little limb 1 nivver kom"d across."
WHILES. While or whilst. (Always.) An epitaph in H, Churchyard, dated 1758,
has; — WhEles yoQ have breath Mind sudden Deaih , The Cause was mine And may
be thine.
WHIPPINTREES. Whippletrecs. (Always.)
WHISTER-CLISTER. A blow on the ear or chops. Cf. ■ \Vkhie*-paop.
'WHITE-MOUTH (wit-). The disease of children known as thrush. The following
verse is the ordinary " charm" adopted for its cure: "Out of
the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine
enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger." — Psalm
viii, 2,
•WHITTLE. A cape or mantle.
"WHITPOT. This favourite dish is by no means obsolete. It is made of
milk, treacle (which causes the milk to him, i.e. curdle), and a little
(lour, and is either boiled over the fire or baked in an oven. The addition
of Jigs {i.e. common laisins) makes the difference between plain whitpot
anii_fi'j;iy vkitpot. An endless task is frequently expressed by the simile:
" Lik aitin' whitpot wi' a atockin'-niddle."
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(delwedd C3311) (tudalen 084)
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84 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
WHY-N'EE?)
WHY-S*N ?
Why do you not ? " Why-n'ee go an' zee vor yurzell ? "
WIDDER. To flutter or move about in a nervous manner. " *0w a dith kip
widderin' his 'aid about ? " Cf. * Wivery.
WIND-CLAPPER. An instrument erected in fields to scare birds.
WIND (win'). To winnow. Although winnin' or windin' by hand is nearly
obsolete, some farms have still a Windin*- place, a spot of high ground where
it was performed. The process comprises three distinct operations, viz. :
heavingy casing, and rewing, which are described under the respective
headings.
WINK. The apparatus used for spinning straw rope from reed. It consists of a
rotary skeleton drum, having spider arms notched at the end. It is mounted on
a bar-ire (q.v.) driven into a wall. The rope, as it is made, is wound upon
the body of the drum, and is passed through one of the notches, so that as
the rope-maker moves his hand and inserts fresh reed into it, the wink
rotates and spins the reed into fresh rope. When the wink is full, the rope
is unwound from it, and made into a large ball, called a Clew (q.v.).
WIN-SHET. A winnowing-sheet. Cf. "^IVim-shut.
WINTER-STRAWBERRY (-strawb'ry). The arbutus. Cf. "^'Strawberry-tree.
WIRE IN. Same as Tuck in (q.v.).
WORRA. ** Out of the worra " means Out of gear, Out of sorts. It is
generally, but not always, applied to machinery.
WRAN or WRANNY. The wren. YAFFER. A heifer. Cf. "^Yeffer. YAW. An ewe.
Cf. *Yoe. YAW-CAT. Ewe-cat, she-cat. Cf. *Yoe-cat.
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(delwedd C3312) (tudalen 085)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 85
YAWN, To yean. The lambing season is called yawnin' time,
YAW-NECKED. With a neck like a yaw (ewe), that is, thickest along the throat,
often applied to horses by way of disparagement.
*YEAT (yet, not yit). Heat, v. and s, " Dra* vore yur cricket, my dear,
an' yet yerzell."
YEN. To throw. " Yen 'n away." Cf. -Ain, ^Hain.
YEP. The shrill bark of a dog. Cf. *7a/.
YEP or YEPPY. To bark shrilly, like a terrier. Cf. "^'Yappy.
YES. Podex.
YES-SMERT. The name of a common weed.
YOA. The call used in driving sheep.
YOON. A whip. (Rare).
YOW NETHER. The call formerly used in driving oxen, corresponding to
cotncther for horses. (Obsolete.)
ZAD. The letter z. (Always.)
ZAIVE. A sieve. (Always.) Cf. "^Zieve,
ZALTER. See Salter.
ZALTREE (short a). In a shippen, the upright post to which a cow is attached
by means of a neck-rope and clops (q.v.). I suppose Zaltrec is a corruption
of stall-tree.
ZAM-ZAWED. Sodden and tasteless, generally applied to meat.
ZEARS. See Barley-zears.
ZELLUP. A seed-lip. (Always.) Cf. ^Seed-lip, "^'Zeed-lip.
ZEN NET. A large tambourine-shaped vessel, used for heaving (q.v.) and taking
up corn. Sometimes called Blen-zaive (blind-sieve). Cf. "^'Zimmei,
ZEX. The chopping-tool used by slaters. Cf. "^Sex.
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(delwedd C3313) (tudalen 086)
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86 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
ZI£. A scythe. (Always.) The heel of the zie blade has a calk, or spike, to
enter a hole near the end of the zneed^ in which it is set and secured by a ring
and wadges. The zie may be hang'd {i,e. set) either too high or too low. The
handles are called hand-pins. Cf. *Zive,
ZOG. To doze.
ZOLE. See Sull.
ZOOKER. See Sucker.
ZOUR-?AB. The sorrel plant. Cf. '^Sour-dock.
ZUMMOT. Something. (Always.) Cf. *S(?»w/.
ZWAIK. The platform of a springU (q.v.).
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(delwedd C3314) (tudalen 087)
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A SELECTION
FROM THE
"WEST SOMERSET WORD-BOOK.
The following is a list from the West Sonierui Word-Booh of dialed words
which are also in use at Hartland. Additional words and notes are included
within square brackets, thus [ ] •
ABROAD. Scattered, in pieces, unfastened, open.
[ACRE-STONES. Loose stones, such as are picked up in fields.]
ADDICK. " Deeve's a addick " means Deaf as a post. [I do not know
what an addick is, but I have always supposed it to be an adder.]
ADOOD. Done.
AFTERNOON FARMER (arter-). One who is always behind.
ALIE. In a recumbent position.
ALL-UNDER-ONE. At the same time.
ALLERNBATCH. A boil or carbuncle.
ANT. Have not, has not.
APPLE-DRANE. A wasp.
APSE TREE. Aspen tree.
APURT. In a sulky, disagreeable manner.
ARBS. Herbs.
ARM. To conduct another by walking arm-in-arm ; axle.
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88 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
ARRANT. Errand.
ATHIN. Within.
ATHOUT. Without, unless.
AX. To ask ; to publish banns.
BACK-ALONG. Homewards.
BACK-LET. The back premises of a house.
BACON-PIG. A fat pig of a size fit to make bacon.
BAD- ABED. So ill as to be confined to bed.
BALL. To track a fox.
BANT (ba-unt). Am not, are not.
BARE-RIDGED. Applied to riding on horse-back without saddle or covering to
the horse's back.
BEDLIER. A bedridden person.
BEE-BUTT. A bee-hive.
BELLY-TIMBER. Food.
BELVY. To bellow.
BIAS. Said of birds or animals frightened out of their accustomed locality —
as of partridges, which do not seem to know where they are flying. ** Ah !
they be out o* their bias."
BIND. To put the tjnre on a wheel. BIRD. The partridge.
BIRDS' MEAT. Berries, either of thorn, holly, or ivy.
BISKY. Biscuit.
BIT AND CRUMB. Every morsel, entirely.
BITE. Applied to grass when growing. " A gbod bite of
BITTER-SWEET. A kind of apple.
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(delwedd C3315) (tudalen 088)
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88 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
ARRANT. Errand.
ATHIN. Within.
ATHOUT. Without, unless.
AX. To ask ; to publish banns.
BACK-ALONG. Homewards.
BACK-LET. The back premises of a house.
BACON-PIG. A fat pig of a size fit to make bacon.
BAD- ABED. So ill as to be confined to bed.
BALL. To track a fox.
BANT (ba-unt). Am not, are not.
BARE-RIDGED. Applied to riding on horse-back without saddle or covering to
the horse's back.
BEDLIER. A bedridden person.
BEE-BUTT. A bee-hive.
BELLY-TIMBER. Food.
BELVY. To bellow.
BIAS. Said of birds or animals frightened out of their accustomed locality —
as of partridges, which do not seem to know where they are flying. ** Ah !
they be out o* their bias."
BIND. To put the tjnre on a wheel. BIRD. The partridge.
BIRDS' MEAT. Berries, either of thorn, holly, or ivy.
BISKY. Biscuit.
BIT AND CRUMB. Every morsel, entirely.
BITE. Applied to grass when growing. " A gbod bite of
BITTER-SWEET. A kind of apple.
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(delwedd C3316) (tudalen 089)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 89
BIVVER. To shiver, to shake with cold.
BLACK-ALLER. The buck-thorn.
BLACKHEAD. A boil, a gathering.
BLACK-MAN. A bogy.
BLAKE. To bleat.
BLESS. To charm or cure by incantation.
BLIND-BUCKY-DAVY. Blind-man's buff.
BLIND EARS [blen yurs] . Ears of corn with no seed in them.
BLIND-MAN'S HOLIDAY. When it is too dark to see to work.
BLOODY. WARRIORS (bliddy war-yers). Wall-flowers.
BLOSSOM. The flower of the hawthorn.
BLOW UP. Of the wind, to increase in force.
/ BLUE-VINNED. Said of cheese when in the state of
blue-mould — also of any article covered with mildew.
BOMAN TEG. Putty, when used by carpenters to fill up bad joints or defective
wood. [Called also Charity, because it covers a multitude of sins.]
BOND. The tyre of a wheel.
BORIER. An augur.
BOUGHTEN. Bought, in distinction to home-made.
BOX-HAT. The ordinary chimney-pot hat.
BOY'S LOVE. Southernwood.
BRACKSUS. Breakfast.
BRANDIS. A trivet.
BREACH. Land prepared for seed.
BREAK. To plough up pasture land.
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(delwedd C3317) (tudalen 090)
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90 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
BREAK-ABROAD. To tear, to destroy.
BREAST-ILL. Breast-evil, a gathering of the breast.
BREATHE rbraithe). Open : said of ground when thoroughly aug and pulverized
for a seed-bed.
BRISS. The dusty flufif of cobweb, etc.
BROWSE. To trim the hedges ; brushwood.
BUCK. A male rabbit.
[BUCK BACK. To keep back by placing an obstruction in the way. <^ *J^^
P^^^ ^ thorn in thucker rack vor buck back the bullocks.*']
BUCKED. Applied to a saw when warped.
BUDDLE. To suffocate as from being buried in mud.
BULLED. Of a cow, maris appetens.
BULLOCK. Horned cattle generally — including bulls as well as cows.
BUNGY (bung-gy). Short, stumpy.
BUSS [or BUSS-CALF] . A young fatted bullock which has never been weaned.
BUTCHING. Butchering.
BUTT. A heavy box-like cart on two wheels, often called a dung-butt.
BUTTONS. Senses, intellect.
BY-VORE. A by-furrow in ploughing.
CAB. A cake or mass ; to clog. CABBY. Sticky.
CAFENDER. Carpenter.
[*CAKE. Of hay, a layer cut from the rick. Same as Clat.]
CALL-HOME. To remember a person's name.
CAR. To carry ; to cart hay or corn.
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(delwedd C3318) (tudalen 091)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 9I
CARTY. A term applied to a horse when too clumsy to be fit for either riding
or carriage work, and yet not of the regular cart-horse stamp.
CAS, CANS, CAS'N. Contractions of thou canst, thou canst noty canst thou ?
canst thou not ?
[CATCH (ketch), i. To burn slightly and quickly on the outside — applied to
bread, custard puddings, etc. ** The pud'n *s onny jis* ketcht a bit *pon
top."
2. To freeze slightly and quickly, ** The pon* *s jist a-ketcht auver."
Cf. ^^Kitch.]
CATCHING. Applied to weather — rainy or showery.
CATCH- WORK. A job here and there.
CAUSE. Pavement, footpath.
CESS (zess). A pile of unthrashed com in a bam.
CHACKLE. To cackle or chatter.
CHEESE-WRING. A cheese-press.
CHIMLEY. Chimney.
CHOOK. The call to a pig.
CHRISTIAN. A human being.
CHRISTMASING. Any evergreen used for Christmas decoration.
CHUFF. Surly.
[*CLAT. Of hay, a layer cut from the rick. Same as Cake.]
CLEVER. Applied to a horse which is a good fencer. '* A clever hunter."
CLINT. To clinch.
CLIT. Applied to bread or pudding when it is doughy and heavy ; also to soil
when it has become caked and adhesive through rain.
CLOAM. Crockery, earthenware.
CLOSE. Said of potatoes when they are not mealy.
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(delwedd C3319) (tudalen 092)
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92 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
CLOTHES FLASK. The large open oval basket used by laundresses.
CLOVER-LAY. A field in which there has been a crop of clover, but which is
now ready to be ploughed for some other crop.
CLUBBY. Thick-set.
COB. Clay and gravel mixed with straw, used for making walls.
COCKLE. A ripple on water caused by the wind.
COME. Fit, ready ; used in the infinitive mood only in the sense of to do or
accomplish ; when or by the time that the day or time comes.
COME-BACK. The guinea-fowl.
COME TO LAST. In the end, at last.
COMICAL. Bad-tempered.
CONCERN (kunsarn). Row, quarrel.
CONDIDDLED. Spent, wasted.
CONTRAPTION. A contrivance, make-shift.
COULTER-BOX. Of a plough, the iron clip and screw by which the coulter is
fixed in its place on the beam.
COUPLE. A principal timber of a roof — called elsewhere a ** principal."
COUPLE. An ewe and her lamb. A do$4ble couple is an ewe with two lambs.
COURT. A farmyard, an enclosed yard for cattle.
COW-CLAT. Cow-dropping.
COW-FLOP. Foxglove.
COW-HOCKED. Applied to horses, when the hind legs bend towards each other
like a cow's in running, while the feet seem to diverge.
CRANE. A heron.
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(delwedd C3320) (tudalen 093)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 93
CREASE. The withers of a horse ; a ridge-tile of a roof.
CRICKET, A low stool, generally with three legs.
[CRICKLE. To tangle — applied to ropes, laid corn, etc. ; a tangle. Cf.
'^'Knickle,]
CRISLING. A small, black, very sour wild plum; the crackling on roast pork.
CROCK. A cast-iron cooking-pot, nearly globular in shape, with three little
rings on its greatest circumference. It has a loose bow-handle, like a common
pot, and three little legs about two inches long, to keep it from rolling
over when placed on the ground.
CROOK. A pair of crooks is part of the gear of a pack- horse.
CRUEL. Very.
[CRUMBLE, A crumb, a morsel.]
CRYING THE NECK. An ancient custom of reapers when they have cut the last of
the corn on a farm.
CUBBY, CUBBY-HOLE. An out-of the way snuggery, such as children are fond of
creeping into ; a hiding-place.
CUCKOLD DOCK. The burdock.
CUCKOO-LAMB. A lamb born out of season.
CUE. The iron heel of a boot.
DAP. To hop as a ball ; with down, to lay or put down ; the hop of a stone on
the water, or of a ball.
DAPS. Likeness, image. DAY-MORNING. This morning.
DEE-LOCK. A very common, cheap kind of padlock, used for gates, &c.
DEVONSHIRE COAT-OF-ARMS. Said of a horse with broken knees.
DEW-SNAIL. The large black slug. DIMMET. Dusk, evening twilight.
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(delwedd C3321) (tudalen 094)
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94 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
DISCOOSE. Bad language, obscenity. [Rare.]
DISH-LATE. A term used by wheelwrights to describe those in which the spokes
are inclined to the front so that the face of the wheel is more or less
concave.
DOAN. Damp, said of corn, hay, sheets, linen, &c. DOCITY. Intelligence,
gumption.
DOCK. The crupper of either saddle or harness ; to put the crupper under a
horse's tail.
DOCK UP. When a colt is first " hampered,*' it is usual to dock him up,
that is to put a crupper and girth upon his body, and then to rein in his
head tightly, making fast the bridle.
DOCTOR. The seventh son of a family, bom in sucession without a girl, is always
called the *< doctor," and is believed to be born with special
aptness for the healing art.
DOG DAISY. The large marsh daisy, or marguerite.
DOWST. The husk of grain, the refuse blown out of com by the process of
winnowing.
DRANE. Drone, usually applied to a wasp; a drawl in speech.
DRASHLE. DRECKSTOOL
r The sill of a doorway.
DREE-HALF-PENCE AND TWO PENCE. A slow ambling canter.
DRIGGLE-DRAGGLE. In a slovenly, slatternly manner — specially applied to
women's dress ; also as an epithet.
DROW. To dry. DROWTH. Drought.
DRUG. To put the drag or shoe upon a wheel, or to cause It to slide mstead of
turning; the shoe or skid by which a wheel IS drugged.
DRUGS. Dregs.
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(delwedd C3322) (tudalen 095)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 95
DRYTH. Drought, thirst.
DUBBED, DUBBY. Blunt— applied to anything pointed.
DUNG-POT. A kind of tub having a hinged bottom, one of which is slung on each
side of a pack-horse, for carrying earth, stones, or other heavy material.
DURN-BLADE. A jamb or ioor-posi detached from its fellow.
DURN-HEAD. The cross-piece at the top of a door-frame.
DURNS. The frame of a door in situ.
EAR-DROPS. The fuchsia.
EAT THE CALF IN THE COWS BELLY. To fore- stall, to obtain money in
anticipation of earnings.
EAVER (aiver). The grass Lolium perenne.
EEN TO. All but.
EGGS AND BACON. Common toadflax.
EITHERWAYS. Either. EMP, EMPT. To empty.
EMPTIN CLOAM. Drinking to excess.
EQUAL (aikul). Quite.
ERRISH-RAKE. A large hand-rake for raking enishes.
EVERY-DAYS. Week-days.
PACKET. Fagot.
FALL-ABROAD. To become stouter in build, to grow more sturdy or thick-set.
FANCICAL. Tasteful, particular as to the way in which work is done.
FANDANGLES. Ornaments of the jewellery class.
FARDEN (varden). Farthing.
FEATHERFEW (vether-vaw). The plant feverfew.
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(delwedd C3323) (tudalen 096)
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96 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
FIG. Common pudding raisin.
FIGGY-PUDDING. Plum-pudding.
FIRST ALONG (fust alung). At the beginning and for some time after.
FITCH. Polecat.
FLAGGY. Flabby, limp.
FLASKET. The large oval basket used by washerwomen.
FLAX (vlex). The fur of a hare or rabbit when detached from the skin.
[FLITTERING. A shaking. "Th' oal* dug catch'd the rat by the back, an'
gid'n a gude ditterin*."]
FLOOD-GATE (/like v). A gate hung upon a pole across a stream, so that in
flood-time it rises and falls by floating on the water.
FLUSH (vlish). Fledged.
FORE (voar). On, forward, forth.
FORE-HEAD (vorred). The heading of a ploughed field.
FOREIGNER (furriner). Any stranger.
FORREL. The binding or cover of a book.
FRIGHTEN. To astonish or agreeably surprise.
FULL AS A TICK (vooFs a tick). Said of any animal, whether man or beast,
which has eaten its fill.
FULL-STATED. Semi-legal phrase relating to tenure of land held upon lives.
GAIT. Any peculiar habit, such as a nervous twitching of the face.
GALLIS. Very, exceedingly.
['^GALLITRAP. A badly-made tool, implement, or utensil. Often used when
speaking disparagingly of another person's goods. ** Take yur oal' gallitraps
out o' the way, wuU 'ee ? "]
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(delwedd C3324) (tudalen 097)
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DIALFXT OF HARTLAND. 97
GALLY. To frighten.
GAPE'S NEST. A gaping-stock, an occasion for idle staring.
GATHER. A term used in ploughing.
GEE. To give.
GET. To thrive or improve.
GETTING. Active in business, striving.
GIBBY. A child's name for a sheep.
GIG-SADDLE. The saddle belonging to a set of single- horse carriage or
gig-harness^ as distinguished from the cart'SaddU or the hackney -saddU.
GIMLET-EYED. Having eyes which not only squint, but are always in motion.
GINGER. Reddish in colour. [** Ginger for pluck."]
GIRT HAP. Providential escape, unusual good luck, lucky chance.
GIRT THINGS. "No girt things "= not of much account, not very well.
GO. To intend or set about.
GOD ALMIGHTY'S COCK AND HEN. The robin and the wren.
GOD ALMIGHTY'S COW. The lady-bird.
GO-LIE. Said of corn or grass when beaten down by wind or rain.
GOODY. To thrive, to improve, to grow — said of cattle of all kinds.
GO ON. To prosper ; to quarrel.
GOOSE-CHICK. Gosling.
GO TO [or GO FOR] . To intend— used negatively.
GOYLE. A ravine, a gully.
G
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(delwedd C3325) (tudalen 098)
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9<S DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
GRAB-APPLE [or GRAB]. A wild apple. ["Zour's a grab."]
GRAFT. To dig with a spade, so as to push the tool down to its;full depth
each time the soil is lifted.
GRAFTING-TOOL. A kind of spade.
[GRAIN. Turf. " To dress a field on the grain " is to spread manure
on the sward or turf. " I zee they'm dressin' the medda on the grain.*']
GRAMFER, GRAMMER. Grandfather, grandmother.
GRAMFER-LONG-LEGS. Daddy-long-legs.
GRASS BEEF. Meat of a grass fed beast.
GREEP. A bundle, a grip — such as can be carried under the arm — of straw,
sticks, &c.
GRIZZLY. To grin, to laugh, to jeer.
GROANING-DRINK. Ale brewed in anticipation of child- birth. [Not so common as
Groaning-clucseJ]
[GROUND-SEA (groun'-say). The peculiar roar of the sea caused by the raking
of the pebbles on the beach. There are many local weather-sapngs connected
with it, but the only one I remember is : —
" If the groun*-say be up to Backsh Gore, There'll be ^-an drj* day an'
no more.'*
The Con is a ridge of pebbles, etc., running out at right angles to the shore
near the village of Bucks.]
GROUND-STICK. A sapling of any kind growing from its own roots, and not a
mere offshoot.
GRUMBLE-GUTS. A confirmed grumbler.
GULCHY. To swallow, to gulp.
GUTSING. Greedy.
GUTSY. To eat greedUy.
HA. To ha\-e ; he, she, it.
HAB. Have.
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(delwedd C3326) (tudalen 099)
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DIALRCT OF HARTLAND. 99
HAB OR NAB. Get or lose, hit or missr
HACK. To dig with a mattock, so as to break the clods.
HACKY-MAL. The common tom-tit.
HACKNEY SADDLE. The ordinary saddle on which a man (not a woman) rides.
HAGGAGE. A term of reproach to a woman, baggage.
HALF-SAVED. Stupid, half-witted.
HAM. Flat, low-lying pasture land.
HANG. Of a scythe — to set it in its snead or handle.
HANGE. The pluck — i,e. the liver, lungs, and heart of any animal.
HANGINGS. Hinges.
HANKS. Connection or dealings with — used only with a negative construction.
H APORTH (aputh, apurd, appurd). A halfpenny-worth.
HARD WOOD. Firewood in logs or brands. HART. Handle, haft.
HAY-POOK (ay-poke). Hay-cock.
HEAD. That end or side of a gate furthest from the hinges ; cream on the
surface of milk.
HEDGE-BOAR (aj-boar) [or HEDGY-BOAR (aj-y-boar)] . Hedgehog.
HEDGE-TROW (aj-traw). The ditch or drain at the side of a hedge. [Never
ditch-trow.]
HEFT. To poise in the hand so as to judge of the weight ; weight.
HEIGHGO! Heigho!
HELE (ail). To cover, to hide.
HELER (ailur). A horsecloth, coverlet ; one who covers up or conceals.
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(delwedd C3327) (tudalen 100)
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lOO DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
HELING (ailin). A covering or coverlet, HELLIER. A slater.
HELP, When used before another verb, especially as a gerund before the
infinitive of the principal verb, the inflection passes from the auxiliary to
the principal. ** I mind help loadin' the cart." ** I help loaded the
cart."
HEREFROM (yur-vrom). Hence.
HERE- RIGHT (yur-right, yur-reart). Here on the spot.
[HESS. Hearse. Cf. Hesk.]
HIND. A farm bailiff.
HINDERMENT [long i] . Hindrance.
["HOLD. To become pregnant. Cf. ^Bide.]
HOLLIN. Hallooing, shouting, crying,
HOLM-SCREECH (oam-scritch). The missel-thrush.
HOLT ! Halt ! stop I
HOME. Close to.
HOME TO. As far as, up to; all but, only excepting.
HOOP. The bullfinch.
[HOOST. A wheezing cough in cattle. Cf. -Hesk, "^Hose, -Hush.]
HOSE. Hoarseness.
HOSEBIRD. An epithet of reproach.
HOSED. Afflicted with hoarseness or cough.
HOSSED. The condition of a mare, horseward.
HOT. What.
HOVERS (uvvers). Hiding-places for fish.
ILL-CONTRIVED. Crabbed, cross, ill-tempered— usually applied to a woman.
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(delwedd C3328) (tudalen 101)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. lOl
ILL-PART (long a). Ill-temperedly.
IN. In cultivation, as ** Thick field o' ground was in to turmuts last year
'* ; over and above, into the bargain.
INDOOR SERVANT (sarvant). A farm servant living in the master's house, no matter
what his occupation may be.
IN HOUSE (ouze). Indoors.
IN LAMB. With lamb.
IN UNDER. Underneath.
IRE. Iron.
IRONEN. Made of iron.
ITEM. Intention, fad, purpose, crafty design.
ITEMING. Trifling, fidgeting.
ITEMS. Fidgets, antics.
ITEMY. Tricky, uncertain in behaviour; very often applied
1 ncKv, I ; — frisky,
to horses— frisky, fidgety, restless.
JACK-AMANGST-THE-MAIDENS. One who is always after women's society, and who
likes to be made much of by them.
JAGS. Tatters.
JAKES. Human excrement ; mess, confusion.
JAN. John.
JET. To shake, to nudge.
JIG. To trot, faster than to jog.
JIG-TO-JOG. The slow pace of a horse, just faster than a walk.
JOCK. To deal in horses. JOCKERY. Roguery, cheating.
JUST A-COME (jist-a-kom). A near chance, a close shave, almost happening.
:-*
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(delwedd C3329) (tudalen 102)
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102 DIALECT OF HARTLANl).
KAILS. )
\ The game skittles. KEELS. )
KEEM. The scum or froth which rises upon cider when it begins to ferment in
the keeve.
KEEPERIN. The art or business of a gamekeeper. KERN. To curdle or turn sour.
KIBBLE. To bruise or partly grind corn or beans; to crack the corn, so as to
break the ** hud.*'
[KICK. To stammer.]
KIN. ** Next kin " -^ very nearly, all but.
KISS-ME-QUICK. The pansy or heart's-ease.
KITTY-BATS. Short leather gaiters covering the instep, but reaching little
above the ankle.
KNEE-STRADS. Leathers worn by thatchers on their knees, because their work
always obliges them to kneel a great deal upon wet reed.
KNITCH. A bundle, anything knit or bound together — as a knitch o* reed.
KNOT (nat). Clover in flower is said to be ** in vuU nat.'*
KNOTLINGS (natlins). The small intestines of the pig, which when cleaned are
looped together into a kind of plait or knot, and are then fried.
KNOW BY (naw by). To know of. LAP. Lath.
LAND-YARD (lan-yurd). A measure of length— five and a half yards.
LAUNCH (lansh). To walk awkwardly with long strides.
LAURENCE (larrince). The type of laziness. •* Lazy's Laurence."
LAY. Lief, readily.
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(delwedd C3330) (tudalen 103)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. IO3
LEARY. Empty ; hungry.
LEEL. Little.
LEER. The flank — applied to man and beast.
LENT. Loan.
LET. When used as an auxiliary verb, instead of taking the infinitive after
it, we form the past tense by adding the past inflection to the principal
verb.
LEW. Sheltered from the wind, lee.
LEWNESS. The condition of shelter.
LEWTH. Shelter, protection from wind.
LIGHT-TIMBERED. Light-limbed, commonly applied to horses.
LIME ASHES. The powder and refuse from kilns of certain kinds of lime — in
much request for floors of cottages, dairies, &c.
LINCH. [This word occurs on diflferent farms as the name of a field on the
cliffs, but I do not know its exact meaning in these cases.]
•LINHAY, LINNEY. A shed or open building.
LOCKS AND KEYS. Fruit of the common ash.
LOVIN. Adhesive, sticky. " Lovin' 's bird-Hme."
LUCK-MONEY. The money given back "to luck'* {i.e. for luck), by the
seller to the purchaser of cattle, horses, or sheep.
MAIN. Very ; very much.
MAIN AND. Very.
MAKE FOR (/ like v). To foreshadow, as *' The win' mak'th vor rain.**
MAKE-HOME. To make oflf homewards.
MAKE WOOD (make *ood). To make wood into faggots.
MAKE-WISE. To pretend ; a pretence or sham.
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(delwedd C3331) (tudalen 104)
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I04 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
MALLARD. A drake.
MARTIN. When twin calves are of difierent sexes, the female is called a
war/}';f-heifer, and is said to be always barren.
MASON Y. To work as a mason, or to follow the trade of a mason, which
includes those of brick-layer, stone-waller, slater, and plasterer.
MATCH IT. To manage, to contrive.
MAUND (maun). A round and deep basket, without cover, and with two handles
attached to the upper rim.
MAUTH. Moss.
MAXIM. Crotchet, fidget ; experiment, device, plan.
MAZE, MAZED. Mad, lunatic —" Maze as a sheep"; uneasy, over-anxious
; perplexed.
MAZED AFTER (arter). Eagerly desiring, " mad after."
MAZE-HEADED. Giddy, dizzy.
MAZE-LIKE. Stupidly, foolishly. MAZZARD. A kind of black cherry.
MEECH. To play truant. MEECHER. A truant.
MELTED. Corn when it has sprouted in harvesting produces bread sticky, heavy,
and sweet in taste : when in that condition the flour is said to be melted.
MILL. ** Go to mill "= carry corn to the mill to be ground.
MIND. To recollect, to remember.
MIZ-MAZE. Confusion, nervous excitement.
MOCK. A tuft of rank grass.
MOOD. A kind of gelatinous mass which appears in cider or vinegar — by some
called the mother of vinegar.
MOOR. A rough swampy piece of pasture land, not necessarily waste or common
land.
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(delwedd C3332) (tudalen 105)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. I03
MOP. A tuft of rank grass.
MORE AND SO (more 'n zo). Moreover, besides.
MORT (long 0). Mortar — used by masons in shouting to the tender for more.
MOST TIMES. Generally, usually.
MOTHER O' THOUSANDS. The plant Creeping Campanula.
MOULDER. To smoulder, to burn slowly.
MOUTH-SPEECH {th as in then, -spaitch). Speech.
MPS. Yes.
MUGGLE. That part of a horse's back which lies in a line from hip to hip.
MUN. Man ; them.
MUR. The puffin.
MUX. Mud, mire.
MUXY. Muddy, covered with mud, dirty.
[*NAB. To nibble or bite gently. "*0w they *osses kip nabbin* to wan
tether ; they do't out o* play, I s'pose ?''J
NATURE (na-tur). The nourishing property of vegetable matter, nutrition,
goodness — as applied to food.
NATURLY. Actually, positively, certainly.
NEAR CHANCE. A close shave, a near miss.
NIDDICK. The nape or back part of the neck.
NIGHT-HALTER. The ordinary leather head-stall, with chain attached, with
which horses are fastened when in the stable.
NIPPER. A small boy.
NIPPY. Hungry.
NO FASHION. Badly, ill-contrivcdly.
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(delwedd C3333) (tudalen 106)
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Io6 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
NOINTED. Anointed, i.e. the devil's anointed. " A nointed young
rascal."
NONSICAL. Nonsensical, eccentric.
NORTH-EYE. A squint.
NOTHER. Neither; another.
NOTHER ONE (wan). Never a one.
NO TINO ! An emphatic negative =** not that I know."
NOW-RIGHT (usually ncw-rcart). At this moment, just now.
NUG-HEAD. A blockhead.
OAK AND THE RIND. •* To go 'twixt th* oak and the rind** expresses the making
of very fine distinctions- hair splitting.
OAKS. The suit of clubs in cards.
ODDS. In phr. " little odds of" ^ just about.
ON CHUCK. To unstop, to free, to give vent, to unchoke.
ONE BIT (wan bit). At all.
ONKNOWIN. Unbeknown, unknown,
ON LIGHT. To alight from a carriage or from horseback.
ONPOSSIBLE. Impossible.
ONTHAW. To thaw anything.
'OOD. Wood (silva) ; faggot wood.
OPE (aup). Open ; to open.
ORDAIN. To intend.
ORGAN. The plant Penny-royal.
ORT. Aught, anything.
ORTS. Leavings, scraps, refuse.
OTHER. Any ; a, ever a ; either.
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(delwedd C3334) (tudalen 107)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. I07
OTHER ONE. Ever-a-one.
OUCHILS [out-shiils] . Outside slabs of wood.
OUKS ! The cry used to drive pigs, followed by turrh !
OUT OF SORTS. Ruffled in temper.
OUT-RIDE. A commercial traveller ; to perform the duty of traveller.
OVERGET (auvergit). To overtake.
OVERLOOK. To bewitch, to injure with the evil eye.
PADDLE. A flat-pointed iron having a long handle, used in ploughing to free
the implement from too much adhesive soil.
['•TAME. A pane of glass. This is the only meaning I know, but in a
carpenter's bilJ, 1809, occurs the entry: '•Cutting a Piece for a Pame —
Damaged, is.," in which case it probably relates to some wood-work,
perhaps a purlin.]
PAN. Any depression in a field or on other land.
PANEL. The lining of a saddle.
PANKY. To pant, to breathe laboriously, to puff" and blow.
PAN-SHORD (pan-shurd). A piece of broken pottery.
PATTENS. A kind of clogs worn by women which rest on iron oval rings, and so
keep the feet quite two inches from the ground. [Still in common use.]
PEART. Sprightly, gay, brisk, lithe, lively. PEEL. Salmon of the first
season, grilse.
PERISH. To become very cold or chilled, to become numbed.
PICK PRATES. To tell tales.
PIG'S MEAT (peg's mait). Wash, refuse of the kitchen. PILM, PILLUM. Dust,
fluff.
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(delwedd C3335) (tudalen 108)
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I08 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
PIN. The hip, both of man and beast ; the hip-joint. PIN-BONE, The projecting
bone of the hip. PINCH FART. A niggard, a miserly person.
PINDY (peendy). Musty in taste or smell — applied chiefly to corn or flour.
PINKING. Ailing, weakly, querulous.
PINSWILL. A small abscess, a boil, a gathering of matter.
PIPING. Wheezy, husky.
PITCHING (putchin). A pavement made of pebbles or small stones.
PLAIN. Inferior in quality or appearance.
PLANCH-FLOOR (/ as v). A wood floor.
PLANCHIN. The board of the floor.
PLANCHIN-BOARD. Flooring-board.
PLIM, PLIMMY. To swell or increase in bulk, as rice or peas in boiling.
PLOUGH. [I never heard this word applied to " a team of horses,*' but it
occurs in that sense in the H. Church Accounts, 1599 — 1600.]
PLUM. Applied to the weather — warm, genial.
POAT, POATY. To kick, to struggle.
POAT. A kick.
POLL Lpoul] . Top, crown.
POOCH, POOCHY. To protrude the closed lips, in a pouting manner.
POOR FOOL, POOR OLD FOOL. Expressions of pity for a suflering animal, as a
horse or a dog.
POPPLE. Pebble.
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(delwedd C3336) (tudalen 109)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. IO9
POST OPE (poss aup). To fasten open — applied to a door or gate.
POUND-HOUSE. The place where cider is made.
PRITCHIL. The square point used by smiths to punch the nail-holes in a
horse-shoe.
PROOF. Quality of either becoming fat, as applied to cattle, or of causing to
become fat, as applied to soil.
PROOFY. Of cattle or sheep — of a kind Hkely to improve or grow in size or
condition ; of land or soil — rich in fattening qualities.
PROPER, Undoubtedly, completely, thorough. PUMPLE-FOOT (/like v). Club-foot.
PURTY. To sulk, to pout. PUSKY. Wheezing, puflSng, short of breath.
PUT TO BUCK. Overcome, surprised, astonished. PUT VAST. To close, to shut.
QUAILY. To faint.
QUAT (quot). To squat, to stoop : said of a hare or any game when flattening
itself upon the earth to escape from observation.
QUICK-STICK, IN A. Immediately, in a very short time. QUILT. To beat, to
thrash. QUILTING. A thrashing.
RADDEN BASKET. A large basket made of coarse unpeeled willows.
RAKY UP. To rouse or bestirjoneself. [This is frequently applied to cattle,
hares, etc. ** The bullocks rak'ed up an' raim*d their-zels." **I zeed
the hare raky up in his sait."]
RAM-CAT. A tom-cat.
RAMES. A skeleton ; remnants or remains of anything.
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(delwedd C3337) (tudalen 110)
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no niAI-RCT OF HARTLAND.
RAMPIN. Distracted, overcome, raving.
RANDY. A merry-makiDg.
KANE. To cause to crack or split ; to crack, to split.
RAP. To exchange, to swap ; an exchange ; a piece cut off
[as a strip of cloth, wood, etc.]
RARE. Raw, underdone — applied to meat. RAUNCH. To devour greedily, to gnaw.
RAW-CREAM (-craim).)
RAW-HEAD (aid).
RAW-MILK. Milk as it comes from the cow, not skimmed.
Natural cream which rises upon the milk and is skimmed off, in distinc- tion
from that produced by scalding.
REAM (raim). To stretch or draw out any elastic substance ; to stretch
oneself on awaking, or on getting up.
RE AMY (raimy). Applied to cider — stringy, viscous.
REDDING (raidin). Red ochre or ruddle used to daub over sheep.
REED. Wheaten straw combed and straightened for
thatching.
REFUSE (raifooze). Refusal, option, pre-emption.
REVEL. An annual feast, or day of merry-making.
ROAD(raud). ''To go to road,'' or "To turn to road," represents a
very common practice among small owners, viz., to let out donkeys or cattle
to browse on the roadside.
RORY-TORY. Usually applied to colour in dress — tawdry, over loud, in too
great contrast.
ROUNDSHAVE. To abuse, to scold.
ROUSE-ABOUT. A coarse, rough, awkward, but busy person.
ROUT. Rut. or wheel track.
RUCKY-DOWN. To stoop low by bending the knees, to crouch low in any posture.
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(delwedd C3338) (tudalen 111)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND, III
RUMMAGE. Litter, confusion, untidiness.
RUN-WORD. To repudiate a bargain, to back out of an agreement.
SCALD (scahl). To burn.
SCAT. To scatter, to fling, to throw.
[*SCRAM. To cram people or animals into a small space. ** Us waz that scram'd
in the van that us got properly scrim'd."]
SCRIDDICK. An atom, scrap, crumb ; also applied to money — the smallest coin.
SCUD. The scab which forms over a slight wound.
SCUFFLE. To drag the feet along the road; to scarify, to work land with a
cultivator ; a cultivator.
SEED OUT (zeed out). To sow land with grass seeds.
SEEM (sim, zim). To think, to reckon, to consider, to hold the opinion.
SHARP. Shaft of any cart or carriage.
SHEAR (sheer). The wool cut by a farmer from his entire flock in any one
season ; a crop of grass for hay ; to prune (hedges) with a hook.
SHET. Shalt.
SHILLET. Shale.
SHILLURD. A shilling's worth.
SHIP. Usual name of a shepherd's dog.
SHIPPEN. A cow-house.
SHITTEN. Pal'/y, mean, base, contemptible, dirty.
SHOULD (sh'd). Very commonly used in narration, partictilarly with the oratio
ohliqua.
SHREED. Shred.
SIFE, SIFY. To sigh.
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(delwedd C3339) (tudalen 112)
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112 DIALFXT OF HARTLAND.
SIG. Urine.
SIVER (sivver). Several, a good many.
SKEER. To f^3Lze the surface ot
SKENTER. The disease of a cow or other buJlock con- sisting of chronic
diarrhoea [due to consumption of the lungsj .
SKIMP. To curtail.
SKIMPING. Miserly.
SKIT. Diarrhcea ; looseness in cattle, especially calves.
SKITTERY. To be afflicted with diarrhoea.
SLACK. Slow, lazy.
SL.\ME. Applied to a grindstone or whetstone when it will not ** fret,'* i.r.
take any effect on the instrument to Ih* sharpened. •• The \Tost 've a-slame
the grendin'-stone."
SLI r. A young store pig of either sex.
SLIPPER. Slippcr>\
;SLlPSLOl\ Slovenly, untidy.]
SI.OPBER. To cat greedily and with noise like a pig.
SLOCK. To entice.
SLOP. Shok.locw.
SMEKCII. Du$t in the air : smoke ; smdl, stench.
SM KKCH Y. Dusty, snxiky. stinking ; to smoke, to give out \lusit, to
sn>rfi.
SMl\U*LK, To huj: vicJcntly, to smother with caresses.
SMT ITPKs A n>KSs a sacodipe.
SNK AP ^^r;<^\S », The kc^r hect s«ai of a scythe.
SN\vWU.V\ i> ji^iSjkV. to U;:^ inaselvor at nothinc:, to tut^. •
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(delwedd C3340) (tudalen 113)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. II3
SOCE. Use only as a vocative — companions, friends.
SPARE. Slow.
SPARE-GROWING. Slow of growth.
SPARE- WORK. Work requiring much time and patience
SPARK. A spotted or parti-coloured bullock.
SPARKED.]
-Spotted or parti-coloured. SPARKY. J
SPILL. Spindle ; a flower or seed stalk.
SPILL-MORE [-maur]. A tap-root.
SPIT. To dig with a shovel; a shovel's depth in the ground ; a shovelful.
SPITTER. A tool like a chisel, with a long handle — used for weeding.
SPREADER. The spreader used to keep apart the chain traces of a string horse.
SPUDDLE. To stir, to turn over, to dig about. SPUDDLING. Struggling.
SPUDDLY. To struggle, to kick, to resist capture, to move quickly, to be busy
in a trifling, useless way.
SQUAB-PIE. A very favourite dish. The chief ingredients are meat (usually
mutton, never pigeons), apples, and onions, seasoned well with pepper and
salt, and over all a thick crust like a beefsteak pie.
SQUAT. To squeeze, to crush.
SQUINNY-EYED. Squint-eyed.
SQUITTERS. Diarrhoea.
SQUITTERY. To have violent diarrhoea.
STANDING. A stall or accustomed standing-place in a market [or fair] ; stall
for horses.
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(delwedd C3341) (tudalen 114)
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114 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
STAND TO WORK. To work on a farm as an ordinary out-door labourer.
STEEP. To stoop, to tilt a cask.
STEEVE. To stiffen, to benumb, to freeze, to make stiff- now mostly used of
cold or frost.
STENT. To cause to cease to grow.
STICK. A tree considered as timber.
STICKLE. A shallow part of a river, where the water runs rapidly ; steep.
STILLURS. Steelyards.
STILL-WATERS. A spirit illicitly distilled from cider- dregs.
STIRRUP. A shoemaker's strap, with which he keeps the last firm upon his
knee.
STITCH. A shock or stook of ten sheaves of com set up in the harvest-field.
STIVER (stivver). Applied to hair or like substances — to cause to become
rough, or to stand up in a wild manner.
STOG [usually stug] . To stick fast in the mud.
STRADDLES. A disease in young ducks.
STRAM. To slam, to bang with a noise ; a lie.
STRAMMER. A lie.
STRAM MY. To lie, to tell fibs.
[STREAL. A slut.]
[STRE^LING or STREALISH. Slovenly, untidy.]
STRIKE (strick). To apply any liniment, lotion, or ointment ; to anoint ; to
stroke.
STRING-HORSE (-oss). The leader or vorc-'oss in a team.
STROIL. Couch grass; dexterity, agility.
STROKE. To take part of the milk, to milk gently.
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(delwedd C3342) (tudalen 115)
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DIALECT OP HARTLAND. tij
STUB. A sharp stump of a bush or stake.
STUBBARD. An early codling apple.
STUMP. A short, squat person.
SUANT. Even, regular in position or appearance, smoothly.
SUCK ! (zook). Call-word for a calf.
«
SUMMER. To pasture cattle or sheep during the summer months, away at a
distance from home.
SUMMERING-GROUND. Pasture kept for summer feeding only.
SUMPLE. Pliant, supple ; to make supple.
SURVEY. A sale by auction. [Rare.]
SWAPPING (zwappin*). Used always with big or gnat.
SWAR. See Zwar.
TACK. To smack, to slap with the hand.
TACKLE. To bring to account ; to accomplish ; to eat greedily, to eat up ;
drink or food.
TAILDERY. To practise the trade of a tailor.
TAIL-PIPE. To tie an old tin or other rattling thing to a dog*s tail, and
then turn it loose.
TALLET. The hayloft over a stable. TAP. To begin cutting or consuming.
TEA-KETTLE BROTH [tiggitle-brauth] . A food made of soaked bread, milk,
butter, pepper, and salt.
TEAR (tare). To break ; passion, rage.
TEEN. To kindle, to set alight.
TELL. To talk, to speak.
TERRIFY. To torment.
THAT. *• And that " - etcetera.
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(delwedd C3343) (tudalen 116)
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Il6 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
THERE RIGHT. Then and there, on the spot.
THEY, THEY THERE. Those.
THICK, THICKY. That.
[THIMBLE-PIE. A fillip with a thimble. "Til gie 'ee thimble-pie dreckly,
if thee dis'n behave the-zeF.**]
THINGS. Cattle, sheep, live stock.
THO. Then, adv. of time.
THROW ABROAD (draw abraud). In ploughing, to turn to the left at the end of a
furrow and return.
THROW THE HATCHET. To colour highly, to exaggerate.
TIDDLY WINK. An unlicensed public.
TIGHT AFTER (tight arter). Close after.
TILL. To sow seed for a crop ; to set a gin, trap, or snare.
TILLER. Of a gin or trap, the part to which the bait is attached, and by
which the trap is <* tilled " or set.
TIMBER-DISH. A trencher, a wooden platter.
TINO ! Negative expletive. " That I know." TITTERY. To stutter or
stammer.
TO. On, upon ; out of; belonging to ; at, or by (working at, understood) ; at
; of ; this ; fqr ; with ; in.
TOKENY. To threaten, to give signs, to betoken.
TOKER. Money.
TOP. Upon — short for ** upon the top of."
TOTELING (toatlin). Slow, inactive, dead alive, decrepit from age.
TOTELY. To slouch about idly, to dawdle.
TOWN. A collection of houses, sometimes a single farm*
TOZE. To disentangle, to comb or card*
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(delwedd C3344) (tudalen 117)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. 117
TRACE. To plait.
TRADE. Stuflf of all kinds, Uquor.
TREACLE-POSSET [tri-kle-] . A hot drink made of cider and treacle.
TRIG. To fasten, to block, to prevent from moving.
TRIGGER. Anything used to trig or block.
TROW (traw). Trough.
TUCK. A blow.
TUCKED UP. Applied to animals, especially horses after hard riding — looking
thin.
TUCKING-MILL. [A cottage at H. on the site of an old tucking-mill is called
by this name.]
TURR 1 The word always used to drive pigs.
TWICK. To tweak, to jerk suddenly ; a sudden jerk.
TWISTER. A blow with a whip or other instrument, such as to make the victim
twist or writhe.
TWIZZLE. A tangled mass. [Also, to twist.]
TWO-DOUBLE. Bent with age or infirmity when applied to persons ; bent so
completely as to bring the ends together when applied to things.
TYRANT. One specially capable in anything.
UNDECENT (ondaicent). Indecent, uncivilly.
U N DECEN TN ESS. Indecency.
UNDER ONE (under wan). At the same time.
UNDER THE WIND. Sheltered from the wind.
UNHAPSE. To unlatch, to unfasten.
UNHEAL (on-ale). To uncover.
UNHEEVE (on-aive). To thaw, or rather to show condensation.
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(delwedd C3345) (tudalen 118)
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Il8 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
UNKNOWIN (on-knawin). Unknown.
UNLIGHT. To alight.
UN POSSIBLE. Impossible.
UNPROPER. Improper.
UNREGULAR (on-rigler). Irregular, uneven, unpunctual.
UNTACKLE. To unharness from a carriage ; to strip off harness from a horse.
UNTHAW. To thaw (transitive).
UP. Quite, as much as ; ** got up ; " often used without any predicate,
as " Up way un."
UP-ALONG. In an upward direction.
UPRIGHT-AND-DOWNSTRAIGHT (upright-n-down- strite). Honest, straightforward,
fair in dealing.
UPSTANDING. Tall, big, powerful.
UR. She ; in interrogatory constructions — I, he, it, you, we.
URGE. To retch, to strain as in vomiting.
US (us, ess). We.
UTHOUT. Without, unless, except.
VAIR. The weasel.
VALL (vahl). To fall ; a fall of rain or snow.
VALLY. Value.
VANG. To seize hold of, to grasp, to take, to receive.
VAR. Far. Comp. vurdety varder. Super, vurdcst^ vardesf, VARDEN. Farthing.
VARRY. To farrow.
VAR-VOTH. Far, to that extent. VAST. Eager, fast.
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(delwedd C3346) (tudalen 119)
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DIALECT OF HARTLAND. II9
VATCHES. Vetches.
VELLUM. A film. A common injury to ewes and sows is to be vellutn-hrokt, a
kind of rupture.
VELLY. A felloe. •
VETHERVOW (vether-vaw). Feverfew. VEW. Few. [I never heard " A few
broth."] VIERNS (veams). Ferns. VIFTY-ZIX (veefty-zix). A weight of
561bs.
VIGGY. To dig with the feet, as dogs do in scratching themselves, to
struggle.
VINN^D. Mouldy, mildewed.
VINNY. To become mouldy or mildewed.
VIRE-DOG (vire-dug). Andiron. VISH (veesh). Fish.
VITTINESS. Dexterity, neat-handedness.
VITTY. Proper, neat, correct; correctly adjusted — as applied to any machine
or implement.
VLAY. Flea.
VLEX. See Flax.
VLID. Flood.
VLITTERS. Flutters, tatters, shreds, rags.
VOLKS (voaks). People, workpeople.
VOLLY. TofoUow.
VOR (vur, vaur). For.
VORE (voar). Forward ; a furrow.
VORE (vaur). Before, in front of; until.
VORE DAY (vaur day). Befpre it is light.
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(delwedd C3347) (tudalen 120)
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I20 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
VORE 'EM ! (vaur um). To a shepherd's dog— the order to go in front of the
sheep to drive them back.
VOREHEAD (vorred). Forehead ; a headland or space at each end of the
ploughing where the horses turn.
VORE-HORSE (vaur-oss). A leader.
VORE-PART (vaur-pa-urt). The front.
VORN (vaurn). For him.
VOR WHY (vur why). Because.
VREATH (vreth). A wreathing, an interweaving, a wattled fence.
VREATH E (vraithe). To wreathe, to wattle, to interlace as in basket-work.
VREATHING (vraithin). A wattling, or rough inter- twining.
VULCH. To nudge or shove.
VULL(vool). Full.
VUR. Far.
VUZ. Gorse, whin, furze.
VUZ-KITE. The kestrel.
VUZ-NAPPER. The whin-chat.
WADGE (waj). Wedge ; to bet, to wage.
WALVING (wal-vin). Wallowing, rolling in dust or dry earth, as fowls and
partridges do.
WANGED (wangd). Tired, fagged, wearied out. WANGERY (wang-ery). Flabby,
flaccid— applied to meat. WANT. A mole. WANT-HEAP. Amole-hill.
WANTY. Applied to board or stone— deficient, i.e. wanting part to make it
even, not sawn straight upon each edge. *'Wanty-edg6d board." ^ f e
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(delwedd C3348) (tudalen 121)
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DIALECT OP HARTLAND.
the side of a tree, where the " A wany piece."
Of a board cut from edge is wanting, or not sawn,
WARN (waarn). To warrant.
WASHERS- Of horses — an affection or soreness of the gums, accompanied by
swelling and a white appearance.
WATER (waiter). A stream, brook.
WATER-TABLE (watter-table). The ditch on each side of a load.
WAY. With.
WAY ! Used in driving horses-
-Stop 1
WAY-ZALTIN. A sort of horse-game, in which two boys stand back to back with
their arms interlaced, each then alternately bends forward, and so raises the
other on his back, with his legs in the air. [This is usually called wtighing
salt,]
WEE-WOW. Crooked, uneven, awry.
WELL DONEl Very common expression of surprise at anything narrated,
equivalent to "Indeed!" "You don't say so 1 "
WELL SAID! Inlerj, of approval.
WHE'ER (ware. wur). Whether.
p\'HIT-IT.A-WHET. The peculiar noise made in sharpening a scythe with a
balkcr is supposed to suggest the words : —
■■ Whii-i(-a-whet r
WIDDY-WADDY. Stupidly weak and vacillating, unstable, Bot to be relied upon,
changeable.
WIDOW-MAN. A widower.
WIDOW-WOMAN (widow-ummun). A widow.
WINDLE. The redwing [or field-fare].
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(delwedd C3349) (tudalen 122)
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122 DIALECT OF HARTLAND.
WISHT. Sad, miserable.
WITH THE SAME (way the same). Instantly, instanta- neously.
WITHY-WIND (-win). Bindweed, the wild convolvulus.
WIVERY (wivvery). To hover.
WO ! To horses — Keep quiet !
WOOD (ood). Used collectively — faggots of firewood.
WOOD-RICK (ood-rick). A stack of faggot-wood.
WOOD- WALL (ood-aul). The green woodpecker.
WORK. Fuss, disturbance, row.
WORTH (wuth). In phr. " a worth "=worth.
WORTS (worts, urts). Whortleberries.
WUG ! The word used in driving horses, to make them go to the right or •• off
side."
WURD. Hoard.
WUTS. Oats.
YARBS. Herbs. [Rare.]
YEAR (yur). The ear.
YERE (yur). Here.
YERR (yur). To hear.
YERRING (yurrin). Hearing, trial.
YETH. Heath, i,c. heather.
YETH-HOUNDS. A phantom pack of hounds, believed to hunt in the night, and
whom some superstitious people declare they have heard. [I have only known
one person who has heard or seen them.]
YOUNG-STOCK. Young steers and heifers of indefinite age, from six or eight
months to two years old.
YUCKS. Hiccough.
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(delwedd C3350) (tudalen 123)
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DIALBCT OP HARTLAND. I 23
ZALT. Salt.
ZAND. Sand.
ZAPE. Sap in wood as distinct from Jieart\ the sap or circulating fluid of
vegetables.
ZART. Soft, daft.
ZAW. Saw.
ZAW-BOX. The handle which the pit-man or under sawyer wedges on to the pit-saw
so that he may perform his part of the work.
ZEBM. Seven.
ZEE. To see.
ZEED. Seed ; to seed, generally followed by out.
ZE'L. Self.
ZESS. A heap or pile of corn in the barn ready for thrashing.
ZIM. To consider, to believe, to fancy, to think, ** I zim *' means ** it
seems to me."
ZIN. Son ; sun.
ZINNY. Sinew.
ZIT {p.t. ZAUT). To sit ; to set.
ZOONDER. Rather, sooner.
ZWAR (zwaur). Swath ; a crop of grass to be mown for hay.
Z WER. A whizzing noise, as of the sudden rise of a covey of partridges.
PRINTED AT THB MARKET STREET PRESS WORKS, MANCHESTER.
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(delwedd C3351) (tudalen 124)
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yn 
aith
δ δ [ˈːˑ