|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4714) (tudalen 400)
|
400
FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
ahy se"ed im ston-din ut)th d6oiir, un mey thingk-m
ee wuz I Liverpool au- dim weyl].
Toony-throny [too-ni-throa-ni], adj. (I) inconsistent, captious. “Fost y5 sen
one thing, and then y5 sen another ; ah never seed annyb'dy so toony-tlirony”
[Fost yu sen won thingg-, un dhen yu sen unudh'ur ; ah nevur seed aan-ibdi su
t6o-ni-throa-ni] .
(2) in confusion, in the wrong place. “Theise key bin aw toony-throny"
i.e., will get into the wrong boozies [Dheyz ky'ey bin au- t6o-ni-throa'ni].
tToot [toot], v.n. to pry, spy. "He was hootin' an' tootiri abowt aw the
wheil we wun talkin'" pfie wuz 6o-tin un too-tin ubuwt au- dhu weyl wi
wun tau-kin]. A man who surprised two lovers was asked, "Come, nai,
what'n yo want tootin* here?" [Kum, naay, wot)n yu waan-t t6o-tin
e"eur?] M.E. toten, to spy ; see Skeat's Dictionary s.v. Tout, and
Eichardson's Dictionary s.v. Toot.
Toothry [too-thri, too-uthri, t6o-thuri], (1) indef. pron. two or three, a
few. “Han yo toothry chips spare ( to spare) ?" [Aan yu too-thri chip-s
spae-r?]
t(2) s. a few. “I've a good toothry o' them black sheep “ [Ahy)v u gud
too-thri u dhem blaak- sheep] .
Tooth-warch [tooth-waa-rch], s. tooth-ache.
Top [top], s. (1) "That's the top an' the bottom on it" corresponds
to “that is the long and the short of it."
(2) "I conna may top nur bottom on it" [Ahy kon')u mai* top nur
bot-um on it] means “I can't make head or tail of it."
Top [top], v.a. (I) to snuff (a candle).
(2) to cut off the leaves and fibrous roots of turnips. t(3) to “top up “a
stack is to complete the top of it.
t Topper [top-ur], s. a term of commendation applied to a person or thing.
One might say of a good plough, “It's a topper;" or to a good child, “Yo
bin a topper."
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4715) (tudalen 401)
|
GLOSSARY. 401
Toppin' [top-in], adj. excellent, "tip-top." "I've gotten a
toppm* knife for tenpence at Cawley's o' Nantweich” [Ahy)v got-n u top-in
nahyf fur ten-puns ut Kau-liz u Naantweych]. I do not know the word in Mr.
Holland's sense, "noted, eminent. “ Mr. Bobert Browning uses topping in
the sense of "excellent “ in his translation of the Agamemnon “a topping
actor." I think a/c/x>s is the word in the original. Compare TIPPIN'.
t Top-sawyer [top-sau-yur], s. the head or chief. "He's th' top-sawyer
among 'em” [Ee)z th)top-sau-yur umungg- urn].
Topteels [top-teelz], adv. head over heels. "Hey, mester, sey mey turn
topteels” [Ey, mes-tur, sey mey tuurn top-tee-lz].
Tore [toa-r], (1) v.a. to pull through, tide over a difficulty. "I
shanna bake tin Setterday ; we'n hardly bread enough to last, bur ah'll may a
borm dumplin' to tore us on" [Ahy shaa)nu bark tin Set-urdi ; wi)n
aa-rdli bred unuf- tu laas-t, bur ah)l mai* u bau'rm dum-plin tu toa-r us
on].
(2) v.n. e.g., in the preceding example it might be said “We san tore on wi'
the borm-dumplin." Compare TOZE.
TOSS a baw [tos u bau-], phrase. School-children very often toss up a soft
ball, such as is used in the game of rounders, and catch it again, repeating
Toss a baw, toss a baw, tell me true, Hai m'ny 'ears shall I go schoo'.
[Tos u bau-, tos u bau-, tel mi tr6o, aay)mni e"eurz shul ahy gu skoo].
Then they count "One, two, three," &c., for as many times in
success-ion as they are able to catch the ball.
Tossicated [tosiky'ai-tid], p. part, harassed, worried. I have some little
doubt whether this be a genuine Cheshire word, as my only authority for it
was born in English Maelor (Flintshire), and spent the first seventeen years
of her life there. She has lived nearly forty years in Cheshire, and retains
remarkably little of her early habits of speech; but, as I have AA
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4716) (tudalen 402)
|
402 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
not heard the word from any native Cestrian, I have thought it best to state
my doubts concerning it. See Miss Jackson, s.v.
Tot [tot], s. a little cup. "Th' Wesleyans bin gooin' have their treat
o' Wednesday; an' them as gon bin to bring their own tots with 'em" [Th)
Wes-liunz bin g6o-in aav dhur treei u "Wen-zdi; un dhem uz gon bin tu
bring- dhur oa*n tots widh urn].
Tother [todh-ur], s. a tangle. “Na'i 'en ( = then*), yo'n be gettin' that
thatch- coard all in a tother, an' yo wunner undo it agen, I know" [Naay
en, yoajn bi gy'etin dhaat' thaach--koa-rd au-1 in u todh-ur, un yoa wun)ur
undoo it ugy'en-, -ahy noa*].
Totherment [todh-urmunt], s. (1) finery. “Hoo'd sich a lot o' ribbins an'
totherment abowt her, hoo mid ha' bin woth her tha'isands, on'y then maybe
hoo wouldner ha' looked sich a trallock" [6o)d sich u lot u rib-inz un
todh-urmunt ubuwt ur, 60 mid u bin woth ur thaayzundz, oa-ni dhen marbi 60
wud)nur u 16okt sich u traal'uk]. The word is formed from TOTHEBY (q.v.).
(2) any kind of appendage or superfluity; possibly by false derivation from
tother ( = the other).
(3) a tangle, complicated mass. “There's a p'atty totherment o' weids
yander" [Dhur)z u paat'i todh-urmunt u weydz yaan-dur]. Formed from
TOTHEE, a tangle, which see above.
Tothery [todh-uri], adj. tawdry, flimsy-fine. "I may noo accaint o' sich
tothery fol-the-rol; gie mey a good thing as '11 stond wear" [Ahy mai-
n6o uky'aaynt u sich- todh-uri fol--dhu-rol; gy'i mey u gud thingg- uz)l
stond wae-r]. Totliery is evidently another form of tawdry, and rather a
remarkable one considering the derivation of tawdry (from St. Audrey, the
lace sold at St. Audrey's fair in the Isle of Ely and other places being called
tawdry-lace. See Winter's Tale, IV. iv. 253, and Skeat's Diet., s.v. Tawdry).
* This omission of initial [dh] is the converse case to
that which appears in [dhon'dtir]= yonder. See Chapter on Pronunciation,
under Y.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4717) (tudalen 403)
|
GLOSSARY. 403
Totle-pony [toa-tl-poa-ni], Toty-pony [toa-ti-poa-ni], s. a teeto-tum. I
subjoin an etymological note on this word kindly sent me by Prof. Skeat. “The
derivation is from Lat. totum and pone. The very primitive teetotums . . .
had only four sides, marked: T (take all); H (take half); N (nothing); P
(pay). These are English adaptations; the toys were originally marked with
Latin letters, such as : T (totum), which gives the derivation of the word ;
D (dimidium) ; N (nihil) ; P (pone) Pone = put down, pay." For the last
word compare PONY in this glossary.
TouehOUS [tuch-us], adj. touchy in temper.
Touse [taawz], v.n. to pull. “Did ye ever see sich a pleeful little thing as
this kitlin' is? Look at her nal, tousiri at my yoarn" [Did yi evur see
sich- u pleeful lit-1 thingg- uz dhis- ky'iHin iz ? Look aat* ur naay,
taawzin ut mahy yoa'rn]. Bailey gives “To Towz, to tug or pull about, to
tumble," and “To Toivz Wool, i.e. to toze it, to card or dress it."
Compare Measure for Measure, V. i. 313. “We'll touse you joint by joint, but
we will know your purpose;" also toaze in Winter's Tale, IV. iv. 760,
and E. tease (of wool). Touse answers to A.S. tdsian, M.E. tose; and tease to
A.S. tcesan, the same word as tdsian, with "umlaut," or mutation of
vowel.
Tousle [taawzl], v.a. to jostle, use roughly; sensu malo, to disarrange the
dress. Bailey has “Tou'zled, pulled about, tumbled, rumpled." Compare
Low German tuseln, to pull about, Ger. zausen ; also E. tussle, and TOUSE
above.
Touslin' [taawzlin], s. rough treatment, horse-play. "Ah'll gie ye a
regilar tousliri” [Ah)l gy'i yi u regilur taawzlin].
Toze [toa*z], v.a. and n. to pull through, tide over a difficulty: used
exactly like TORE, which see. Compare Shropshire toze, to pull ; E. tease ;
also TOUSE in this Glossary.
Traddle [traadl], v.a. to work a treadle. “Hoo'd tr addle a tricycle, if yo'd
get her one" [6o)d traad'l u trahysikl, iv yoa)d gy'et ur won]. The
substantive treadle is also pronounced [traad-1].
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4718) (tudalen 404)
|
404 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
tirade [trai-d, tree-d], s, a handicraft. "Are yo bringin' liim up to a
trade?" "Ay, ah've put him to a whilreight" [U yu bringgin im
up tu u trai-d? Aay, ah)v put im tu u wil-reyt]. Trade has, of course, no
necessary connexion with barter, as far as its original signification is
concerned. It meant simply the tread or way of life which a person followed.
(Tread is likewise pronounced [tree-d] in S. Ches.)
^Tradesman [trai-dzmun, tree-dzmun], s. a handicraftsman. "I'm a
tradesman ait o' work" [Ahy)m u tree-dzmun aayt u wuurk].
Tragwallet [traagwaal-it], v.n. to wander about in a slovenly fashion, like
TRAPES; to gad about. WRENBURY; NORBURY. "I wonder at 'em gooin'
tragwalletin' abowt the country a-that-ns" [Ahy wiin-dur aat- urn goo-in
traagwaaHtin ubuwt dhu kuniri u)dhaat-nz].
Trail [trai-1, tree-1], s. seeds laid on the ground as a lure for birds.
Tralloek [traal-uk], s. a dowdy-looking woman or girl. “If I was a young
wench like yo, I should be ashamed o' annyb'dy seem' me go alung the road
sich a trallock” (for Glossic see MAUKIN).
Tralloek [traal-uk], v.n. (I) to trail; said of a dress. "Hai it does
trallock!" [Aay it duz traal-uk !]. This is a rare sense of the word,
but it supplies the key to the next meaning, as well as to TRALLOCK (sb.) and
TRALLOCKIN'. Compare E. trail.
(2) to act in a slovenly or slipshod manner; to "mess about"
without accomplishing much. "What are yo doin' trallockin' theer?"
[Wot u yu doo-in traal-ukin dheeur ?]. Generally used in the pres. part.
Tralloekin' [traal-ukin], adj. untidy or slovenly-looking; of a dress, or the
like. “Them window curtains bin gotten to look very trallockin'“ [Dhem
whrdu-kuu'rtinz bin got*n tu look ver-i traal-ukin]. So a table-cloth was
said to be "too trallockin' “when it was too long for the table, and
consequently got into the way of the persons seated at table.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4719) (tudalen 405)
|
GLOSSARY. 405
Trammil [traam-il], s. dirt clinging to the boots or lower garments. I have
found that “the trammels of sin" is taken by some Cheshire people to
mean “the defilement of sin."
Trammil [traam-il], (1) v.n. to tramp, generally along dirty roads, and so
like TKASH. "I s'l ha' to trammil aw the wee to Marbury for post that
letter o' mester's” [Ahy)sl aa)tii traam-il au- dhu wee 4 tu Maa'rbri fur
poa-s dhaat- let-ur u mesiurz].
(2) v.a. of dirt, to cling to the feet or lower garments. “Ealy, wench, ha'i
tha a't trammiled ! Wheerever 'st 'ee bin ?" [Rae-li, wensh, aay dhu aat
traam-ild! Weeurevur)st i bin?]
(3) v.n. of dirt, to deposit itself from dirty shoes or lower garments. “Ah
wish ye wouldna leyav aw this dirt abowt; it does so trammil i' the cleyan
places" [Ah wish' yi wud)nu leyuv au- dhis duurt ubuwt ; it duz su
traam-il i dhu kleyun plai-siz].
TranklibobS [traangHibobz], s. pi. the same as TRANKLIMENTS, which see below.
Tranklibobus [traangk-liboabus], s. an indefinite term applied to any
implement the reverse of neat in appearance, or to one which has evidently
been patched up for a makeshift. The word is of fairly general application,
but will be better understood by a particular example. A farmer found himself
in want of a cowstrap, and supplied the deficiency by piecing together two
remnants of cowstraps. This, though effectual for the purpose, presented a
very awkward appearance, and was therefore called a tranklibobus.
TranklimentS [traangk-limunts], s. pi. belongings, gear; a vague term used to
designate any odds and ends which the speaker cannot or will not further
define. “If I am to wheite-wesh th' haise-pleece, I mun have aw theise
trankliments tayn ait ; I mun have a cleyar bonk" [Iv ahy aanr tu
weyt-wesh dh)aays-plee'S, ahy mun aav au* dheyz traangk'limunts tarn aayt;
ahy mun aav u tleyur bongk]. This word reminds one
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4720) (tudalen 406)
|
406 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
very strongly of the old sense of trinkets, and I think it extremely likely
that the two words are connected. See Trinket in Skeat's Dictionary.
Trap [traap-], v.a. to jerk into the air by means of a lever. A common sport
among boys is "trappin"' or “trap-stichin' a tooad." A piece
of wood is balanced on a stump or stone, and a toad is placed upon one end of
it ; the other end is then struck sharply, and the unhappy toad is jerked up
many yards into the air, to the great delight of all on-lookers. See
TKAP-STICK and SPANG-FEW.
tTrapeS [trai-ps], s. a dirty walk. “I've had sich a trapes through the gress
after them ducks ; they wun get to that fur pit when they con" [Ahy)v
aad' sich u trai*ps throo dhu gres aaf'tur dhem duks ; dhi wun gy'et tu
dhaat* fuur pit* wen dhi kon].
Trapes [trai-ps], v.n.\ (1) to walk through wet or dirt. “If I was yo, I'd
sey if I couldna do withait trapesiri off to Maupas of a reeny neight like
this” [Iv ahy wuz yoa', ahy)d sey iv ahy kud)nu d6o widhaayt trarpsin of tu
Mau'pus uv u reeni neyt lahyk dhis].
(2) to walk with dirty boots over a clean floor. “I tell y5 once for aw, I
wunner ha' yo trapesin' o'er my cleean floors “ [Ahy tel yu wiins fur au-,
ahy wu)nur aa)yu trai-psin oa-r mahy kleeun floourz].
(3) to drag in the dirt, of a dress. “Ah dait it'll trapes, if y6 han it made
s5 lung" [Ah daayt it)l trai-ps, iv yu aan* it mai'd su lungg]. So a
woman with dirty garments was called “a poor, trapes' t thing."
Compare Du. and Low. Ger. trappen, to tramp ; and E. trip, tramp.
Trap-Stick [traap --stik], v.a. to shoot into the air by means of a lever ;
the same as TKAP (q.v.).
Trash [traash-], s.f (1) in plur., old shoes. “An owd pair o' trashes"
[Un uwd pae*r u traash'iz]. Compare Norw. truga, Icel. a snow-shoe; and E.
trudge.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4721) (tudalen 407)
|
GLOSSAEY. 407
(2) a slattern. NOKBUEY. “Hoo's sich a trash, I wouldner have her abowt the
bonk, if I was Mester" [6o)z sich u traaslr, ahy wud)nur aav ur ubuwt
dhu bongk, iv ahy wuz Mes-tur].
(3) a wet, dirty walk or journey. "What a trash it'll bey for th'
hosses!" [Wot u traaslr it)l bey fur)dh osiz!] Compare TKAPES.
t(4) the drag of a waggon wheel.
Trash [traaslr], (1) v.n. to trudge, or walk especially through wet, or dirt;
like "trapes," also used of walking with dirty boots over a clean
floor. Hence applied to a slovenly style of walking, as with shoes that are
down at heel.
(2) v.a. it is often used actively in the phrase "to trash one's shoes
off one's feet." Cp. SLATHERTRASH and TRASHBAG.
(3) v.a. to lead through dirt or mire. “Ah wonder at him trashin' his hosses
alung them lanes" [Ah wmrdur aat* im traaslr in iz osiz ulung* dhem
larnz].
(4) p. part. Trashed, having one's garments wet and dirty. “What a poor,
Crashed owd thing I should ha' looked, agen I'd gotten o'er them feilds, if
I'd had to ha' walked" [Wot u poour, traashi uwd thingg* ahy shud u
lookt, ugy'eiv ahy)d got'n oa-r dhem feylz, iv ahy)d aad- tu u wau-kt]. See
TRASH, subs.
Trashbagf [traaslrbaag], s. (1) a person whose boots or clothes are dirty,
and generally who is slovenly in dress or habits.
(2) in pi., old shoes. “I'm wearin' theise pair o' owd trashbags abowt the
ha'ise ; they dun very well indoors, an' one has to be careful
nai-a-dees" [Ahy)m wae-rin dheyz pae'r u uwd traash-baags ubuwt dhu aays
; dhi dun veri wel hrd6ourz, un wun aaz- tu bi ky'ae-rful naay-u-dee-z].
ITraunee [trau-ns], s. a long and aimless journey. “Yo'n gen me a pratty
traunce abait the tain lookin' fo' y6 ; bur ah mid ha' known yo'd may for the
Grain" [Yoa)n gy'en mi u praati trau-ns ubaayt dhu taayn loo 'kin fo)yu;
bur ah mid u noa-n yoa)d mai- fur dhu Kraayn]. Dr. Skeat thinks this word is
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4722) (tudalen 408)
|
408 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
probably an error for prance; he has heard “a pretty prance," similarly
used; also "to prance about," as in the following article.
tTraunce [trau-ns], v.n. to have a long and fruitless walk. "I wonder
hai lung hey's gooin' keep me trauncin 1 abowt a-this-ns, afore hey ges me my
answer" [Ahy wmrdur aay lungg ey)z gooin ky'ee-p mi trau-nsin ubuwt
u)dmVnz, ufoa-r ey gy'ez mi mi aan-sur]. See preceding article.
% Trazzle [traaz-1], v.n. to walk through wet and slush. BUBLAND. MACEFEN. “I
do wonder at yo, comin' trazzlin! through th' muck a dee like this" [Ahy
d6o wmrdur aat- yu, kunrin traaz'lin thr6o)th muk u dee* lahyk dhis*].
Compare DRAZZIL and TRASH.
f Travis [traavis], s. a railed-off place used for shoeing restive horses.
“Treuys, to shoe a wylde horse in, trauayl a ckeval." Palsgrave. Low
Latin travata, a building or enclosed space, from a supposed Low Latin form
travare, to enclose with beams (trabes). See Travail in Skeat's Dictionary.
Tree [trey, tree], s. the handle of a spade. See SHOVEL-TREE. A.S. treow,
trco, timber, a piece of wood. Cp. E. axle-tree, swingle-tree.
tTrench [trensh], v.a. and n. to dig two spades deep, burying the sod at the
bottom.
Tricker [trik-ur], s. a trigger. The old form of the word (Du. trekker, from
trekken, to draw). Compare Hudibras, pt. i. c. 3
1. 528,
And as a goose
In death contracts his talons close, So did the knight, and with one claw The
tricker of his pistol draw.
Tricklins [trik-linz], s. pi. sheep's dung.
Trig [trig-], s. f(l) a trot (but not applied to a horse). "He's auvays
upo' th' trig" [Ee)z au'viz upu)th trig']. “Yo mun go at the trig, if yo
want'n get theer i' time" [Yoa- mun goa- ut dhu trig-, iv yoa- waan-tn
gy'et dheeur i tahym].
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4723) (tudalen 409)
|
GLOSSARY. 409
(2) a small gutter. “There wants a bit of a trig cuttin' theer" [Dhur
waan-ts u bit uv u trig* kut-in dhee-ur].
Trig [trig], v.n. to trot. “Come, naii, trig alung wi' y5” [Kum, naay, trig-
ulungg- wi)yu].
Trig-gutter [trig'-gutur], . a small gutter; the same as TRIG (2) or PKICK-
GUTTER.
tTrindle [triirdl], s. the wheel of a barrow. “Hey go's wallockin' abowt like
a barrow-tfnwdfe" [Ey goz wol'ukin ubuwt lahyk u baaru-trhvdl]. Trindle
(A.S. tryndel, as in win-tryndel See Skeat's Diet., s.v. trundle) meant
originally anything that turns round, or anything of a round shape ; e.g.,
Cranmer's Article* of Visitation, “Whether they have not removed all images,
candle-sticks, trindels, or rolls of wax." See TRUNDLE, vb.
Trolloek [trol-uk], s. an old coat or other garment. “An owd troUock” [Un uwd
trol-uk].
Trollup [trol-up], s. f(l) a dowdy woman. Bailey has "A Trollop, a
slatternly woman."
(2) a helpless tumble. "Ah seed him go a pratty trollup upo' th'
mexen" [Ah seed im goa- u praat-i trol-up upu)th mek'sn].
tTrolly [trol'i], s. a lurry ; a low, two-wheeled cart.
Troose [troos], s. (1) noise, stir, fuss. "They mid'n ha' comen into a
fortin, by the troose they maken abowt it" [Dhi mid-n u kum-un hrtu u
fau-rtin, bi dhu tr6os dhi mai-kn ubuwt it].
(2) disturbance, commotion. “What a troose it mays to have a bit o' company
!" [Wot u tr6os it mai-z tu aav u bit u kunrpuni !] W. trwst, noise.
ITrows [truwz], s. pi a steelyard. A final n seems to have been dropped in
this word. Compare M.E. iron, a steelyard (O.F. trone ; Lat. trutina). See
Skeat's Diet. s.v. Tron, and compare DRONES in this Glossary.
Truck [truk], s. dealings. The word is always used with a negative.
"I'll ha' noo truck with a mon like that" [Ahy)l aa noo
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4724) (tudalen 410)
|
410 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
triik widh u mon lahyk dhaat-]. Compare HacJduyt's Voyages, i. 228 (quoted in
Skeat's Diet.), “by way of merchandise, trucke, or any other respect."
From O.F. troq, denned by Cotgrave as “a truck, trucking. 1 '
Trull [trul], s. a slatternly woman. “Hoo's a nasty trull" [6o)z u
naasii trul]. Trull a German imported word is used in literary English for a
woman of bad character. See Antony and Cleopatra, III. vi. 95 (where it is
used of Cleopatra) ; and Richardson's Dictionary for other examples.
Trully [fcruH], s. a dowdy woman. Cp. TROLLUP and TRULL. TPUmp [trump], v.n.
pedere. Also a subs.
*tTrundle [trun-dl], s. the wheel of a barrow; the same as TRINDLE.
Trundle [trun-dl], v.a. *(1) to wheel a barrow.
(2) to twirl a mop. “It's nat a thing ye seyn 'em do so often naii-a-dees
trundliri a mop" [It)s naat' u thingg' yi seyn urn d6o su of-n
naay-u-dee'z trun'dlin u mop]. Palsgrave has- “I tryndell, as a boule or a
stone dothe, je roulle."
Try [trahy], s. an instrument used to separate corn that has been winnowed
from the seeds that are among it. Compare F. trier t to sort, cull, whence
the E. verb try.
t Tub-guts [tub --guts], s. a pot-bellied person. “Sich a tub-guts of a
fellow." Compare Bailey's word “Panguts [of TTCCV, Gr. all, and. guts],
a gorbelly'd Fellow, a Fat-guts."
fTucked-Up [tukt-up], p. part, having a small stomach ; said of an animal.
Tuffoek [tuf-uk], s. a tuft (of grass, &c.).
Tuft [tuft], s. ill temper, tiff. “Hoo went off in a bit of a tuft" [60
went of in u bit uv u tuft]. See TIFF.
Tuft [tuft], v.a. to vex. “Hoo was a bit tufted, like, at 'em nat askin' her,
when they hadden that last dooment theer" [60-
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4725) (tudalen 411)
|
GLOSSAKY. 411
wuz u bit tuf-tid, lahyk, ut urn naat- aas-kin uur, wen dhi aad-n dhaat-
laas-t doo-miint dheeur].
tTumbril [tunrbril], s. a dung-cart. The Prompt. Parv. has “Tomerel, donge
cart." Compare
My corpse in a tumbril laid, among
The filth and ordure, and enclos'd with dung.
Dryden, The Cock and the Fox.
Tumbril is a derivative of the verb to tumble (q.v. in Skeat's Etym. Diet.),
because it is so constructed as to allow of the manure tumbling out, when
necessary. Bailey has “Tumbler, a cart. Cant." Jamieson also gives
“Tumbler, a small cart, lightly formed." The latter word is used by
Burns.
Tummy [tunri], s. food. A slang use (lit. Tommy). “Ah tak my tummy wi' me i'
my bass" [Ah taak- mi tunri wi)mi i)mi baas*].
Tumnowp [Tunrnuwp], s. a torn-tit. "Yander's a Tumnoivp i r th'
gooseberry bushes ; ah dait hey's peffilin'“ [Yaan'dur)z u Tunrnuwp i)th
g6o-zbri bush-iz ; ah daayt ey)z peHlin]. Cp. M.E. nope, a bulfinch.
Tun [tun], v.a. to fill a barrel by means of a wooden funnel. "My owd
naunt used tell a tale abowt a cousin o' hers ; hoo was, like, a bit
shackazin' o'er her work, an' a despert body for cant ; an' hoo'd stond theer
talkin' a wheile, an' then hoo'd see ( say), ' Bur I mun g8 tun; 1 and then
hoo'd set agate o' talkin' agen, an' just nai hoo'd see agen, 'Bur I mun go
tun;' an 1 theer hoo'd bey th' hooal dee, an' never did noo tunnin' nor nowt
else, on'y talked abowt it. Some folks bin a-that-ns, yo known, mester” [Mahy
uwd naan't yoos tel u tarl iibuwt u kuz-n u uurz ; 60 wuz, lahyk, u bit
shaak-uzin oaT ur wuurk r un u des-purt bod-i fur ky'aan-t; un 6o)d stond
dheeur tau-kin u weyl, un dhen 6o)d see*, "Bur ahy mun gu tun;" un
dhen oo)d set ugy'ai't u tau'kin ugy'en*, un jus naay 6o)d see* ugy'en-,
"Bur ahy mun gu tun;" un dheeur 6o)d bey dli)6oul dee*, un nevur
did 1160 tun*in nur nuwt els, oa'ni tau*kt
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4726) (tudalen 412)
|
412 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
ubuwt it. Sum foa-ks bin u)dhaat-nz, yoa* noa-n, mes'tur]. Bailey has “To Tun
up, to put liquor into a Tun, &c."
Tunnin'-dish [tun-in-dish], s. a tin funnel used for filling bottles. Compare
tun-dish in Measure for Measure, III. ii. 182.
tTup [tup], s. a ram. Notice the phrase, “as mad as a tup in a hauter
(halter)."
tTup-cat [tup'-ky'aat], s. a tom-cat.
Tuppenny [tup-uni], s. a term of familiarity or endearment. "Well, owd
tuppenny!" [Wei, uwd tup-uni]. Compare Bailey “Trupenny, a Name given by
way of Taunt to some sorry fellow, &c., as an old Trupenny."
tTurf [tuurf], s. peat, dried and cut into pieces for fuel. tTurmit
[tmrrmit], s. a turnip.
Turmit-lantern [tuu-rmit-laan-turn], s. a turnip-lantern; a lantern made by
scooping out the inside of a turnip, carving the shell into a rude
representation of the human face, and placing a lighted candle inside it. It
is a common device of mischievous lads for frightening belated wayfarers on
the road the popular idea of "Owd Scrat," with eyes of fire and
breathing flame, being pretty accurately represented by one of these hideous
turmit-lanterns.
Turn [tuurn], s. season. MACEFEN. TUSHINGHAM. “So and So has made a jell o'
money this turn” [Soa* un Soa* uz mai'd u j el u muni dhis tuurn]. “Yander
feyld was sown wi' wuts last turn" [Yaan*dur feyld wuz soan wi wuts
laas* tuurn]. This word appears with the same meaning in the Cornish language
of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries ; e.g., Jordan's Creation of the
World" Act III. p. 88 (ed. Gilbert, 1827), “War tha glowas in tonna (=
torn ma)" = to hear thee at this season. Torn is undoubtedly an English
word borrowed from some southern dialect.
Turnel [tuu-rnil], s. a large, shallow, generally lozenge-shaped tub, used
for salting meat.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4727) (tudalen 413)
|
GLOSSAEY.
tTurn o'er [tuurn oa-r], v.a. to repeat. “I've heerd a jell; but it inna woth
turnin' o'er agen" [Ahy)v e"eurdujel; but it i)nu woth tuu-rnin
oa-r ugy'en-].
flush [tush], s. a tusk. This form occurs in Shak.
Whose tushes never sheathed he whetteth still, Like to a mortal butcher bent
to kill.
Venus and Adonis, 617. And whom he strikes his crooked tushes slay.
Ibid., 624.
Tusch, tosch are found in M.E., and tosche occurs in the Prompt. Parv. Bailey
gives the form Tushes.
Tut, tutty [tuti], s. a foot (a word used to children). “Keep it little
tutties warm" [Ky'ee-p it lit-1 tuti-z waa-rmj.
Tuttle [tut-1], s. an instrument; only used in such expressions as "a
poor tuttle," which always refers to a person's capacity for work.
“Hoo's a poor tuttle" [6o)z u poour tuH].
I Twarly [twaa-rli], adj. peevish, cross ; only, I think, applied to a child.
BRINDLEY. "It's cuttin' its teith, I reckon, an' it mays it that twarly
I can do no good with it" [It)s bit in its teyth, ahy rek-n, un it marz
it dhaat- twaa-rli ahy)kn doo nu gud widh it]. Wilbraham alone of previous
writers has the word, which is not common. I ascertained that it was not
known at Norbury.
Twattle [twaat-1], v.n. to loiter, trifle. “What are ye doin' theer,
twattliri" or "twattliri yur time awee?" [Wot ur yi doo-in
dheyur twaat-lin yur tahym uwee-?]
Tweak [twee-k], s. a "pinch," a sharp, severe pain. "I'd a bit
of a tweak o' bally- warch" [Ahy)d u bit uv u twee-k u baal-i-waa-rch].
"It was rather a sharp tweak to get th' tooth drawn" [It wuz
rae-dliur u shaa-rp twee-k tu gy'et)th t6oth drau-n]. Bailey has “Tweag, A
Tweak, Perplexity, Trouble, Vexation." Halliwell gives "Twick, a
sudden jerk" (8th ed.,. 1874). Compare Ger. Zwick.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4728) (tudalen 414)
|
414 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
tTwiteh [twiclr], s. a short stick with a noose at one end, used for holding
a refractory horse by the mouth. Compare E. tweak, to pinch.
Twintered [twin-turd], adj. withered, shrivelled. “This fowl's leg's aw
twintered” [Dhis fuwlz leg)z au- twin-turd]. “Them tatoes bin gone twintered
wi' bein' frost-bitten” [Dhem tai'tuz bin gon twin- turd wi bey 'in
fros-t-bitn].
f Twist [twis-t], s. an appetite. “Hai's yur new wagginer ossin' ?"
"Well, he's gotten a grand twist, that's abowt aw as I can see ( = say)
for him yet" [Aay)z yur nyoo waag-inur os-in ? Wei, ee)z got-n u graan-d
twis-t, dhaat)s ubuwt au- uz ahy kun see- for im yet]. This word is also used
in London slang.
Twizzle [twiz-1], s. a twist, flourish ; e.g., a flourish at the end of a MS.
is a twizzle.
Twizzle [twiz-1], (1) v.a. to twist, flourish, e.g., to twizzle a stick.
(2) v.a. to twirl. “Hoo sems to have nowt do bu' sit an' twizzle her
thombs" [60 semz tu aav nuwt d6o bu sit un twiz-1 ur thomz].
f(3) v.a. to writhe ; e.g., to twizzle the neck of a fowl.
f (4) v.n. to twine. “Hal the clip-me-dick twizzles raind the curn!"
[Aay dhu tlip--mi-dik twiz-lz raaynd dhu kuurn !] Twizzle is a frequentative
of twist, quasi twist-le. Cp. Burns' word twistle, to twist.
Two-double [t6o---dub-l], adj. double. "Lap it up two-double, an' put it
ra'ind yur neck, it'll help keep th' cowd ait” [Laap- it up too-dub-1, un put
it raaynd yur nek, it)l elp ky'ee-p)th kuwd aayt]. “Th'owd chap's bent welly
two-double wi' rheumatic “ [Dh)uwd chaap-)s bent wel-i too-dubi wi
r6o--maat-ik].
Two-faced [t6o--fai-st or -fee-st], adj. double-faced, hypocritical. “Hoo's a
fause, two-faced brivit, that's aw hoo is ! hey'll bey sadly cheated if hey
has her” [6o)z u fau-s, t6o--fai-st brivit, dhaat)s au- -60 iz ! ey)l bey
saad-li chee-tid iv ey aaz* ur].
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4729) (tudalen 415)
|
GLOSSARY. 415
I Two-foot [too'-fut], s. a carpenter's rule, two feet in length.
TWO Twins [t6o- twin-z], s.pl. twins. “There was two twins at a birth"
[Dhur wuz t6o twhrz ut u buurth]. “They bin as like as two twins" [Dhi
bin uz lahyk uz t6o twnrz].
U.
tUnbethhlk [un-bithingk-], v. ref. to recollect. "Ah knowd his features,
but ah couldna like unbethink mysel on his name" [Ah noa-d iz fee-churz,
but ah kud-)nu lahyk mrbithingk* misel* un iz neem]. This word is more
properly umbe-think, A.S. ymbe]>encan, M.E. umbe^enken (q.v. in
Stratmann). The A.S. prefix ymbe-, ymb-, embe- (about), corresponded to O.L.
Germ, umbi, and Mod. Ger. urn. Compare Wyclif's Version, Hebr. v. 2.,
umbi-lapped = compassed (with infirmity) ; Cursor Mundi, 8468, umbi-loke =
look around.
Underbethink [un-durbithingk-], v. refl. to remember, recollect. A corrupt,
but common, variation of UNBETHINK, due to popular etymology, which strove to
find a meaning for umbe-, unbe-, after the true sense was lost sight o
Underbuild [un-durbil-d], v.a. to build in new material under an already-
existing wall.
tUnderlin' [un-durlin], s. a small or weakly animal in a herd which is
bullied by the others. "It's a little underliri, an' it gets rather put
upon by th' others” [It)s u lit-1 un-durlin, un it gy'ets rae'dhur put upon-
bi)dh udh'urz]. Underling is used in the Cleveland district for a dwarfish or
illgrown child.
Unedge [unej*], v.a. to mow round the sides or edges of a field of hay or
corn, so as to prepare the way for the mowing-machine. NORBURY.
Ungain [ungy'ai-n], adj. the opposite of GAIN (q.v.), in most senses.
(1) awkward, clumsy ; e.g., of tools.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4730) (tudalen 416)
|
416 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
(2) of persons, awkward, ungainly, not active.
(3) ill-fitting ; of boots and the like. t(4) inconvenient, indirect ; of
roads, &c.
From Icel. gegn, "gain," handy, with E. prefix un-. See Skeat's
Diet, under Ungainly.
Unhinge [unin-zh], adj. inactive, stiff-jointed. See HINGE.
tUnhooder [un-udur], v.a. to take off the “hoods" from corn-hattocks.
See HOODS.
Unkeind [unky'eynd], adj. unkindly, cold; said of soils. "I knowed as
they'd never get a crap off that feild, it's sich a cowd, urikeind
dee-soil" [Ahy noa-d uz dhi)d nevur gy'et u kraap- of dhaat' feyld, it)s
sich u kuwd, unky'eynd tlee -sahyl]. The sense of "unresponsive,"
almost of “ungrateful," seems to be implied by the word, just as
dxapurroi in 2 Tim. iii. 2 appears in Wycliffe's version as "vnkynde."
The root-meaning is, of course, “unnatural." See following article.
Unkeindly [unky'eyndli], adj. not thriving; unnatural. "Them plants i'
the window looken very urikeindly; yo shouldna let the cowd air in upon 'em
so much" [Dhem plaan-ts i dhu wind-du loo-kn veri unky'eyndli ; yoa-
shud)nu let dhu kuwd aeT in upon- urn su much]. Compare Dryden, Palamon and
Arcite, 1688-9 :
Mine is the privy pois'ning, I command Unkindly seasons and ungrateful land.
Unlap [unlaap-], v.a. to unwrap. Hooker has unlapt in the sense of unwrapped.
See Skeat's Diet. s.v. Lap; also LAP in this glossary.
t Unlucky [unluk-i], adj. of cattle, mischievous, apt to break their bounds.
"If that caii go's on bein' so unlucky, we s'n be forced put her a yoke
on, an' it's very sildom as we'n had put a yoke upo' anny o' ahr key"
[Iv dhaat- ky'aay goz on beyin su un-luk-i, wi)sn bi foa'st put ur u yoa-k
on, im it)s ver-i sil'dum uz wi)n aad' put u yoa*k upu aan'i u aa-r ky'ey].
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4731) (tudalen 417)
|
GLOSSAEY. 417
Unmay [unmai-], v.a. to unmake; to undo, unlock. "Didstna hear a knock?
go an' unmay the door, an' sey hooar's theyar" [Did-s)nu eyur u nok-?
goa un unmai- dhu d6our, un sey 6our)z dheyur].
Unto'artly [untoa'urtli], adj. t(l) untoward, unmanageable, reckless.
"Noob'dy can do no good with him; he's a unto'artly yowth, an' he's
gotten his mother's mester" [N6o-bdi kun doo nu gud widh im ; 6e)z u
untoa-urtli yuwth, un ee)z got-n iz mudh-urz rnes-tur]. This is the negative
form of towardly as in Timon of Athens, III. i. 37, "I have observed
thee always for a towardly prompt spirit."
(2) unpromising. NOBBURY. “I dait it wunna yild very well it looks so
unto'artly" [Ahy daayt it wu)nu yil-d ver-i
wel it looks su untoa'urtli],
,. Unwady [unwai-di], adj. soon consumed, uneconon^ 11.
Up-end [up-en-d], v.a. to overturn, upset. "If thaws annymoor to mey,
ah'll up-end thee" [Iv dhu sez aan-i mdour tu mey, ah)l up-en'd dhi].
tUphowd [upuwd], v.n. to uphold, assert, pledge one's word for the
correctness of an assertion. “That's true, I'll uphowd it “ [Dhaat-)s tr6o,
ahy)l upuwd it]. It is also frequently used with a personal object. “He got a
pratty ruck of brass ait o' that job, I'll uphowd him “p&e got u praat'i
ruk u braas* aayt u dhaat' job, ahy)l upuwd im].
Upkegged [upky'eg-d], p. part, upset. NOEBURY. < The barrel was upkegged,
an' aw th' drink runnin' ait” [Dhu baar-il wuz upky'eg-d, un au')dh dringk-
run-in aayt]. Compare KEIK.
UpS [ups], inter j. fie ! See YAPS.
Upset [up-set], s. a row. There's bin a terr'ble upset i' Parliament"
[Dhur)z bin u tae-rbl up-set i Paa-rliment].
Upshoot [up-sh6ot], s. (1) an uproar, a row. "What was aw the upshoot
abowt i' the neight ?" [Wot wuz au- dhu up-sh6ot ubuwt i dhu neyt ?] BB
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4732) (tudalen 418)
|
418 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
(2) an upshot, issue. “Th' upshoot on it was as he towd him he wonna to come
ahowt the bonk agen" [Dh)up'sh6ot on it woz uz ee tuwd im e*e wo)nu tu
kum ubuwt dhu bongk ugy'en*]. Upshot or upshoot seems originally to have been
up-shut, conclusion. The form upshut is still used in Dorset.
tUpsides [upsahydz], adj. even. "Hoo's auvays agate o' mey, but I'll bey
upsides with her yet afore I've done with her” [6o)z au'viz ugy'ai't u mey,
but ahy)l bey upsahydz widh ur yet ufoa-r ahy)v dun widh ur].
Upstairs [up-staerz], adj. high, considerable. “I've gotten a good, upstairs
price for my cheese" [Ahy)v got'n u gud, up*staerz prahys far mi
che'ez].
tUp to the knocker [up tu dhu nok-ur], adj. and adv. smart, proper, comme il
faut. "Hoo was dressed up to the knocker" [60 wuz drest up tu dhu
nok-ur].
tUp to the nines [up tu dhu nahynz], adj. and adv. equivalent in meaning to
the preceding. [I suspect it is because 9 is the highest number denoted by a
single symbol. W. W. S.]
tUrehin [uu-rchin], s. a hedgehog. M.E. vrchon, O.F. iregon. Cotgrave has
"Herisson: an Vrchin or Hedgehog."
Urge [uurj], v.a. to shove. "What are yd urgin' at mey fur?" [Wot-
u)yu uu-rjin ut mey fuur ?]
tUsselS [uzsel-z], refl. pron. ourselves. See p. 68 in the Outlines of
Grammar. It is tempting at first sight to connect this form with the A.S.
form we us silfe, which was superseded in the thirteenth century by our self.
But the existence of [uz] as a possessive pronoun (see p. 68) makes this theory
unnecessary.
tUtiek [y6o-tik], s. the whinchat; so called from its note “U-tick, tick,
tick."
Uzzard [uz-urd], s. the old name for Z (q.v.). The expression "as
crookit as a uzzard" [uz kroVkit uz u uz-urd] is still occasionally
used.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4733) (tudalen 419)
|
GLOSSARY. 4 1 9
V.
Vamp up [vaanvp up], v.a. to mend, put into repair. “I've sent my bicycle to
th' smithy to be vamped up, an' then I'm gooin' get shut 'n it” [Ahy)v sent
mahy bahysikl tu)th smidh-i tu bi vaam-t up, un dhen ahy)m g6o-in gy'et
shut)n it]. The original meaning of this word was to mend a boot by putting a
new vamp, or upper leather, on the sole.
Variety [vurahy uti], s. a peculiar use in connexion with this word requires
notice. A Cheshire housewife, apologising to her guests for the plainness of
the food set before them, will tell them that she has no variety for them :
meaning "nothing out of the common way," nothing but simple and
ordinary fare. I have little doubt that Wilbraham is referring to this common
expression when he explains variety as "a rarity."
Varsed [vaa-rsud], adj. universal; only used in connexion with the
substantive world. "Hoo's nowt i' the varsed world to do" [6o)z
nuwt i dhu vaa*rsiid wuurld tu d6o]. “They'n sowd him up, rump an' stump ;
an' nai he's nowt i' the varsed world for caw his own” [Dhi)n suwd im up,
rump im stump ; un naay e"e)z nuwt i dhu vaa-rsud wuurld fur kau' iz
oa-n]. For 'varsal, an abbreviation of universal; cp. 'Varsity for
University.
tVast [vaas-t], s. a great quantity. “There's a vast o' folks com'n here
every 'ear i' th' summer" [Dhiir)z u vaas*t u foa*ks kumn eeur evri
e"eur i)th sunrur]. Vast is used as a subs., though with a somewhat
different sense, in Tempest, I. ii. 328 ; Hamlet, I. ii. 198 ; Pericles, III.
i. 1.
tVeil [vai-1, vee-1], s. a caul (of a child, a calf, &c.). Persons who
are born with a veil over their faces are accounted lucky, and are sometimes
said to bear a charmed life.
Vessel [vesil], s. a collective noun signifying the instruments of
cheesemaking. In an ordinary farm-house there is always one
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4734) (tudalen 420)
|
420 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
servant called the vessel- cleaner. Her duty is to clean the various articles
pertaining to the dairy apparatus ; and this is called “doing the
vessel." For an example, see INSENSE.
Virgin honey [vuu-rjin un-i], s. the honey produced from the hive of a second
swarm from the parent-stock.
tVirgin Mary's Honeysuckle [Vuu-rjin Mae-riz tin-isukl], s. common garden
Lungwort.
I Virtue [vuu-rchu], s. strength, flavour, essential excellence. “Yo mun cork
that medicine -bottle up well, else the virtue '11 aw go ait'n it" [Yoa-
mun kau*rk dhaat* med-sn-bot-1 up wel, els dhu vuu'rchu)! au" goa-
aayt)n it]. Compare Shak., Sonnets 81, 13 ; Tempest, I. ii. 27. Also the E.
by virtue of.
i Vittrit [vit-rit], adj. angry, vicious, bitter. “They bin very vittrit agen
the mester" [Dhai bin veri vit-rit ugy'en- dhu mes-tur]. "Hoo's bin
despert vittrit wi' mey ever sin hoo left Lodmore's; hoo wull have it I towd
tales on her to th' missis" [6o)z bin des-purt vit-rit wi mey evur sin
60 left Lod-murz ; 60 wul aav it ahy towd tarlz on ur tu)th misiz]. Short for
inveterate.
IVivers [vahyvurz], s. pi. the fibres of a plant. Evidently a corruption of
E. fibres.
Voyage [vahy-ij], s. a journey, whether by land or sea. "I've often
thowt I should like go a voyage among the Welsh mountains" [Ahy)v of-n
thuwt ahy shud lahyk goa- u vahy-ij urnung- dhu Welsh muwntinz]. Fr. voyage,
a journey. Compare Much Ado about Nothing, I. i. 83, "Is there no young
squarer now that will make a voyage with him to the devil."
W.
Wack [waak-], s. chance, luck; in the phrase "to tak one's wack."
"Aw reet; if yo wunna be howpen, yo mun tak yur wack" [Au* reet; iv
yoa* wun-)u bi uwpn, yoa* mun taak- yur waak-].
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4735) (tudalen 421)
|
GLOSSARY. 421
"Mun we cheer up an' be lively; or mun we aw tak ur wack an' dey
together?" [Mun wi cheyur up un bi lahy vli ; urmun wi au- taak* ur
waak- un dey tugy'edh-ur?]
tWacker [waak-ur], s. a shiver; e.g., to be "aw of a wacker."
tWaeker [waak-ur], v.n. to shiver. "I'm that starft, than I fair wacker
wi' cowd" [Ahy)m dhaat- staa-rft, dhun ahy fae-r waak-ur wi kuwd]. Miss
Jackson gives acker for Shropshire.
Wade [wai-d], s. endurance, "last." "There's a good jell o'
wade in it" [Dhur)z u gud jel u wai-d in it], of something which is
economical in use, and so lasts a long time.
Wade awee [wai-d uwee-], v.n. (1) to go away or dimmish gradually. Thus money
or provisions are often said to wade awee, and I have heard a cough spoken of
as wadiri* awee.
(2) The converse use which follows is common. "Bones an' go-anna waden
awee wi' the money" [Boa-nz un goa-*aan-u wai-dn uwee- wi dhu mun-i].
This might equally well be expressed as under (1) "The money wades awee
wi' buyin' bones an' goanna."
Compare A.S. wadan, to go, trudge, cognate with Lat. vadere.
Wady [wai-di, wee-di], adj. slow in consumption; lasting a long time ; of
which a little goes a long way. The application of this word is very wide,
and it has no exact equivalent in literary English. Generally speaking, it is
applied to anything which exceeds expectation in point of quantity. Thus it
is specially used of articles of consumption. A cheese is said to “eat very
wady" when only a small portion is consumed at each meal. Cloth which
wore an unusually long time would be called wady. A wady mile is a long or
tedious distance ; and generally, wady as applied to a specified distance
would imply the speaker's belief that it was greater than it was said to be.
A wady walker would be one who took long strides, and so got over a good deal
of ground without any appearance of haste. Wilbraham has "Wheady, that
measures more than it appears to be."
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4736) (tudalen 422)
|
422 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
So Bailey, "A Wheady Mile, a Mile beyond Expectation, a tedious one.
Shrop." It is, of course, an adjective formed from the verb "to
wade," above.
Waft [waaf-t], *s. (1) rapid movement. "Hoo doesner have waft enough for
keep her warm" [60 duz)nur aav waaf-t unuf- fur ky'ee-p ur waa-rm].
(2) energy. "Some folks semn to ha' noo waft in 'em neether waft nur
shift" [Sum foa-ks semn tu aa n6o waaf't in um nee-dhur waaf't nur
shift].
Waft [waaf-t], v.n. to move quickly about. E.g., a housemaid bustling about
her work will describe herself as “waftin' an' draughtin' abait." See
DKAUGHT. Compare the transitive use of the verb in Winter's Tale, I. ii. 372,
"wafting his eyes to the contrary."
Waggon [waag'in], v.a. and n. to groom, be a groom or waggoner. "Ah'm
waggonin' at Mester Doiie's this 'ear" [Ah)rn waag-inin iit Mes-tur
Doa*nz dhis eeur].
Waken [wai-kn], part. adj. awake. "Binna yo waken yet, lads?"
[Bin*)u yu wai-kn yet, laad-z?"] A strong past participle of the verb
"to wake."
i Wakes [wai-ks, wee'ks], s. the annual festival of a village or parish, held
on or about the anniversary of the Saint to whom the parish church is
dedicated. Mr. Holland is wrong in supposing that the Wakeses [warksiz] are
held only in the autumn ; I know of at least two that are held much earlier
in the year. This fact greatly lessens the probability of his theory that
they are a survival of some pagan autumnal festival. Among the country-people
the Wakeses are the fixed points of time from which everything is reckoned. I
will take a few examples from places in South Cheshire. At Wybunbury Wakes,
held at the beginning of March, fig-pies are eaten, no other fruit being then
obtainable. At Bunbury Wakes rye-grass and clover should be ready to cut;
also cows begin to "bate" in their milk, and, as the milk then
becomes much richer in quality,
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4737) (tudalen 423)
|
GLOSSARY. 423
dairy maids begin to take some cream from the milk set aside for making
cheese. At Wrenbury Wakes early apples are ripe. Before Marbury Wakes all
thrifty husbandmen have, or should have, got their corn in. At Acton Wakes
crabs are ripe. Hence this Wakes, in common, I think, with some others, was
also called Crab Wakes; and crab-throwing, especially at the village parson,
was the favourite pastime of the day. This crab-throwing frequently resulted
in a general scuffle in which blood flowed freely and heads were broken all
round.
Wakesin' [wai-ksin], s. a present brought home from a wakes. Cp. CHRISTMASIN'
(2) and E. fairing.
t Wallet [waal-it], s. a workman's bag. It is usually slung over his
shoulder, and contains his tools, his dinner, &c.
WallOCk [wol-uk], v.n. to roll in one's walk, have an unsteady gait. NOKBURY.
"Wallockiri abowt like a barrow-trindle “ [Wol-ukin ubuwt lahyk u baar-u-trin-dl].
Cp. E. wallow.
Waly [warli], adj. irregular in shape; e.g., a plank which tapers off towards
the end, so as not to be of uniform thickness throughout, is said to be a
waly-ended plank. Compare Mr. Holland's Wany.
tWammieky [waanriki], adj. fatigued, feeble. "Well, Mrs. Purcell, how
are you?" ''Well, I feyl very weak an' wammicky" [Wei, ahy feyl
veri wee*k un waam-iki]. "Why, what do you mean by wammicky?"
"Oh, ready to go aw of a ruck" [Oa% red-i tu goa- au- uv u ruk].
Wan [waan-], v.a. to beat. "Bran yo, I'll wan yo'r hide fo' y&"
[Braan- yoa, ahy)l waan- yoa-r ahyd fo)yu]. ? for wand, quasi to beat with a
wand.
Wand [waan-d], s. a stick, or switch. "I con do nowt bait my wand,
neether fatch key up nur nowt else" [Ahy)kn d6o nuwt baayt mi waan-d,
nee-dhur faach- ky'ey up nur nuwt els]. Icel. vondr, a switch. The meaning of
wand in S. Ches. is
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4738) (tudalen 424)
|
424 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
much wider than in the standard English of the present day. Cp. Merchant of
Venice, I. iii. 85, “The skilful shepherd peeled me certain wands."
Wane [warn], v.a. to wean. One often hears the remark made of lee wuts, or
oats sown on newly-ploughed grass land, that "it's waniri-timQ with
'em."
Wanga [waangg-u], v.n. to totter, walk feebly and unsteadily. "I'm that
sick an' feeble, I can hardly wanga" [Ahy)m dhaat-sik* un fee*bl, ahy
kun aa*rdli waangg'u]. The pres. part. wanga-iri [waangg-u-in] is used for
"feeble, ailing." "I feel very wanga-iri this mornin'."
The last syllable of wanga, which never takes an r, represents the
termination le. Cp. Wilbraham's Wangle, Miss Jackson's Wangling, Wankle. See
following article.
Wangy [waangg'i], adj. faltering, giddy. "I feyl very wangy" [Ahy
feyl veri waangg'i]. Hence it obtains the wider meaning of "failing in
health." Cp. WANGA-IN' under WANGA. "Th' owd chap sems very wangy
an' queyar; I dait hey's gooin' aw one road." "Ay, poor owd fellow,
the sexton's shooken his shovel at him" [Dh)uwd chaap* semz veri
waangg'i un kweyur; ahy daayt ey)z g6oin au* won roa'd. Aay, p6our uwd fel'u,
dhu sek-stun)z sh6o ( kn iz shuvl aat- im]. Bailey has “Wankle, limber,
flaccid." A.S. and O.L.G. wancol.
WanteP [waaniiir], s. a person who goes to an auction, intending to buy.
"What! noo wanters?" exclaimed an auctioneer, on failing to get a
bid.
WappeP [waap'ur], s. a wasp. "There's a ronk owd wapper's neist i' th'
meadow hedge-cop ; wut come an' help us tak it to-neight?" [Dhur)z u
rongk uwd waap'urz neyst i)th med-u ej-kop'; wut kum un elp uz taak- it
tu-neyt?]
IWapS [waap's], s. a wasp. A.S. waps.
tWaPCh [waa-rch], s. an ache, pain; e.g., tooth-warch, wattle-warch, &c.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4739) (tudalen 425)
|
GLOSSARY. 425
tWareh [waa-rch], v.n. to ache. “My heart fair warches for the poor clemt
little thing" [Mi aa-rt fae-r waa-rchiz fur dhu poour tlemt lit-1
thingg-]. Bailey has “To warch, to wark, to ache; to work. N.C."
Warcher [waa-rchur], s. a contemptuous term for a small, insignificant
person. BICKLEY. “He's a pratty warcher to go of a job like that" [6e)z
u praati waa-rchur tu goa- uv u job lahyk dhaat-].
Warehin' [waa-rchin], adj. insignificant, contemptible. BICKLEY. See
preceding article.
Warm up [waa-rm up], v.n. to agree with warmly, to be enthusiastic about. “Ah
cudna warm up wi' that keind o' work” [Ah kud-)nu waa-rm up wi dhaat- ky'eynd
u wuurk].
Warmship [waa-rmship], s. warmth, “Come thy wees within air o' th' fire, an'
get some warmship, for tha't a poor starft-lookin' little thing" [Kum
dhi wee i z widhin- ae'r ujthfahyur, un gy'et sum waa-rmship, fur dhu)t u
poour staa-rft-16okin lit-1 thingg-].
tWarra-bee [waar'u-b^e], s. a large wart on the body of an animal, supposed
to be due to the presence of a worm. NORBUKY. See below.
Warra -breeze [waaru-bre'ez], s. the same as above. BICKLEY. Bailey gives
Wary -breed, with a reference to Warnel Worm, for which see following article.
Warra- worm [waar-u-wuurm], s. the same as above. Bailey has "Warnel
Worms, Worms on the Backs of Cattle, within their Skin."
Wastrel [war-stril], s. (1) a wasted person. “Whey, what a wastrel yo'm gone
to look !” [Wey, wot u wai-stril yoa-)m gon tu look !]
(2) a good-for-nothing fellow, a scoundrel. “I'll ha' noo truck wi' sich a
wastrel" [Ahy)l aa noo truk wi sich- u wai-stril]. Not a spendthrift, as
Mr. Holland has it for other parts of Cheshire.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4740) (tudalen 426)
|
426 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
t(3) any manufactured article which is in any way faulty. A “nookshotten
“cheese is called a wastrel; a faulty piece of earthenware, such as those
which are frequently sold very cheap in the markets, is called a wastrel, Ac.
Wattle [waat-1], 5. the ear. "I'll warm thy wattle fo' thee “ [Ahy)l
waa-rm dhi waat'l fo)dhi].
Wattle- warch [waat-1- waa-rch], s. the ear-ache.
tWauk [wau'k], v.a. to move a flag or stone along the ground by rearing it on
one end, and then shifting it forward by using the two corners of the bottom
end alternately as pivots. A causal form of E. walk.
Waut [wau-t], s. an upset. “We'n had a want i' the road” [Wi)n aad- u wau-t i
dhu roa-d].
Waut [wau-t], t(l) v.a. to overturn. "We wan wanted dain this bonk"
[Wi wun wau'tid daayn dhis bongk]. Cp. REEAN-WAUTED.
(2) to lay low, slay. “I'd want him," said a man to me of Arabi Pasha.
(3) v.n. to topple over. “Ah dait yur looad '11 want" [Ah daayt yur
16oud)l wau-t].
For wait, A.S. wealtan. Bailey has "to wait, to overthrow, to totter or
lean one way. N.C."
Wauve [wau-v], s. the angle at which spokes are fixed in the nave of a wheel.
A wheel is said to have much or little wauve according as its circumference
stands out much or little beyond the centre.
Wauve [wau-v] (1), v.a. to cover. "Put th' tatoes i' th' beiler, an'
wauve it o'er wi' th' lid" [Put)th tai'tuz i)th beylur, un wau-v it oa-r
wi)th lid']. Bailey has "To whoave, to cover, to whelm over. Chesh"
M.E. hwelven; see Whelm in Skeat's Diet.
t(2) v.n. to lean over. "That waw wauves o'er a jell" [Dhaat- wau*
wau-vz oa-r u jel]. So the circumference of a
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4741) (tudalen 427)
|
GLOSSARY. 427
wheel is said to wauve when it stands out above the
centre. See preceding article.
(8) to topple over. A load which is badly put on will wauve o'er. In this
sense swauve is more usual, and wauve in this sense may be a blunder for
swauve.
Wax [waak-s], s. animal excrement.
Way [wee-], s. (I) "In a poor way" has two meanings, (a) poorly,
ill. "Th' owd missis is in a despert poor ivee" [Dh)uwd mis-is iz
in u des-put p6our we]. (b) cross, irritable. "Dun yo think yo should go
in a poor wee, if I was to ax y8 a question" [Dun yoa thingk yoa shud
goa in u poour wee, iv ahy woz tu aak-s yu u kweschun]. So we say "to
put out of the way" for "to annoy."
(2) "In a big way" means proud, elated. “11 bey in
a big wee nai he's tayn th' prize at th' Cheese Show" [ )1
bey in u big- wee- naay ee)z tai-n)th prahyz ut)th Chee-z Shoa-].
(3) "To be gooin' aw one wee" is a euphemism meaning to be sinking
fast, to be approaching death. For an example see under WANGY; and compare
Henry V., II. iii. 15 (Clar. Press ed.), "for after I saw him fumble
with the sheets and play with flowers and smile upon his fingers' ends, I
knew there was but one way." See Dr. Wright's note on this passage in
the Clarendon Press edition.
(4) The genitive case of this word in common with manner, road, fashion, is
largely used to form adverbs and quasi- adverbial expressions; e.g.,
&nn.y-wees [aan-i-wee-z], other-w^s [udh'ur-wee-z], o'this wees [ii dmV
wee-z]. So "Go thy ivees" [Goa-dhi wee'z]. Compare "any ways
afflicted" in the Prayer Book;" "other-^ates" in Shak.
Twelfth Night, V. i. 198; "this ways" in Merry Wives, II. ii. 50;
"come your ways" in Troilus and Cressida, III. ii. 47. Also compare
the German “Gehe deines Weges." See Outlines of Grammar, p. 55.
tWay [war, wee*], interj. whoa! An exclamation used to a horse, when he is
required to stop.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4742) (tudalen 428)
|
428 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
tWear [wae-r], v.a. to spend. "Well, what did y6 wear on it?" [Wei,
wot did yu wae-r on it?] This word is in no way connected with the E. wear,
but is derived from W. [g\wario, where the initial g is merely euphonic, as
in gwin=wine, Lat. vin-um.
t Wedged [wejd], part. adj. swelled and hard; said of a cow's udder that has
become gorged with milk.
Weather [wedlrur], s. "Under the weather" [tln-dur dhu wedlrur]
means out of sorts. "Well, Mester Johnson, an' hai's the little
wench?" "Well, hoo sems, like, a bit under the weather to-dee, so I
towd her hoo'd better keep quaiet a-wom" [Wei, Mes-tur Jon-sn, un aay)z
dhu liH wensh? Wei, 60 semz, lahyk, u bit un-dur dhu wedlrur tu-dee-, su ahy
tuwd ur 6o)d bet-ur ky'ee-p kwarut uwonr].
Weather [wedlrur], v.a. of hay, to expose to fog and rain. By weathered hay
the Cheshire farmer understands hay that is of a bad colour through exposure.
Wed [wed], s. a forfeit. “They wun just-a-meet agate o' cryiii' the weds when
I went in" [Dhi wun jus-t-u-me"et ugy'art u krahyin dhu wedz wen
ahy went in]. A.S. wed, a pledge.
Compare
Wed no schalt thou have of me ! Ac I wol have wed of thee.
Kyng Alisaunder, 1. 885 (ed. Weber).
Mi lond ich wulle sette to wedde.
La^amon, 25172.
Weebly [wee-bli], adj. weakly, ailing.
Weeny [wee-ni], adj. tiny. “Hoo's sich a weeny little wench, wi' the weeniest
little scrinch of a nose” [6o)z siclr u wee-ni lit-1 wensh, wi dhu wee-ni-ist
lit-1 skrin-sh uv u noa-z], “Gie me just a teeny ( = tiny), weeny bit"
[Gy'i)mi just u tee-ni, wee-ni bit-]. Compare Ger. wenig.
Wee- WOW [wee--waaw], adj. ill-balanced, tottering; said generally of a load.
NOKBUEY. “That looad's aw wee-wow a'ready, an' it's a streenger to mey if ye
dunner ha' some on it off, afore ye
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4743) (tudalen 429)
|
GLOSSARY. 429
getten far" [Dhaat' 16oud)z an- wee--waaw ured-i, iin it)s u stree-njur
tu mey iv yi dun)ur u sum un it of, ufoa-r yi gy'et-n faa-r].
Weinat [weynaat], s. an antic, trick. "At yur weinats again !"
[Aat* yur weynaats ugy'en' !]
Weind [weynd], s. (1) wind, breath; and so, a pause to get wind. "Wey'n
have a weind here" [Wey)n aav u weynd eyur]. Hence it is often used of
the after-dinner siesta. "Wheer's Jim the wagginer?" "He's
havin' his weind i' th' bing" [Weeur)z Jim- dhu waag-inur? Ee)z aavin iz
weynd i)th bingg-].
(2) Note also the phrase "the wind's blowin' the weind about” [Dhu
win-)z bloa-in dhu weynd ubuwt], for which see under TEENY.
Weind [weynd], (1) v.n. to take breath. "Yo'n be fair jigged up afore
noon, if yo dunna stop an' weind a bit" [Yoa')n bi fae-r jig'd up ufoa'r
n6on, iv yoa- dun)u stop un weynd u bit].
(2) v.a. to allow to take breath. “Yo mun weind yur bosses atop o' Hinton
Bonk" [Yoa f mun weynd yur os'iz u)top' u In*tn Bongk],
(3) v.a. to beat. "Snag at mey, wull hoo? A little tooad of a pup like
that ! I'll weind her if hoo does bite me” [Snaag-ut mey, wul 60? U litl
tooud uv u pup lahyk dhaat-! Ahy)l weynd ur iv 60 duz bahyt mi]. A common
threat of an indefinite character is "I'll weind yur watch [waach 1 ]
fo'
yo."
Weinder [weyndur], s. (1) a huge portion of food; e.g., a whole round of
bread with cheese would be called a “weinder."
(2) a heavy blow; e.g., to "fatch him a pratty weinder' 1 [faach- im u
praat'i weyndur]. See WEIND (3), above.
Weindins [weyndinz], s.pl. the boughs which are interwoven with the stakes
used to shore up the bank of a stream. The whole operation of shoring up a
bank is called "staking."
Weindy [weyndi], s. a mad, hare-brained person. "I wonder hai
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4744) (tudalen 430)
|
430 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIEE.
he dars trust his bosses wi' sich a weindy as him" [Ahy wun'dur aay
e"e daa'rz trust iz osiz wi sich' u weyndi uz inr].
Weindy [weyndi], adj. mad, hare-brained. "It's one on his weindt/
tricks” [It)s won on iz weyndi triks], “Ya weindy foo ! conna y6 let the hoss
alooan wheil he's havin' his bit o' curn ? Sarve yo reight if he knocked yur
breens ait" [Yaa- weyndi f6o! kon-)u yu let dhu os uloo'un weyl ee)z
aavin iz bit u kuurn? Saa-rv yu reyt iv e"e nokt yur breenz aayt].
Weisen [weyzn], f(l) v.n. to ponder, meditate (lit, grow wise). “Ah've just
bin weiseniri 1 abowt what that owd fellow said i'th pulpit th' tother
neight" [Ah)v just bin weyznin ubuwt wot dhaat* uwd fel-u sed i)th
pil-pit th) tiidh-ur neyt]. This word is sometimes used by Cheshire people
who do not habitually use the dialect. “Turn up at committee to-morrow night,
and we'll have some wisening talk."
(2) v.a. to teach, enlighten. "That'll weisen him a bit" [Dhaat')l
weyzn im u bit].
tWeisle [weyzl], s. a potato-stalk ; also called a Haulm. “Clap theise
Farmers' Glories up i' hampers, an' throw a toothry weisles upo'th' top"
[Tlaap- dheyz Faa-rmurz Dloa-riz up i aam-purz, un throa- u t6o-thri weyzlz
upu)th top]. "The tops of Carrats and Parsnips are by Gardiners termed
Wisalls" (Eandle Holme, Acad. of Arm., Bk. II. ch. iii. p. 55).
t Welly [weli], adv. well nigh, nearly. About Bickley and Choimondeley one
hears the double form welly nigh [weH nahy] .
Welt [welt], s. the “rib “at the top of a sock or stocking.
IWelt [welt], v.a. to beat. "Hoo's frikkent, if hoo go's worn bait the
money, as her mother'll welt her" [6o)z frik-nt, iv 60 goz worn baayt
dhu mun-i, uz ur mudh-ur)! welt ur].
t Wench [wensh], s. a girl. The word has no offensive connotation ; it is the
usual correlative to lad. “Hoo's a rare, fine, buxom wench, noo matter what
annyb'dy says” [6o)z u rae-r, fahyn,
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4745) (tudalen 431)
|
GLOSSARY. 431
buk-sum wensh, noo maat-ur wot aan-ibdi sez]. Compare Shakspere, Tempest, II.
i. 43 (Globe ed.), "Temperance was a delicate wench.'''
Wer [wuur], s. only used in the expression, "as bitter as wer."
Bitter should properly be sour, as the original meaning of wer is “crab-apple
;" and it is so given by Ray. Bailey also has “Wharre, Crabs, Crab
Apples. Cheshire ;" and he is followed by Wilbraham.
Werrit [wer -it], s. worry, anxiety. "I've had sich a werrit wi' them
childern, gettin' 'em off schoo' agen” [Ahy)v aad- siclr u wer-it wi dhem
cmTdurn, gy'etin urn of sk6o ugy'en-].
t Werrit [werit], v.a. and n. to worry, make or be anxious. To worry in its
literal sense is werry [weri].
Wetcha [wech-u], v.a. to wet the feet. "Ah dait yo'n wetcha yursel"
[Ah daayt yoa)n wech-u yursel']. An irregular formation from wetchat, wetchut
(wetshod), which was supposed to be a pass. part. I have even heard
"This reen 'ull wetchut the folks" [Dhis ree-n ul wech-ut dhu
foa-ks].
What fur [wot faur], phrase, occasion to remember; a word used with reference
to punishment, scolding and the like. "I'll gie thee what fur, if I can
get howt o' thee" [Ahy)l gy'i)dhi wot fuur, iv ahy)kn gy'et uwt u dhi].
tWheelbarrow farmer [weylbaaru faa-rmur], *. a cottage farmer, holding a few
acres of land, and using a wheelbarrow instead of a horse and cart.
Mr. Holland gives the word, and assigns it to Wrenbury, where it is
undoubtedly in use, as in many other places in S. Cheshire. But in the name
of English grammar in general, and Wrenbury grammar in particular, I must
protest against the illustrative sentence which Mr. Holland's informant has
supplied him with. A Wrenbury man could not have perpetrated such a sentence
as "Uz wheelbarrow farmers pays more rent than big farmers, and we're
obliged to grow twice as much on uz land." I cannot, of course, say what
was the exact form of the sentence as originally heard ; but the following
reconstruction of it is at least in accordance with
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4746) (tudalen 432)
|
432 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIEE.
Wrenbury grammar : “Uz wheilbarrow farmers peen moor rent till big farmers, an'
we'm forced grow tweice as much on uz land” [Uz weylbaarii faaTmiirz pee*n
mcSoiir rent til big' faa'nnurz, iin wi)m foa'st groa* tweys uz miich on uz
laan'd].
Wheite-WOOd [weyt-wud-], s. under- wood in a forest (lit. white-wood).
"Th' wood-reengers han bin here, seemin'ly, cuttin' the
wheite-icood" [Th)wud-ree-njurz iin bin e"eur, see-minli, kut'in
dhu weyt-wud-].
Wheite-puddins [weyt-pud-inz], s. pi. a kind of sweet sausages (lit.
white-puddings), made of boiled groats, minced fat of pork, chopped herbs,
with currants, sugar, and spice.
Whet [wet], s. a turn, bout; a metaphor from mowing. "There's copper at
the foot o' Bickerton Hills, if they could bu' ger at it; they'n had two or
three whets at it" [Dhur)z kop-ur ut dhu fut u Bik'urtn ilz, iv dhai kud
bu gy'er aat- it; dhai)n aad* too ur threy wets aat* it]. "Come, lad,
never give in! have another whet" [Kum, laad-, nevur gy'iv in! aav
unudh-ur wet].
tWhetstone [wet-stun], s. a lump in the udder of a cow, consequent upon the
ducts having been overcharged.
Which [wich'], pron. what (in exclamatory sentences). “Which a big lie!"
[Wich- u big- lahy!] The use is well known in M.E., e.g., Confessio Amantis,
iii. 244. “Whiche a sinne violent."
Whiffle [wif-1], v.n. (1) to veer, shift ; said of the wind. “The weind
whiffles abowt s6, annyb'dy can hardly tell what keind o' weather to expect”
[Dhu weynd wif-lz ubuwt su, aan-ibdi kun aa-rdli tel wot ky'eynd u wedh-ur tu
ukspek-t].
(2) to stir, when lightly blown upon by the wind. “I think the weind's
gettin' up a bit, the tree-tops bin beginnin' whiffle abowt a bit" [Ahy
thingk dhu weynd)z gy'et'in up u bit, dhu treV-tops bin bigy'm-in wif'l ubuwt
u bit-].
[wig-d], adj. curdled ; said especially of the milk in a pudding which has
been subjected to too intense heat.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4747) (tudalen 433)
|
GLOSSARY. 433
{Whigs [wig-z], s. pi. roots or other obstruction choking up a drain. “Th'
sough's welly stopped up wi whigs" [Th)suf)s wel-i stopt up wi wig-z].
Whigs seems to stand for twigs. The latter is occasionally pronounced kwigs
in S. Ches. (see under QUIST). For the dropping of the k in kw or qu, cp.
WICK, below.
Whimmy [winri], adj. whimsical. Whip [wip-], s. See WHIPSTRAW.
WhippersnappeP [wip-ursnaap-ur], s. a hobbledehoy; a depreciatory term.
Compare WHIPSTRAW, below.
Whippet [wip -it], s. a cross-bred terrier, used for "rabbiting."
Whipstraw [wip-strau], s. a young and inexperienced person, a hobbledehoy. A
term of contempt. Sometimes whip and straw are used separately. A Cheshire
farmer once expressed to me great contempt for the opinions of a "lot of
whips and straws" like us University men. Cp. WOPSTRAW, and for the last
syllable of the word DWINDLESTRAW.
Whirlers [wuu-rlurz], s.pl. clogs. BURLAND. "He was wearin' a pair o'
whirlers" [Ee wuz wae'rin u pae-r u wmrrlurz]. Compare Mr. Holland's
word Whellers, "extra stockings without feet, or hay-bands wrapped round
the legs to protect them from wet."
WhiPligfOg 1 [wuu-rligog], s. that which whirls or turns; only metaphorically
used in the phrase "like a whirligog." "Hoo's a poor,
skitter-witted thing, flirtin' an' jumpin' abowt theer like a
wlrirligog" [6o)z u poour sky'it-urwitid thingg-, fhnrrtin un jura-pin
ubuw-t dheeur lahyk u wuu-rligog]. Miss Jackson has the word with the meaning
"turnstile;" this may have been the original meaning in Cheshire.
Mr. Holland has whirligig for a turnstile.
tWhot [wot], adj. hot. “Eh, mon, it's whot." “As whot as love nine dees
owd” [t)z wot iiz liiv nahyn dee-z uwd] is a common expression. See W on p.
22 (Chapter on Pronunciation). CO
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4748) (tudalen 434)
|
434 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
Wib-WOb [wib'-wob], s. a shaking. A load of manure was said to be “aw of a
wib-wob” [air uv u wib'-wob]. Compare E. wobble.
Wick [>ik-], s. (I) the “fly “in sheep. Wicks are specifically the maggots
that are produced on the bodies of sheep afflicted with this disease. Cp.
WICK, adj.
(2) the “quick," the sensitive part below the surface of the skin. See
WICK, adj., below.
tWick [wik-], adj. alive, live, “quick." "Things won better when
that other owd mon" (i.e., Beaconsfield) "was wick" [Thing- z
wiin bet'iir wen dhaat- udh-ur uwd mon wuz wik-]. The old sense of quick; cp.
QUILT and WELT. Wick is used as a subs. when we speak of a finger or toe nail
growing into the wick.
t Wicket [wik-it], s. a garden-gate. MACEFEN and SHROPSHIRE BORDER. See HATCH,
which is the more common word throughout S. Ches.
Wick-set [wik f -set], s. a quickset.
Wick- WOOd [wik'-wud], s. quicksets. A wick-wood hedge is a quickset hedge.
Wid [wid-], inter j. a word used to call the ducks. W. hwyaid.
Widd'nins [wid-ninz], s.pl. the place where a stocking is widened (S. Ches.
[wid-nd]), the calf.
Widdy [wid-ij, s. a child's word for a duck.
I Widow [wid-u] ) s. a widower. See Gender in Outlines
tWidOW-mon [wid-u-mon] ) of Grammar, p. 57.
Wiff-waff [wif'-waaf], s. foolery. BRINDLEY. "Come, let's ha' none o'
yur wiff-waff" [Kum, let)s aa non u yur wif--waaf]. See QUIFF ;
wiff-waff is a reduplication of whiff, connected with quiff as wick with E.
quick. Compare E. whiff, W. chwif.
Wig [wig'], s. a small, oblong bun, with sugar and carraway-seeds in it.
"I'm welly clemt jeth, Mester; ah've sitten here wi' my butter ever sin
th' market opent, an' ah've had nowt bur a ha'penny i% of aw dee" [Ahy)m
weH klemt jeth, Mes-tur;
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4749) (tudalen 435)
|
GLOSSARY. 435
ah)v sit-n eeur wi mi but-ur evur sin)th maa-rkit oa-pnt, un ah)v aad- nuwt
bur u ai-pni wig iiv au- dee-]. Originally a "wedge-shaped" bun,
from A.S. wecg, a wedge; cp. Ger. Week, a wheaten bun.
Wil-fire [wil'-fahyur], s. wild-fire, a term applied to the blue flame
sometimes seen flickering over the surface of a coal in a grate.
IWimberry [winrburi], s. the bilberry. The “Wimberry Hills “ are the hills at
Bulkeley, where great numbers of people go yearly to gather bilberries.
Wimwam [wim-waam], s. 1(1) a whim. “Tak no heid o' what that chap says; hey's
full o' wim-wams" [Taak nu eyd u wot dhaat* chaap* sez ; ey)z ful u
winrwaamz].
(2) "A wim-wam to weind the sun up” [U winr-waam tu weynd dhu sun up] is
often used as an evasive answer to the question, “What have you there ?"
or “What are you talking about ? “
IWindle-Stree [win-dl-stree-], s. a long dry blade of grass in a field. “Ay,
it's bin a despert bad time for gress; I'm sure, to look at my feilds, it
sems as if there was nowt bu' windle-strees on 'em” [Aay, it)s bin u des'purt
baad' tahym fur gres; ahy)m shoour, tu look ut mahy feyldz, it semz uz iv
dhur wuz nuwt bu win-dl-stree-z on um].
Window-rag's [win-du-raag-z], s. pi. shreds, fragments. “If I could ha'
gotten at him, I'd ha' torn him aw to window-rags “ [Iv ahy kud u' got-n aat-
im, ahy)d u toa-rn im au- tu wurdu-raag'z].
I Windy-mill [win-di-mil or weyndi-mil], s. a wind-mill.
Wing [wing-], v.a. (1) to fling, hurl, “send flying." “If tha ge's me
anny moor o' thy kim-kam, I'll tak thee by th' cooat-collar, an' wing thee
ait o' th' door" [Iv dhu gy'ez mi aani moour u dhi ky'inr-ky'aam, ahy)l
taak- dhi bi)th k6out-kol-ur, un wingg' dhi aayt u)th doour].
(2) to dust with the wing of a goose.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4750) (tudalen 436)
|
436 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
iWink-a-peep [wingk'-u-peep], s. the pimpernel.
Winna [wuru], v.n. (1) to neigh, whinny ; said of a horse.
(2) to laugh low, sniggle. “He was winna-in' aw the wheile he was tellin' th'
tale" p&e wuz win-urn au- dhu weyl e"e wuz tel-in)th tai-1]. A
frequentative of E. whine; compare Chaucer's whinen, used of a horse (Prol.
of Wyf of Bathe, 386), “For as an hors, I couthe bothe bite and whyne."
tWinPOW [win-roa-], s. a long row of hay, ready to be “cocked." Bailey
gives "Wind-Row, Hay or Grass taken up into Bows, in order to be dried
by the Wind before cocking up."
tWinter-pPaid [win-tur-praayd], adj. winter-proud, over-luxuriant ; said of
autumn-sown wheat which, during an unusually mild winter, has thriven too
rapidly, and which is therefore liable to be laid by storms.
Wipe [weyp], s. a stroke. “Dost want a wipe i' th' teeth?" [Dust waairt
u weyp i)th teeth ?] See following article.
Wipe [weyp], v.a. to strike. Probably a form of E. swipe. Compare SWIPPA.
Wisk [wis-k], s. a cough, in horses, cows, and other domestic animals. “I
think we'd better keep that cai up a neight or two, for hoo's gotten a bit of
a wisk a'ready” [Ahy thingk-wi)d bet'iir ky'ee'p dhaat- ky'aay up u neyt ur
too, fur 6o)z got'n u bit uv u wis*k ured-i],
IWisket [wis-kit], s. a basket or small hamper. Bailey has “Whisket, a
Scuttle or Basket. N.C."
Wiskettle [wis-kitl], s. a basketful, hamperful. "A wiskettle o' wick
snigs (live eels)” [U wis-kitl u wik- snig-z].
tWiteh [wich-], v.a. to bewitch. ' ' Nai, go yur wees straight off to schoo',
an' dunna yo see nowt to them nasty gypsies atop o' Brindley Leya (=Lea) ;
dunna yo go neyar 'em nai, wun yo, else they'n meebe witch yo” [Naay, goa-
yur wee-z streyt of tu skoo, un du)nu yoa- see- nuwt tu dhem naas-ti jip-siz
u)top- u
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4751) (tudalen 437)
|
GLOSSAKY. 437
Brin-li Leyu; du)nu yoa- gu neyiir urn naay, wmr)yu, els dhi)n mee-bi wiclr
yu]. Compare 1 Henry IV., IV. i. 110, "And witch the world with noble
horsemanship."
Witeh-mon [wich--mon], s. a wizard, wise man; resorted to by country people
to lay spirits, find lost articles, &c.
With [with-], s. the straw-band which binds a sheaf of corn. “Ah want thee to
may withs” [Ah waan-t dhi tu mai- widh-z].
With-aw [widh-air], conj. for all that, although. "With-aw hey was s5
fair an' soft-spokken, I couldna warm up with him none, after ah knowed th'
breid as he come off" [Widh-au- ey woz su fae-r un sof-t-spokn, ahy
kud-)nu waa-rm up widh im non, aaf-tur ah noa-d)th breyd uz ee kum of].
Wither [widh-ur], v.a. to mutter. “Hey's witherin some keind o' tales
o'er" [Ey)z widh-urin sum ky'eynd u tarlz oa-r].
tWitty [witi], adj. knowing, clever. "He's a witty mon, is yander;
there's noo bestin' him at a bargain" [lile)z u wit'i mon, iz yaan-dur ;
dhur)z noo bes-tin im ut u baa-rgin]. So used in Much Ado about Nothing, IV.
ii. 27, "A marvellously witty fellow, I assure you." Also compare
vitty in Barbour's Bruce, vii. 134,
Bot the kyng, that wes vitty
Persauit weill be thair hawyng,
That thai lufit hym in na thing.
Wizzen [wiz-n], v.n. to whine, as a dog does. "What a't tha wizzenin'
at, nai ? Tha mid be very badly done by, ah'm sure" [Wot ut dhu wiz'nin
aat, naay? Dhu mid* bi ver'i baadli dun bahy, ah)m sh6our]. Compare mod. Ger.
winseln, M.H.G. winson (to whine), derivations of weinen, E. whine.
Wizzen-faced [wiz*n-farst or fee-st], adj. with withered or pinched features.
"Look at him, nai ! innat hey a poor wizzen-faced little thing ? It's a regilar
shame to plague him as they dun “ [Look ut im, naay ! i)nut ey u p6our
wiz-n-farst lit'l thingg? It)s u reg'ilur shai'm tu plai'g im uz dhai' diin].
Compare
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4752) (tudalen 438)
|
438 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
A.S. wisnian to wither or dry up; Ger. verwesen. Bailey has “Wisned, withered
or wasted. N.C."
Womanin' [wum-unin], pres. part, courting. “Tha atna owd enough fur go
a-womanirt” [Dhaa aat')nu uwd unuf* fur goa* u)wunrunin]. Compare wenching in
Troilus and Cressida, V. iv. 34.
Worn it [worn- it], v.n. to go home. Boys will frequently stone a stray dog
with the exclamation "Worn it."
Womly [wom-li], adj. homelike (not homely). "Wom's womly" [Wom)z wom-li]
is the Cheshire equivalent for “There's no place like home."
Wooden [wud'n], adj. stupid, thick-headed. "I'll never have sich a
wooden fellow abait my bonk agen, if I con hinder it" [Ahy)l nevur aav
sich' u wud'n fel'ii iibaayt mahy bongk ugy'en', iv ahy kuii nrdur it].
Wooden hills [wud-n il-z], s. pi. a common slang term for the stairs.
"Let's be mowntin' the wooden hills" [Let)s bi muwntin dhu wud'n
il'z] = Let us go to bed.
tWood-fint [wud-fint], s. a wood pile. Less commonly Wood-fin.
Woodwork [wud-wuurk], s. carpentry. "Joe's a knackety lad at anny sort
o' woodwork" [Joa')z u naak'uti laad- ut aan'i sau'rt u wud-wuurk].
Woolpacks [wul'paaks], s. pi. heavy white clouds, supposed by many people to
portend rain.
Wop [wop], s. a heavy fall. "It come dain sich a wop" [It kum daayn
sich' u wop].
Wopple [wop-1], v.n. to topple over. BICKLEY. "Young John Burgess got
upo' th' swey, an' went up into th' air, an' then he went wopple, wopple,
woppliri o'er, an' his feet wan wheer his legs ought to bey" [Yung Jon
Buu'rjus got upu)th swey, un went up intu)dh ae f r, un dhen ey went wop'l,
wop'l, wop'lin oa'r, un iz feyt wun wee'ur iz legz au't tu bey].
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4753) (tudalen 439)
|
GLOSSARY. 439
Wopstraw [wop -strait], s. the same as WHIPSTRAW, which see; also compare
Shropshire Johnny -Wopstraw.
Word Of a SOPt [wuurd uv u sau-rt], phrase, an admonition, rebuke. "Hoo
gen him a word of a sort. 11
World's end [wuurldz end], s. "To come to the world's end" is a
phrase of wide application, meaning, generally, to have exhausted one's last
resource. For an example, see under JACK, JACK UP.
Woshieky [wosh-iki], adj. wobbly. NORBURY. It was given to me as a synonym
for SQUASHY (q.v.).
t Wosser [wos-ur], comp. adj. worse; a double comparative. "Yo bin
gettin' wosser an' wosser” [Yoa* bin gy'et'in wos-ur un wos-ur]. Compare
Shakspere, 1 K. Henry VI., V. iii., “Changed to a worser shape thou canst not
be;" also Hamlet, III. iv. 157, "0, throw away the worser part of
it." Also Measure for Measure, III. ii. 7. See Comparison of Adjectives,
pp. 59 and 61.
tWranglesome [raang-lsum], adj. quarrelsome. “They bin scrawlin', wranglesome
folks ; there's na much peace for annyb'dy as lives neyar 'em" [Dhi bin
skrau-lin raangglsum foa-ks ; dhur)z naa much pee-s fur aan-ibdi uz livz
neyur urn].
Wreathe [ree-dh], s. a weal or raised stripe, caused by a lash. “There was
wreathes on his back as thick as whip-cord “ [Dhur wuz ree'dhz on iz baak' uz
thik' uz wip'-koa'rd].
Wreathe [ree-dh], v.a. to raise weals upon. “I'll wreathe his back for him”
[Ahy)l ree-dh iz baak- for im].
e-wry [rig-1-mi-rahy], s. crooked, awry. “Yo'n put th' cloth upo' th' table
aw wriggle-me-wry” [Yoa')n put)th kloth upu)th tai'bl au- rig-1-mi-rahy].
[ring-], s. "As wet as wring “is a common expression.
Wrinkle up [ringk-1 up], v.a. to crush or crumple up. "This papper's aw
wrinklet up" [Dhis paap-ur)z au- ringk'lt iip]. See Wrinkle (sb.) in
Skeat's Diet.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4754) (tudalen 440)
|
440 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
Writhen [ridh-n], part. adj. (1) warped, crooked in grain. The handle of a
pitchfork which is not straight in grain is called writhen. The term is also
applied to cloth which is warped in texture. A.S. writhen, p. part, of
writhan, to writhe, wreathe. See the examples given under Wreathen in Morris'
English Accidence, p. 166 (ed. 1882). Also compare the frequentative writhUd
in 1 Henry VI., II. iii. 23, "this weak and writhled shrimp."
(2) metaphorically, crooked-tempered. "If I'd sich a writhen- tempered
brivit to do with, ah dunna know what ah should do ; ah should juff her yed
agen the waw, or dowk her i' the hoss-wesh, or slat my clog at her yed,
ton" [Iv ahy)d sich- u ridlrn-tenrpurd brivit tu d6o widh, ah du)nu noa-
wot ah shud d6o ; ah shud juf ur yed ugy'en* dhu wau% ur duwk ur i dhu
os--wesh, ur slaat- mi tlog ut ur yed, ton].
WPOStlin' [ros-lin], adj. lusty, strong; e.g., "agrat, wrostlirf
chap" [u grae't, ros-lin chaap-]. Lit. wrestling.
Wut [wut], aux. verb, 2nd per s. sing. pres. wilt. Or, interrogatively used,
wilt thou? e.g., "Give us some, wut?" Compare Hamlet,
V. i. 298,
'Swounds, show me what thou'lt do : Woo't weep? worft fight? wodt fast? woo't
tear thyself? - Woo't drink up eisel ? eat a crocodile ?
See Outlines of Grammar, p. 89; and compare M.E. wolt, A.S. wilt. The change
of i into o is due to the preceding w.
I refer again to the subject here in order to guard against a misapprehension
which might be produced by Mr. Holland's article s.v. Wut thou. Wilbraham had
explained this expression as “wilt thou ? “H. remarks on this “Whatever it
may have been in Wilbraham's time, this abbreviation is now used for '
wouldest thou ?'" I have no doubt that H.'s remark may be quite correct
for certain districts, but it is certainly incorrect as applied to the whole
of Cheshire. Wut, as a past tense, is strange to me. It is probably a
corruption of would rather than of wilt. It would be curious to know what is
the form which represents wilt in those places where wut stands for wouldest.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4755) (tudalen 441)
|
GLOSSARY. 441
Y.
Yackaz [yaak-uz], v.n. to whine or whimper. "Nai, dunna set agate o'
yackazin' a-that-ns ; ur yo'n go bed beait anny supper" [Naay, du)nu set
ugy'ai-t u yaak-uzin u)dhaat-nz; ur yoa)n goa bed bi-aayt aan-i sup-ur]. The
word is onomatopoetic ; compare YOCHA, below.
Yacks [yaak-s], Yahks [yaa-ks], Yacks [yae-ks], inter j. an exclamation of
disgust.
tYaff [yaaf-], v.n. to bark, yelp. “A little yaffin' tooad! turn him ait, an'
let him yaik i' th' fowd" [U lit! yaaf-in t6oud ! tuurn im aayt, un let
im yaayk i)th fuwd].
Yag" [yaag-], v.n. (1) to quarrel; cp. YAGGLE and YAGGAZ. (2) to bark
short, of a dog.
Yaggaz [yaag-uz], v.n. to bicker, wrangle. A variant of YAGGLE, which see ;
and for the change of final -le to -az, see under FUMMAZ. Mr. Holland gives
accussin, presumably pronounced [aak'usin], as a Macclesfield word.
Yaggle [yaag-1], s. a quarrel. "I heerd 'em havin' a bit of a y aggie
abait summat" [Ahy eeurd urn aavin u bit uv u yaag'l ubaayt siim-ut].
Yaggle [yaag-1], v.n. to quarrel, bicker. “I pity annyb'dy as has bey i' th'
haiise with 'em, for I'm sure they dun nowt bu' yaggle, yaggle, yaggle aw the
blessed dee ; either one on 'em auvays agate" [Ahy piti aanibdi uz aaz-
bey i)dh aays widh um, fur ahy)m shoour dhi dun nuwt bu yaag'l, yaag-1,
yaag-1 au- dhu bles-ud dee-; ee-dhur won on um au-viz ugy'ai-t].
Yaik [yaayk], v.n. to howl. For an example, see YAFF, and compare YOWK.
YallOW-WOrt [yaal-u-wuurt], s. a mild form of jaundice.
Yander [yaan-dur], adv. and pron. yonder. It is worth noticing that this word
in any of its four forms [yaan-dur, yon-dur, dhaan-dur, dhon-dur] is often
substantively used. “Wun y6
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4756) (tudalen 442)
|
442 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
tak this or that?" "Oh, I'll tak yonder, if yonder 's a good
'un" [Wun yu taak- dhis- ur dhaat- ? Oa*, ahy)l taak- yon-dur, iv
yorrdur)z u gud un]. Compare Eobert of Brunne in Morris' Specimens of Early
English, p. 119, “Ys yme thy page?" and a few other M.E. examples given
in Morris' English Accidence, p. 128.
Yaps [yaap-s], Yahps [yaa-ps], Yaps [yae-ps], Yeps [yeps], mter/. fie ! an
exclamation of reproof. “Yaps upon yo."
Yarb [yaa-rb], s. a herb. Hence a herbalist is called a [yaa-rb-dok-tur] or a
[yaa-rbulist].
YaP-fPOSt [yaa-r-frost], s. a hoar-frost. "It's bin a yar-frost this
mornin'; the gramd was as wheite as a sheite when I gor up" [It)s bin u
yaa-r-frost dhus mau-rnin; dhu graaynd wuz uz weyt uz u sheyt wen ahy gor
up].
tYarly [yaa-rli], adj. early.
Yarn [yaa-rn], s. a heron. A lane at Burland is called "Yarns'
Leen."
Yarnst [yaa-rnst], s. earnest; specially used of the "hiring shilling
“or deposit-money given to a newly-hired servant to bind the bargain. “Here's
a shillin' yarnst" [6eur)z u shiHn yaa-rnst].
tYarringles [yaar-inglz], s.pl a machine for holding yarn to be wound off on
reels or balls. .See Miss Jackson, s.v. Yare-winds.
tYarpy [yaa-ri], adj. hoary, covered with hoar-frost. “It's a yarry frost”
[It's a yaa'ri frost].
Yask [yaas-k], v.n. to clear the throat; emit a short, dry cough. “Theer tha
sits, baskin' an' yaskin'“ [Dhee-ur dhaa sits, baas -kin un yaas'kin].
“Hearken at that cat yaskirf ; put her through th' window, else hoo'll be
sick i' th' haise" [Aa-rkn ut dhaat- ky'aat- yaas-kin; put ur thr6o)th
win-du, els 6o)l bi sik i)dh aays]. Cp. HASK.
Yaunce [yau-ns], s. a flirting, jaunty movement of the body. "Ay,
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4757) (tudalen 443)
|
GLOSSARY. 443
hoo's a despert okkart wench, is Jinny, if yo stroken her up th' wrang road ;
I towd her hoo mun go an' wesh them dishes up as hoo'd left, an' hoo gen a
bit of a yaunce, like yo'n seen her, an' flung hersel ait, an' hoo's bin
keybin' an' sulkin' ever sin “ [Aay, 6o)z u des-purt ok-urt wensh, iz Jini,
iv yoa- stroa-kn ur up dh)raangg- roa-d ; ahy tuwd ur 60 mun goa- un wesh
dhem dish-iz up uz 6o)d left, un 60 gy'en u bit uv u yau-ns, lahyk yoa-)n
seen ur, un flungg ursel- aayt, un 6o)z bin ky'eybin un sul'kin evur sin].
Yaunee [yau-ns], v.n. | to toss the head, shrug the
Yaunce onesel [wunsel-], v. ref. } shoulders, or make any quick or jaunty
movement of the body ; of a horse, to prance. “See hai he yaunces when I
touch him wi' the whip" [See aay ee yau-nsiz wen ahy tuch im wi)dhu
wip-]. This word probably contains the key to the meaning of jauncing in
Rich. II., V. v. 95, "Spurred, galled and tired by jaunciny
Bolingbroke." The commentators quote Cotgrave. “Jancer un cheval, to
stirre a horse in the stable, till he sweat with-all; or as our jaunt."
They therefore give to Shakspere's jaunce a similar meaning to that of
jancer, viz., "to make to prance." But it certainly makes better
sense to take the word in the intransitive sense of Ches. yaunce, and to
understand it as referring to the jaunty action of Bolingbroke in the saddle.
In any case jaunce and yaunce are the same word ; for interchange of j and y,
compare "Et.jerk with Shakspere's yerk (Henry V., IV. vii. 83), E. jade
with Northern yaud, &c. See Skeat's Diet, under Jaunt.
Yaw [yair], v.n. to talk in a jerky, disconnected fashion. This word seems to
be somewhat confused with E. yawn; for I am informed that it is usually
applied to talk which is interrupted by the speaker's yawning. Compare
Leigh's definition of Yawn' as "talking in a disagreeable, offensive
manner." The word may be the same as E. yaw (a reduplicated form of go),
to go unsteadily, of a ship, used in Hamlet, V. ii. 119; or may be another
form of jaw.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4758) (tudalen 444)
|
444 FOLK -SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIRE.
Yawky [yairki], s. a foolish or maladroit person. "What a yawky yo bin,
gooin' an' tellin' the mester what I said at dinner-time" [Wot u yau-ki
yoa bin, g6o*in un tel-in dhii mes-tur wot ahy sed iit dhrur-tahym]. The
initial y represents an original g. See GAWKY; and compare yowl from M.E.
goulen, yelp from A.S. gelpan, yawp = gawp, &c.
Yawny [yau-ni], s, an idiotic or senseless person. "I've towd thee, an'
better towd thee, tha'd better tak thy hands off wheile tha con ; bur if tha wull
be sich a yawny as go on with it, tha mun stond th' racket” [Ahy)v tuwd dhi,
un bet'ur tuwd dhi, dhu)d bet'ur taak* dhi aairz of weyl dhu kon ; bur iv dhu
wul bi sich* u yau'ni uz goa* on widh it, dhaa mun stond)dh raak'it]. A
variant of GAWNY; see preceding article.
tYawp [yau'p], v.n. to shout. BROXTON. BURLAND. “There was a red-yedded yaith
at Mawpas Steetion, yawpin' an' carryiri' on; an' th' p'leiceman took him up
for bein' drunk" [Dhur wuz u red'-yedid yaayth ut Mau-pus Stee-shun,
yau-pin un ky'aari-in on; un)th pleysmun took im up fur beyin drungk]. A
variant of GAWP, which thus connects the word with E. gape.
Yed [yed], s. head. Here notice the phrase "it runs me i' the yed"
i.e., it occurs to me. For this phrase compare Chaucer's Knyghtes Tale, 1.
544,
And right anoon it ran him in his mynde That sith his face was so disfigured
Of maladie the which he hadde endured, He mighte wel, if that he bar him
lowe, Lyve in Athenes evere more unknowe.
Yedache [yed'aik], s. headache; the condition of a knife, cork-screw,
&c., when the blade or screw is loose in the haft. “This owd knife o'
thine's noo good : it's gotten the yedache ; yo can hear it rattle when I
sheek it” [Dhis uwd nahyf u dhahyn)z n6o gud: it)s got*n dhu yed*aik; yu)kn
eeur it raat'l wen ahy shee-k it].
tYed-COllar [yed'-kolur], s. a leathern halter or bridle worn by
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4759) (tudalen 445)
|
GLOSSARY. 445
horses in the stable. See Miss Jackson's description under Head-Collar.
Yeddy [yed-i], adj. clever (lit. heady). Oh, he's a yeddy yowth; yo leeave
him alooan ; he dunna want neither yo'r help nur mine" [Oa-, e"e)z
u yed-i yuwth; yoa- le"euv im uloo-un; ee du)nu waan-t nee-dhur yoaT elp
nuur mahyn].
Yed-sirag [yed--suraag-], s. a master, overseer. "He was gooin' orderin'
an' mesterin' aba'it, just for aw the world as if he'd bin top-sawyer an'
yed-sirag o' the lot" [Ee wuz g6o-in au-rdurin un mes-turin ubaayt, jus
fur au- dhu wuurld uz iv ee)d bin top--sau-yur un yed'-suraag- u dhu lot].
Yeld [yeld], s. a word used in more northern parts of Cheshire for a hill,
only appears in S. Ches. as a place-name; e.g., the Yeld (sometimes spelt
Heald) is the name of a farm at Wrenbury.
Yelper [yel-pur], VM. to yelp, howl. tYerds [yuurdz], s. pi. tow.
Yet [yetj, s. (1) heat.
(2) a period of time spent. “Yo'n had a pretty long yet on it this turn”
[Yoa)n aad- u priti lungg' yet on it dhis-tuurn]. This is probably a metaphor
from racing, and represents the English heat; but it is not consciously so
used.
fYethart [Yedh-urt], prop, name Edward. See Chapter on Pronunciation under D
(3) and (5); and compare Shak.'s Yedward in 1 Henry IV., I. ii. 149.
tYilve [yil'v], s. a dung-fork. Eandle Holme spells it Yelve. Curiously
enough, this is still the accepted spelling (in auctioneers' catalogues and the
like), though I have never heard the pronunciation [yelv].
Yilve [yil'v], v.a. to use a yilve; e.g., "to yilve the muck ait “ [tu
yil'v dhu muk aayt].
Yip-yop [yip'-yop], s. a young, scatter-brained person. "Wha' do I care
for a little, squirtin' yip-yop like thee ? What a't 'ee
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4760) (tudalen 446)
|
446 FOLK-SPEECH OF SOUTH
CHESHIRE.
bur a gawky wopstraw of a lad, when aw's said ?" [Wo)doo ahy ky'ae-r fur
u lit-1 skwmrrtin yip'-yop lahyk dhee ? Wot aat-)i bur u gau-ki wop--strau uv
u laad-, wen au-)z sed?] Compare Leigh's "Yip-yap, an upstart."
Yoeha [yokh-u], v.n. to laugh. BUELAND. "I towd him he'd better mind
what he was doin', else he'd find himsel wrang ; bur he on'y yocha' d at me”
[Ahy tuwd im e"e)d bet-ur mahynd wot ee wuz d6o'in, els ee)d fahynd
imsel raangg-; bur ee oa-ni yokh-ud aat* mi]. This word is the same as YOFFA,
which see. The change of [kh] into [f ] is a common phenomenon in English ;
but it is curious to find the [kh] and [f ] existing side by side as in this
word. Yocha is evidently an onomatopoetic word (cp. Lat. cachinnare). Yoffa
is less obviously so ; and I once thought that yocha, yoffa might be the two
successive forms which led up to the E. guffaw. On communicating my ideas on
the subject to Professor Skeat, he kindly sent me the following note :
“Yocha, yoffa are both certainly onomatopoetic ; but I would not directly
connect them with guff-aw. I would only say that yoch-, yaff-, guff-, are
expressive allied onomato- poetic words to indicate laughter. In such words,
you cannot say whether the / came out of gli, or gh out of f probably
neither; i.e., they were parallel attempts to render yaff-, yoch-, as sounds
meant to imitate laughter. Cp. Wiltshire yuck-el, a wood-pecker, lit. a
laugher ; and Herefordshire y off-el, also lit. a laugher. . . . Another word
for a wood-pecker was hick-way (probably from hick-, cp. hicc-ough) ; another
word was heighaw, with which cp. hee-haw and ha ! ha ! Words of this purely
imitative class run into all sorts of forms. If they seem expressive, that is
all that is wanted."
Yoffa [yof-u], v.n. to laugh. “Yo mayn me yoffa when ah amna hafe well"
[Yoa mai-n mi yof*u wen ah aanr)nu arf wel]. “There was a lot 'n 'em gotten
yoffa-in' in a corner, aw the wheile he was preachin'“ [Dhur wuz u lot)n urn
got-n yof-u-in in u kau-rnur, au* dhu weyl e wuz pree-chin]. Compare YOCHA, and
E. guffaw.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4761) (tudalen 447)
|
GLOSSARY. 447
tYoke [yoa-k], s. a long bar of wood suspended crosswise from an animal's
neck to prevent its breaking through fences.
tYokin' [yoa-kin], s. I only know this word in the phrase "to make a
yokiri." When a ploughman remains with his team in the field from early
morning to about two or three in the afternoon, instead of coming home for
the noon- day meal and afterwards returning to work till six, he is said “to
make a yokiri." This is generally done when he desires to have the
latter part of the day to himself, or when the field is at such a distance
from the homestead that much time is lost in coming and going.
Yonnack [yon*uk], s. a fool, mad-brained person. "Eh, he's sich a foo'
abait theise politics fit tear his hair a regilar yonnack, is Turn" [Ar,
e"e)z sich* u foo ubaayt dheyz pol'iitiks fit-tae-r iz ae*r u reg-ilur
yon*uk, iz Turn].
Yorkshire [Yau-rkshur], s. cajolery, blarney, attempt to hoodwink or deceive.
"Let's ha' none o' yur Yorkshire" [Let)s aa non u yur Yau'rkshur].
YOW [yuw], v.a. to cut; used in a much wider range of meaning than the
English hew, with which it corresponds. It seems to be equivalent to E. cut,
with a farther connotation of effort. For an example see under MAUL (3).
Yowk [yuwk], v.n. to yelp, howl. "He yowked an' skriked, than it made me
sorry to hearken him" [Ee yuwkt un skrahykt, dhun it mai'd mi sori tu
aa-rkn im]. Compare YAIK.
tYowl [yuwl], v.n. to howl. M.E. goulen.
Yowler [yuwlur], v.n. to howl. A frequentative of YOWL, as HOWLEK of E. howl.
Yowp [yuwp], v.n. to yelp.
Yowth [yuwth], s. a male person of any age. We speak of an "owd
yowth" [uwd yuwth] as well as of a "young yowth" [yungg
yuwth]. But the word is half -jocularly extended to inanimate objects ; for
instance, a man told me he had worn
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4762) (tudalen 448)
|
448 FOLK- SPEECH OF SOUTH CHESHIKE.
"this yowth," meaning his flannel waistcoat, through the summer.
Compare the use of the E. boy, as in “an old boy," “a post-60i/,"
and as universally used in Ireland.
tYure [y6our], s. hair. The following story is often told : “There was wunst
a gawky yowth, as had done summat amiss, an' they hadden him up afore his
nuncles. An' wheil he was stondin' theyar, one o' the gentlemen noticed his
hair cut aw i' rucks an' ridges upo' his yed, an' he says to him, 'Who cut
your hair, my boy ?' Wha' ?' ' Who cut your hair ?' Wha' ?' An' when one o'
th' bobbies as wan theer seed as th' magistrit could may nowt on him, he
says, 'Let me ask him, your worship.' An' he turns to the lad, an' he says, '
Hooar powd thy yureT 1 Ahr Sal, wi' a knife.'“ [Dhur wuz wunst u gau'ki
yuwth, uz ud dun sunrut urnis', un dhi aad'n im up ufoa-r iz nungk-lz. Un
weyl e"e wuz stoirdin dheyur, won u dhu jen-tlmun noaiist iz ae-r kut
au- i ruks un rij-iz upu iz yed, un 4e sez t6o im, "Go kiit yur ae-r, mi
bahy?" “Wau- ?" "60 kut yur ae-r?" "Wau-?" tin
wen won u)th bob-iz uz wun dh^eur seed us)th maajistrit kud mai- nuwt on im .
. . e"e tuurnz tu)th laad-, un 6e sez, "6our puwd dhi y6our?"
"Aa-r Saal-, wi u nahyf"].
Z. Elderly people have told me this letter used to be
called uzzard [uz'urd] ; and persons now hardly past their prime were taught
in their school-days to call it zod [zod].
Zaggle [zaagi], Ziggle [zig'l], v.a. to confuse, esp. by contradictory
assertions. Cp. E. zig-zag.
Zowkers [zuwkurz], inter j. an exclamation of surprise.
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4763) (tudalen 449)
|
ADDENDA ET COBEIGENDA.
N.B. In the first 64 pages [k] and [g] before [aa, aay,
aaw, ai, e, ee, ee, ey, i] would be somewhat more correctly written [gy',
ky'].
INTRODUCTION.
P. 9 : between line 31 and line 32 add [piit'urd] pwdr rotten.
and [trdos] trwst noise.
PRONUNCIATION. P. 16, line 1 : for O.E. read M.E.
under Ch. : add "Aguttural [kh] is heard in one word, viz., [yokh'u], to
laugh." P. 17, under D (7) : for (e) read (b), and for (3) read (c). P.
18, line 9 from bottom : for O.E. read A.S. P. 19, under P (3) : for K (3)
read K (4). P. 20, line 5 : for O.E. read A.S. P. 23, line 13 : for [air]
read [ae'r].
P. 31, line 17 : for hare read hara, and for [ai'r] read [ae'r]. P. 32, line
19 : for standen read standan. P. 33, line 7 : for sare read sar.
line 13 : for [e"e] read [ee].
line 3 from bottom : for lad read MS-P. 36, line 6 : for scsed read sceadu.
P. 37, line 11 : for [e"e] read [ee].
line 18 : for besm read besma.
line 28 : for blegan read blegen. P. 40, line 17 : for neahgebar read neahgebur.
P. 41, line 11 from bottom : for dedra, dear, deer, read dedr, deer. P. 42,
line 11 from bottom : Trust is rather from N. traust, trist from N. treysta.
line 6 from bottom : for [shai'r] read [shae'r], P. 44, line 8 and line 9,
from bottom respectively: for [warr] read [waeT], and for [ai] read
[ae]. P. 51, line 17 : for [skwarr] read [skwae'r].
GRAMMAR.
P. 55, line 16 : add fashion to the substantives enume\-ated.
P. 58, line 4 from bottom : for [ky'ai'rlis] read [ky'ae'rlis].
P. 61, line 5 from bottom : for [liflist] cp. Ham., III. ii. 181.
P. 63, line 7 : read “The termination th," &c.
P. 67, between line 4 and line 5 : insert “Us is used for ive in
interrogative sentences, after
mun and shall (shan). See Abbott, 215." P. 80, line 7 : for Cetch read
Catch.
DD
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4764) (tudalen 450)
|
450 ADDENDA ET COKEIGENDA.
GLOSSARY.
P. 112, s.v. Aylze : add “Cp. Shak.'s Al'ce in The Taming of the Shrew, 2nd.
ii. 112."
P. 119, 8.v. Beet : add “Cp. bate in 2 Henry IV., II. iv. 271 ; and
breed-bate in Merry Wives,
I. iv. 13." P. 146, s.v. Cibble (Kibble)-cabble : add "Cp.
bibble-babble (a reduplicated form of babble,
as cibble-cabble from W. cabin) in Twelfth Night, IV. ii. 105." P. 149,
s.v. Clapper (2) : add “Cp. Much Ado about Nothing, III. ii. 13."
s.v. Clapperclaw: add "Cp. Merry Wives, II. iii. 67; Troil. and Cress.,
V. iv. i." P. 155, s.v. Collow : add “Cp. Midsummer Night's Dream, I. i.
145." P. 161, s.v. Creakin': for hoo read hoo's. P. 168, s.v. Deck (sb.)
: add “Cp. 3 Henry VI., V. i. 44." P. 171, s.v. Disgestion : add
"See Nares, who gives examples from Beaumont and Fletcher,
Sidney and Puttenham. Old Edd. give disgest in Coriolanus, I. i. 154 ; Antony
and Cleopatra, II. ii. 179; disgestion in Coriolanus, I. i. 153 ; Henry V.,
I. i. 27
(in the last instance, however, the word is used by Fluellen)." P. 172,
s.v. Dizener : for [dahynur] read [dahyznur]. P. 174, s.v. Doorsill:/or
"Fr. seuil" read "A.S. syll or syl, cognate with Fr. seuil
(Lat.
solea)."
P. 176, s.v. Drones : add “See TROWS." P. 185, s.v. Fecks : add “Cp.
Winter's Tale, I. ii. 120."
P. 189, s.v. Flash : add “Cp. a shallow plash, in Taming of the Shrew, I. i.
23." P. 197, s.v. Fyerk : add “Compare firk in Henry V., IV. iv. 29, and
ferke in William of
Paleme, 3630, meaning to drive. There is a marked tendency in the S. Ches.
dialect to introduce a y sound." P. 209, s.v. Grew : add “Cp. Merchant
of Venice, II. ii. 18, did something smack, something
grow to." P. 214, s.v. Handy- Bandy: add "Compare K. Lear, IV. vi.
157, 'Hark, in thine ear change
places : and, handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief ?'"
P. 217, s.v. Haviour : add “Compare Hamlet, I. ii. 81, II. ii. 12." P.
227, s.v. Husht : add "The old edd. print husht in Taming of the Shrew,
I. i. 68, Pericles,
I. iii. 10."
P. 228, s.v. Inchmeal : add “Cp. Tempest, II. ii. 3."
P. 237, s.v. Kell : add “Florio Ital. Diet, gives ' Omento, a fat pannicle, .
. . properly
the caule, sewet, rim or kell wherein the bowels are kept.' “ P. 245, s.v.
Lee : add “Shakspere uses lea only in the sense of arable land, as above,
e.g.
Henry V., V. ii. 44 ' fallow leas,' and Tempest, IV. i. 60 ' thy rich leas.'
“ P. 246, s.v. Ley : add “Cp. also chamber-fte in I Henry IV., II. i.
23." P. 249, s.v. Lodged : add "Cp. Macbeth, IV. i. 55, Rich. II.,
III. iii. 162." P. 250, s.v. Loose : add “Cp. Mids. Night's Dream, II.
i. 159." P. 252, s.v. Lurch : add “Cp. Merry Wives of Windsor, II. ii.
26." P. 260, s.v. Mezziled : add "Cotgrave has 'Ladre; com.
Leaprous, lazerous ; mezeld,
scuruie.' “
P. 263, s.v. Molly-cot : add “Cp. cot-quean in Romeo and Juliet, IV. iv.
7." P. 268, s.v. Mullock (sb.) : add “M.E. mulloJc, rubbish ; mull, dirt
; also E. mould." P. 271, s.v. Nay-word : add "Cp. Merry Wives, II.
ii. 131, V. ii. 5." P. 277, s.v. Nowt (adj.) : add “Cp. naught in
Hamlet, III. ii. 157; Cymb., V. v. 271 ; K. Lear,
II. iv. 36 ; also 2 Kings ii. 19."
P. 292, s.v. Pettitoes : add “Cp. Winter's Tale, IV. iv. 619."
P. 301, s.v. Puke : add “Cp. puking in As You Like It, II. vii. 144."
P. 314, s.v. Height: add "A common Shaksperian use; e.g., 'a right
gipsy' in Ant. and
Cleop., IV. xii. 28." P. 337, 8.v. Sheer-cloth : add “Cotgrave has
'Cerat: A Plaister made of Waxe, Gummes,
&c., and certaine oyles ; Wee also call it a cerot or seare-cloth.'"
P. 351, s.v. Smart : for Schmerzengeld read Schmerzensgeld." s.v. Smatch
(sb.) : add "Cp. Julius Ccesar, V. v. 46." s.v. Smatch (vb.) : add
“Cp. smack in Merch. of Ven., II. ii. 18."
|
|
|
|
|
(delwedd C4765) (tudalen 451)
|
ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA. 451
P. 352, s.v. Smowch : add "Cp. The Returne from Parnassus, I. vi. 1
(Arber's Reprint, p. 18),
' Why, how now, Pedant Phoebus, are you smoutching on her tender lips ? “ P.
370, s.v. Stad : add "Cp. bistad in Man of Lawes Tale, 649 ; stad in
Barbour's Bruce, vii.
216, 217, ' The kyng so stratly stad wes thair, that he wes neuer 3eit swa
stad ;*
also ibid. 58, 425."
P. 396, s.v. Tice : add “Cp. Titus Andronicus, II. iii. 92."
P. 412, s.v. Tuppenny: add "Cp. Hamlet, I. v. 150, ' Art thou there,
truepenny?'" P. 420, s.v. Vessel : add "Cp. Chaucer's Monkes Tale,
3338, 'The vessel of the temple he
with him ladde.' “ P. 448, s.v. Yowth : add “For the expression 'young
youth,' compare Bacon's History of
the Reign of K. Henry VII., 'and cast his eye upon King Henry, then a
young youth.' “ s.v. Yure : add "Mr. Ellis sends me the following
reference, which seems to
indicate that Yure meant originally a cap, and has no connexion with E. hair.
' Promptorium Parv., p. 249, Howe or hure, heed hyllynge. Tena,' . . . see
Way's note there. ' Also p. 252, hwyr, cappe (hvyr, hure, huwyr, hurwyr, in
different MSS.). Tena. Tena tenet et ornat caput mulieris. Anglice, a howfe,
i.e., extrema pars vitte, qua dependent comae.' “
A. Ireland & Co., Printers, Pall Mall, Manchester.
|
|
|
|
B5237ː 
yn 
aith δ δ Ł g
yn 
aith δ δ
