Part 8

The corruptions or variations of consonants are not so marked as those of vowels. The most notable are the hardening of Th into Dd, making father, _fadder_, mother, _mūdder_, etc.; and the dropping of the two last of the three letters in the definite article, well illustrated by the Whitehaven boy’s reply to an enquiry as to what ships had come in:—“_T’_ ’Enry, an’ _t’_ ’Ebe, an’ _t’_ Ant, an’ _t’_ Atlas, an’ _t’_ Aurora;” i.e. the Henry, the Hebe, the Ant, the Atlas, and the Aurora. Then we may notice the discarding of the final letter from all words ending in ing, and changing that syllable in all present participles to _an_, the participle of pass being in Cumberland more like the French pass_ant_ than the English pass_ing_; also the final age being made _ish_, as in _cabbish_ for cabbage, _manish_ for manage, etc.; the final ous too undergoing the same change, as in _faymish_ for famous, _parlish_ for parlous, etc.; also idge as in _poddish_ for porridge, or primarily, potage.

V is often converted into B or Bb—evening, eleven, Whitehaven being called _ebenin’_, _elebben_, _Whitehebben_, etc.

These corruptions and deviations comprise nearly all the points wherein the dialect of Cumberland differs in sound and pronunciation from ordinary English speech; and set forth roughly, as they are, (abbreviations explaining themselves, and archaic words being given in a concise glossary) they may, with a little attention, enable the uninitiated reader to understand all the Cumbrian pieces contained in this volume.

Some irregular verbs, as well as some not commonly classed as irregular, are curiously varied in Cumbrian conjugations. I give a few of these, written down as they rise in recollection, and arranged a la Lindley Murray.

_Present._ _Past._ _Past Participle._ Break Brack Brocken Bring Brong, and Brang Browte Brust (burst) Brast Brossen Cleed (clothe) Cleàd Cled Clim’ Clam Clim’t and Clum Cūm (come) Com Cum’t Cut Cot and Cuttit Cutten Drink Drunk Drucken and Drocken Drive Dreàv Druvven Fling Flang Flung Git (get) Gat Gitten Gi’e (give) Gev Gi’en Ga and Gang (go) Went Geàn Greet (weep) Grat Grūtten Hit Hat and Hot Hitten Ho’d (hold) Hodit Hodden Let Let Letten Kest (cast) Kest Kessen Knead Knod Knodden May May’d or Med Mun (must) Mūd Put Pot Putten Rive Reàv Ruvven Run Ron Run Rise Reùz Ruzzen Stick Stack Stuck and Stucken Set Set Setten Tak Tok and Teùk Tocken Thrust Thrustit Throssen

Minced or modified oaths are remarkably numerous in Cumberland, and in very common use. Most of them have descended from the old Roman Catholic times when, as Dr. Newman in speaking of Roman Catholic populations of the present day, avers, habitual swearing indicated piety and reverence for things sacred, and not profaneness. As heard now in Cumberland, these ancient expletives are as void of piety as of profanity, being used without any knowledge of their original signification, and merely to add force to asseveration, and to express, as varied in tone, surprise, disgust, pleasure, or indeed almost any feeling or emotion whatever. I append a few of these with their probable, often obvious, etyma:—

’Scush or Skerse God’s curse Goy, and Goy Sonn God, and God’s Son Gock, and Gock Sonn Ibid. Ibid. ’Od’s wuns an’ deeth God’s wounds and death Loavin’ days Loving Jesus ’Od’s wintry wuns God’s sundry, or wondrous, wounds ’Od’s wyte leet on thee God’s blame fall on you ’Od rot, ’Od sink, etc., etc. See _Dickinson’s_ Glossary ’ Marry By Mary ’ Mess By the Mass Dār, Dy, and Dyne Damn Faix, and Faikins Faith Cock’s wunters God’s wonders Loze Lord My song My soul Deil bin Devil be in

The peculiarities of the Scottish dialect have been explained by many writers, much more ably, as well as more at length, than may be done by me. Therefore the only assistance towards the understanding my Scots rhymes that I offer the reader is to intermingle, in the glossary appended, such Scottish words as I have used, with those proper to Cumberland and those common to both sides the Border.

The brief glossary here given consists, then, only of the words used in Scotland or Cumberland, or both, which appear in the foregoing _Tales and Rhymes_; corruptions and abbreviations being omitted. The significations I alone am answerable for, having, in nearly all instances, adopted the sense I can recollect the words being used in by the people speaking them in their daily talk. The quotations are intended to make these significations more intelligible, and also, by showing the manner in which the words so illustrated are used by others, to prove that the meanings I have so adopted are generally correct.

A GLOSSARY

OF

SCOTCH AND CUMBRIAN WORDS

OCCURRING IN THE RHYMES AND TALES CONTAINED IN THIS VOLUME.

C signifies that the word it follows is Cumbrian. S that it is Scotch. S and C that it is common to both dialects.

A.

Addle, or Eddle, C, earn.

“What, I mun tak’ my flale wimma, antres I git a job er two a threyshin, Ise _addle_ summat be’t.” _Rev. T. Clarke._ Johnny Shippard.

Aiblins, S, perhaps.

“But _aiblins_ neighbour ye have not the heart, An’ downa eithly wi’ the cunzie part.” _Ramsay._ The Gentle Shepherd.

Aneuf, C, enough in quantity.

Anew, C, enough in number.

“We’ve _anew_ o’ sec as thee, an’ _aneuf_ o’ what thou brings wid thee.”—Said to a Hawker.

Aslew, C, amiss, out of course.

“There’s nowte sa far _aslew_ but gud manishment med set it streight.”—Proverb.

Atweel, S, I wot well. Used to strengthen either affirmation or denial.

“Are they a’ Johnie’s? Eh! _atweel_ na; Twa o’ them were born When Johnie was awa.” Song—We’re a’ Noddin’.

B.

Back-end, C, late autumn.

“T’ _back-end’s_ ola’s t’ bare-end.”—Proverb.

Bain, C, near, convenient. Used in most of the northern counties.

“I swin’d my ways t’ _bainest_ geeat ower t’ fell into Sleddle.” _Rev. T. Clarke._ Johnny Shippard.

Bairn, S, a child; Barne, C.

“Maidens’ _bairns_ are aye weel bred.”—Proverb.

“They hed _barnes_ an’ bits o’ flesh persirv’d i’ bottles as fwok does berries.”—_Ritson._ The Borrowdale Letter.

Barken’t, S and C, encrusted.

“For God-seak put that barne in t’ dolly-tūb an’ scrūb’t: it’s fairly _barken’t_ ower wid mūck.”—Said of a rarely washed infant.

Barrow-back’t, C, bent by heavy work, such as wheeling loaded _barrows_.

“He’s gitten bow’t an’ _barrow-back’t_, an’ wizzent sair o’ t’ feàce.”—Heard at Ullock.

Batt, S and C,

“At ya _batt_ he fell’t me flat, ’Od dye! he’ll be a darter.” _Mark Lonsdale._ The Upshot.

Baul’, S, bold, fierce.

“The first fuff o’ a fat haggis is aye the _baul’est_.”—Proverb.

Beàdless, C. This adjective is used to signify intolerable in suffering, and also impatient of pain—thus

“He says t’ pain’s _beàdless_, but than he’s a _beàdless_ body.” Said to a Doctor.

Beck, C, a rivulet.

“Change is leetsome, if it’s no’but oot o’ bed intil t’ _beck_.” Proverb.

Beel, C, to bellow like a bull.

“Summet tha caw’t roworgins began a _beelin’_ like a hundred mad bulls, an’ as many lal lads i’ ther sarks began a screamin’ murder, I think, for ivery _beel_ was like thunner.” _Ritson._ The Borrowdale Letter.

Begonk, Old S and C, a disappointment, “a sell.”

“Now Cromwell’s gane to Nick; an’ ane ca’d Monk Has played the Rumple a richt slee _begunk_.” _Ramsay._ The Gentle Shepherd.

Begood, S, began.

“The baronne he _begood_ to bob, No longer colde he stande.” _Hogg._ Lyttil Pynkie.

Beild, S and C, shelter.

“Better a wee buss than nae _beild_.”—Proverb. _Burns’_ Motto.

“Weal _beealt_ frae t’ fell wind by some heeh crags.” _Rev. T Clarke._ T’ Reysh-bearin’.

Bein, S, snug, comfortable.

“Were your _bein_ rooms as thinly stocked as mine, Less ye wad lose, and less wad ye repine.” _Ramsay._ The Gentle Shepherd.

Belyve, S and C, by and bye.

“_Belyve_, the elder bairns come drapping in.” _Burns._ Cotter’s Saturday Night.

Ben, S, the inner part of a house.

“It’s ill bringing but what’s no _ben_.”—Proverb.

Bent, S, a coarse hard grass; applied also to the sterile land where bent grows.

“Gin ye’ll consent to scour the _bent_ Wi’ me, a rantin’ Hielandman.” _Hamilton._ Song.

Billie, S, brother.

“Be of gude cheir, now, Archie lad! Be of gude cheir, now, dear _billie_.” Ballad—Archie o’ Ca’field.

Bink, S, a bench for sitting upon.

“For faut o’ wise fouk feuls sit on _binks_.”—Proverb.

Birl, S, to drink in conviviality; also to spend money in drinking.

“When they were at the supper set An’ _birlin’_ at the wine.” Ballad—Young Huntin. “She took me in, she set me doon, An’ hecht to keep me lawin’ free; But, cunning carlin’ that she was, She gar’t me _birl_ my bawbee.” Song—Andro’ wi’ his cutty gun.

In the Lake Country the attendants who serve the drink round at sheep-shearings, etc., are called _burlers_.

Birkie, S, a brisk forward fellow.

“See yon _birkie_ ca’d a lord.” _Burns._ For a’ that.

Black-kites, C, bramble berries; in some parts called brummel-kites, in others black-bums.

“I wantit grog—she brong mé _black-kite_ wine.” Heard at Harrington.

Blate, S and C, bashful.

“A _blate_ cat maks a proud mouse.”—Proverb.

“I’ve wonder’t oft o’ leàte What made thee leùk sea skar an’ seem sea _bleàte_.” _Graham._ Gwordie and Will.

Bleeze, S and C, flame.

“In winter when he toils through wind and rain, A _bleezin’_ ingle and a clean hearth-stane.” _Ramsay._ The Gentle Shepherd.

Blether, S and C, noisy silly talk, loquacity.

“A lawyer neist, wi’ _bletherin’_ gab, Wha speeches wove like onie wab.” Old Song—Jenny’s Bawbee. “Chaps like these, like butterflees, Win owte wi’ pride an’ _blether_.” _Anderson._ Laird Johnie.

Blink, S, glance.

“The evening sun was ne’er sae sweet As was the _blink_ o’ Phemie’s e’e.” _Burns._ Blythe was she.

Blurt, C; Blirt, S, sudden burst of weeping, etc.

“The lassie lost her silken snood, Whilk cost her monie a _blirt_ an’ bleer e’e.” Song.

Blythe, S, cheerful, happy.

“A _blythe_ heart mak’s a blooming look.”—Proverb.

Bood, S, behoved to.

“Weel leese me o’ you, Souter Jock, For tricks ye _bood_ be tryin’.” _Ferguson._ The Election.

Boune, Old S, to journey or go.

“Win up! win up, now, Hynde Etin, Win up, an’ _boune_ wi’ me.” Ballad—Hynde Etin.

Bowk, S and C, to retch.

“For aye ye sup the brose at e’en Ye _bowk_ at in the morn, lassie.” Song—Ye ha’e lain wrang, lassie.

Brae, S, bank of a stream, brow.

“’Neath the brae the burnie jooks.” _Tannahill._ Gloomy Winter.

Brackin’, C; Breckan, S, the common fern (_Pteris Aquilina_).

A lady near Hawkshead having bought a small fern plant at a flower show, a neighbour exclaimed, “Three and sixpence for a lile _brackin_! I’d ha’ browte her a leeàd o’ them for’t!”

“Round the sylvan fairy nooks Feathery _breckans_ fringe the rocks.” _Tannahill._ Gloomy Winter.

Brant, C, steep.

“Old Man! Old Man! your sides are _brant_.” The Old Man.

Brat, S and C, apron; (used frequently for clothing in general.)

“To get them _brats_, then, ye maun toil an’ spin.” _Ramsay._ The Gentle Shepherd. “To see her whol’d stockings, her _brat_, an’ her gown.” _Anderson._ Our Sukey.

Braw, S, fine, handsomely attired.

“Upon the banks o’ flowing Clyde The lasses busk them _braw_.” _Burns._ Of a’ the Airts.

Break, C, a joke, a bit of fun.

“Joe Tyson teem’t a pint o’ yall doon Danny Towson’ back. Wasn’t that a _break_?”—Heard at Dean.

Buirdly, S, stout, strongly made.

“They say ill ale has been the deid O’ monie a _buirdly_ loon.” _Ferguson._ Leith Races.

Burn, S, a brook.

“Beside that brig, out owre that _burn_, Where water bickereth bright and sheen.” Ballad—Thomas the Rhymer.

Burnewin, S, a blacksmith (burn the wind).

“An’ _burnewin_ comes on like death At every chaup.” _Burns._ Scotch Drink.

But, S, the outer apartment of a house.

“The auld wife cried _but_ the house, ‘Jenny, come ben!’” Song—The Yellow Hair’d Laddie.

But, S, without (probably from _be out_).

“Beauty _but_ bounty’s but bauch.”—Proverb.

But and, Old S, also, likewise.

“Adieu madame, my mother dear, _But and_ my sisters three.” Ballad—Lord Maxwell’s Good Night.

Byspel, C, a mischievous person.

“It’s a fair _byspel_ ’at is’t. It breaks o’ ’at cūms iv it geàt.”

C.

Cabbish-skrunt, C; Kail-runt, S, the stalk of a cabbage.

“_Cabbish-skrunt_ pultess is grand for biles.” Said by a rustic Doctor.

Canny, C, (Connie in Furness, etc.) nice, attractive, pleasant.

“God speed ye weel! a _cannier_ pair Ne’er kneel’d afore a priest.” _Miss Blamire._ The Sailor Lad.

Canny, S, gentle, careful.

“Be _cannie_ wi’ the cream.“—A common legend on tea-ware.

Canty, S, happy, cheerful.

”_Canty_ war we ower yere kail, Toddy jugs an’ draps o’ ale.” _Hogg._ The Laird o’ Lamington.

Carle, S, a vulgar man.

“Auld gudeman ye’re a drucken _carle_, a drucken _carle_.” _Sir A. Boswell._ Song.

Carlin, S, a coarse old woman; feminine of Carle.

On being told that the wives of the Scottish Judges claimed the title of “My Lady,” their husbands being “My Lord,” King James exclaimed: “I made the carles lords, but wha the deil made the _carlins_ leddies?”

Chafts, S and C, the jaws.

“On Seaton crafts they buff’t their _chafts_, An’ garrt them rin like daft, man.” _Skirvin._ Tranent Muir. “At time when nowte but teeth was gawn, An’ aw by th’ _chafts_ was tether’t.” _Mark Lonsdale._ The Upshot.

Chap, S, rap, strike or stroke.

“An’ quhan he cam’ to Barnard’s Ha’ Would neither _chap_ nor ca’.” Ballad—Gilmorice.

Chiel’, S, a man; generally applied to young men.

“Weel we lo’e the _chiel’_ we think Can get us tick or gi’e us drink.” _Ferguson._ My Aul’ Breeks.

Clash, C and S, scandal, gossip.

“The king, the laws, the reets o’ man, The parish _clash_, the empire’s ban.” _Stagg._ New Year’s Epistle.

Clatter, S and C, superfluous, rapid or noisy talk.

“He that talks till himsel’ _clatters_ till a feul.”—Proverb.

Clink, C, a sounding blow.

“An’ brong Fisher Jemmy a _clink_ i’ the lug.” _Anderson._ Burgh Reaces.

Clippin’, C, sheep-shearing. A great festival on the larger dale farms. For a description see “The Old Man,” first edition.

Clemm’d, C, starved with hunger. A Lancashire and Cheshire word.

Nixon, the Cheshire prophet, said he was “going to London to be _clemm’d_,” and was accidentally shut up in a closet without food, and there found dead—so fulfilling his prophecy.

Clot-heed, C, blockhead.

“I is gà’n to be a _clot-heed_—I’s leavin’ nin for mysel’!” Anthony Gasgarth, carving a goose at a hunt dinner.

Clowk, C, clutch or grasp greedily.

“He meàd a _clowk_ at my neckcloth and missed it.” Said after a fight.

Cobbles, C, stones rounded by water-wear.

“Smith Lytle fell oot wi’ the _cobbles_, An’ peel’d o’ the bark off his shins. _Anderson._ The Codbeck Wedding.

Coddle, C, Cuddle, S, embrace.

“I trimlin’ steud an’ dursn’t speak, But fain wad _coddled_ Peggy Penn.” _Anderson._ Peggy Penn. “I’ve seen the day ye butter’t my brose, An’ _cuddlet_ me late an’ early.” Old Song—The Deuk’s dang owre wi’ my Daidie.

Corbie, S, the carrion crow.

“It’s kittle shootin’ at _corbies_ or clergy.”—Proverb.

Crack, S and C, converse; also boast.

“They _crack’t_ away like bourtree guns.” _Mark Lonsdale._ The Upshot.

“Keep out o’ his company that _cracks_ o’ his cheatrie.” Proverb.

Croodle, or Cruddle, S and C, crouch or shrink.

“My bonnie wee _croodlin’_ doo.” Old Song.

“We sat doon an’ grat under a hedge or a wo’, o’ _cruddlea_ togidder.”—_Betty Yewdale._ T’ terrible Knitters i’ Dent.

Crouse, S, brisk, bold, “bumptious.”

“A cock’s aye _crouse_ on its ain midden-heed.”—Proverb.

Cushion dance, C, the finishing dance at a rural ball or merry-night.

A young man, carrying a cushion, paces round the room in time to the appropriate tune, selects a girl, lays the cushion at her feet, and both kneel upon it and kiss, the fiddler making an extraordinary squeal during the operation. The girl then takes the cushion to another young man, who kisses her as before, and eaves her free to “link” with the first, and march round the room. This is repeated till the whole party is brought in, when they all form a circle, and “kiss out” in the same manner, sometimes varying it by the kissers sitting on two chairs, back to back, in the middle of the ring, and kissing over their shoulders—a trying process to bashful youth of either sex.

Cuttie, S, any thing short—as a spoon, pipe, etc.

“Better sup wi’ a cuttie nor want a speun.” Proverb.

“Aul’ Simon sat luntin’ his _cuttie_, An’ lowsin’ his buttons for bed.” _Andrew Scott._ Simon and Janet.

D.

Dadder, C, (Dodder in Furness, etc.) tremble, shiver.

I once heard a Cumberland youth, at a supper table, say, indicating a “shape” of jelly, “I’ll tak sūm o’ that _dadderin’_ stuff.”

Dadge, C, to plod along heavily.

“Then _dadged_ we to the bog owre meedows dree, To plet a sword and seevy cap for thee.” _Relph._ Cursty and Peggy.

Daft, S and C, foolish, silly.

“Glower’t at me as he’d been _daft_.” Song—The carle cam ower the craft.

“Ses I, ‘A was niver larnt sec _daftness_.’” _Rev. T. Clarke._ Johnny Shippard.

Daized, C, stupified, benumbed.

“Theer war we stannin’, dodderin’ an’ _daiz’t_ wi’ cauld, as neer deead as macks nea matter.” _Betty Yewdale._ T’ terrible Knitters i’ Dent.

Dark, C, to lurk, keep unseen.

“On her leànly bed she toss’d her, _Darkin’_ till the tempest ceas’d.” _Stagg._ The Return.

Darrak, C, day’s-work.

“An’ as for a _darrak_ in barn or in meedow, Whee match’d me when just i’ my prime.” _Anderson._ Twee auld Men.

Dicht, S, wipe, or cleanse.

“An’ aye she _dichtit_ her father’s bluidy wounds, When the blude ran reid as wine.” Ballad—The Douglas Tragedy.

Doff, C, (do off, Old English) undress, strip.

“The bridesmaids o’ wi’ fusslin care The bride, hauf-yieldin’, _doff’t_.” _Stagg._ The Bridewain.

Don, C, (do on, old English) to dress.

“And up he rose, and he _donn’d_ on his clothes, And he d’upp’d the chamber door.” Hamlet. “He’s nicer in his war-day duds Nor udders _don’t_ i’ aw their best.” _Anderson._ Geordie Gill.

Donk, C, damp.

“It _donks_ an’ dazzles an’ does, but niver cūms iv any girt pell.” A Boatman, on the Ullswater weather.

Dool, S, sadness.

“Lang may I weep in _dool_ an’ sorrow.” _Hamilton._ The Braes o’ Yarrow.

Douce, S and C, respectable, well-behaved.

“An’ now I’m grown sae cursed _douce_, I pray and ponder but the house.” _Burns._

“The _douce_ dapper lanleady criet ‘Eat, an’ be welcome.’” _Anderson._ The Bleckell Murry-Neet.

Doucht, S, could; Dowe in the past tense.

“They held the nose an’ crook’t the mou’, An’ _doucht_ na bide the smell.” _Hogg._ The Witch o’ Fife.

Dour, S, hard, stern.

“I’ll set her up on yon crab-tree, It’s sour an’ _dour_, an’ so is she.” Old Rhyme.

Dow, S, can, is able.

“Gin we canna do as we wad, we maun do as we _dowe_.” Proverb.

Dowly, C, melancholy, dismal.

“When we turn’t round Windermere Watter heead, t’ waves blash’t seea _dowly_ ’at we war fairly heart-brossen.” _Betty Yewdale._ T’ terrible Knitters i’ Dent.

Dree, S, suffer; C, slow, lingering, also to move slowly.

“_Dree_ out the inch when ye’ve tholed the span.”—Proverb.

“Six _dree_ year hed Susan languish’d Sen her Walter went away.” _Stagg._ The Return.

Drook, S, drench.