North Riding.Scandinavian.Anglo-Saxon.English.BackerlyBagerlig...LateBackstanBage-sten...A stone for baking cakes onBalkBalkBalcaBeamBandBaand (O. N.)...StringBelly-warkBælg-værkBælig-wærcStomach-acheBidBydeBeōdanTo inviteBorBorre...Seed of the burdockBlendcornBlandkorn...Mixed cornBotchBotaBotianTo mend clumsilyBraveBrav...GoodlyBredeBreddeBrædBreadthCantKante, Kanta...To tilt on endCalfKalve,v.to calve...CalfChaamerKammer...ChamberClagKlægClægTo stickClapKlap...To patClegKlæge...Horse-flyClovverKlaverKlaver (Dutch)CloverClipKlippe...To clipDrukkenDrukken...DrunkenEavesOvsEfesseThe eavesFau’k, Folk, FooakFolk...PeopleFeltFela, fiæleFeolanTo hideFlackerFlagre...To flutterFlittermouseFlaggermus...The batFlitFlytte...To remove to another houseFore-eldersForældre...ForefathersFraFraFraFromGimmerGimmer...Ewe lambGlooarGloe...To stareGobGab...MouthHavermealHavre mel...OatmealHandselHandselHandselenFirst money receivedHolmHolm...Low-lying landHoosHus...HouseHumble-beeHumlebi...Humble-beeKistKisteCistA chestLaat, laitLait...To seekLake, laakLekaLacanTo playLake, laakLeg, lecLacA gameLangLæng...LongLeckLækkeLeccanTo leakLigLiggeLigganTo lie downLopLoppe...A fleaLownLuun...Calm, stillLukeLuge...To weedMiddinModdingMiddingA dunghillMirkMorkMircDarkNeeazeNyseNiesanTo sneezeOwerweltAwvælt...To lie on the back as a sheepRaunRawn...Fish-spawnRiggintreeRygtræ...The topmost spar in the roofRokeRok...A misty rainRudRod108...Red ochreScraffleScravle...To walk in a feeble wayShiveSkive...A sliceSuiteSnyde...To blow the noseStegSteggi...A ganderStobStub...The stump of a treeStowerStaver...A stake, a rungSumpSump...Boggy placeTheeakTække...ThatchThraveTrave...A number of sheaves of cornTillTil...ToYule keeakYule kage...Yule cake
This list might have been greatly extended, but the above suffices for the purpose of proving that many of the words considered vulgar are simply venerable through age. If we inquire a little further, we shall find not only the words, but the form of speech usedby our people, which so often seems ungrammatical, is actually that of the best writers of bygone ages. The fact is, as has been already stated, our vocabulary and mode of speech is not of to-day, but belongs to the time of long ago.
From Spenser’sFaerie Queentake as examples the following words and grammatical forms, which are quite common with us to-day:—
That seemed both shield and plate it would haverived.For toavenge that foul, reproachful shame.To lose longgottenhonour with one evil hond.Much greater grief andshamefullerregret.In hope her to attain byhook or crook.Totossenspear and shield.Me leiferwere with point of foeman’s spear be dead.... how stout Deborahstrake.Inglorious now lies in senselessswownd.Butlappedup her silken leaves mostchare.Fastboundenhand and foot with cords of wire.But, glancing on the tempered metal,brast.And ever and anon, when none wasware.And from her head oft rent hersnarledhair.
That seemed both shield and plate it would haverived.For toavenge that foul, reproachful shame.To lose longgottenhonour with one evil hond.Much greater grief andshamefullerregret.In hope her to attain byhook or crook.Totossenspear and shield.Me leiferwere with point of foeman’s spear be dead.... how stout Deborahstrake.Inglorious now lies in senselessswownd.Butlappedup her silken leaves mostchare.Fastboundenhand and foot with cords of wire.But, glancing on the tempered metal,brast.And ever and anon, when none wasware.And from her head oft rent hersnarledhair.
That seemed both shield and plate it would haverived.For toavenge that foul, reproachful shame.To lose longgottenhonour with one evil hond.Much greater grief andshamefullerregret.In hope her to attain byhook or crook.Totossenspear and shield.Me leiferwere with point of foeman’s spear be dead.... how stout Deborahstrake.Inglorious now lies in senselessswownd.Butlappedup her silken leaves mostchare.Fastboundenhand and foot with cords of wire.But, glancing on the tempered metal,brast.And ever and anon, when none wasware.And from her head oft rent hersnarledhair.
That seemed both shield and plate it would haverived.
For toavenge that foul, reproachful shame.
To lose longgottenhonour with one evil hond.
Much greater grief andshamefullerregret.
In hope her to attain byhook or crook.
Totossenspear and shield.
Me leiferwere with point of foeman’s spear be dead.
... how stout Deborahstrake.
Inglorious now lies in senselessswownd.
Butlappedup her silken leaves mostchare.
Fastboundenhand and foot with cords of wire.
But, glancing on the tempered metal,brast.
And ever and anon, when none wasware.
And from her head oft rent hersnarledhair.
InPiers Ploughman, 1362, by R. Langton:—
Under a brood bank—By aburn’sside.Someputten hemto the plough.
Under a brood bank—By aburn’sside.Someputten hemto the plough.
Under a brood bank—By aburn’sside.Someputten hemto the plough.
Under a brood bank—By aburn’sside.
Someputten hemto the plough.
The Parsone’s Tale:—
Andaxethof the old ways.... ought toplain.
Andaxethof the old ways.... ought toplain.
Andaxethof the old ways.... ought toplain.
Andaxethof the old ways.
... ought toplain.
Wicliff, 1380:—
And he eathoneysoukis.
The Prodigal Sone, 1380:—
Tweie sonnes. And the younger ofhem.A ryng on his hond, andschoonon his feet.And when hecam.
Tweie sonnes. And the younger ofhem.A ryng on his hond, andschoonon his feet.And when hecam.
Tweie sonnes. And the younger ofhem.A ryng on his hond, andschoonon his feet.And when hecam.
Tweie sonnes. And the younger ofhem.
A ryng on his hond, andschoonon his feet.
And when hecam.
The Parsone’s Tale
Tyndale, 1534:—
And not long after the younger sonnegadderedall that he hadtogedder.And when hecam.Andaxedwhat these things meant.From the Epistle to the Romans.
And not long after the younger sonnegadderedall that he hadtogedder.
And when hecam.
Andaxedwhat these things meant.
From the Epistle to the Romans.
Also—Geven,goven,moun,quyt(quit = to repay),stakker trone109(throne), and scores of others are quite common with us.
The following past tenses are given by Angus as obsolete, and as having been so for long:—fand,flang,slang,stang,wan,wrang, every one of which are in frequent use.
In Wicliff’s edition of the Bible we have:—
‘The keperis werenafeered.’ ‘Andbrak.’ ‘The wisdom of this worldfonned.’ ‘Clensed withbesyms.’ ‘Mayster Moses seide ifonyman.’ ‘Tweymen.’ ‘Ridileas whete,’ ‘Josephlappideit’ (St. Matthew). ‘Mouncomprehende with alle seyntis which isbreed’ (Eph.). ‘Heconcitide’ (St. Luke). ‘Andteldehim’ (Acts). ‘It schal notreweHim’ (Hebrews).
‘The keperis werenafeered.’ ‘Andbrak.’ ‘The wisdom of this worldfonned.’ ‘Clensed withbesyms.’ ‘Mayster Moses seide ifonyman.’ ‘Tweymen.’ ‘Ridileas whete,’ ‘Josephlappideit’ (St. Matthew). ‘Mouncomprehende with alle seyntis which isbreed’ (Eph.). ‘Heconcitide’ (St. Luke). ‘Andteldehim’ (Acts). ‘It schal notreweHim’ (Hebrews).
Such words, when uttered by our country people, are not vulgar, though they may sound odd, but that is because they are old fashioned and unfamiliar; and if their utterance has no charm for you, then it is music you never heard in your youth, and which your ear can never rightly appreciate. Sothat you may see at a glance to what extent the language has altered, and how the folk-speech has remained almost stationary during the last three or four hundred years, let us compare a few of the commonest North Riding words of to-day with the standard English of the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries.
Words of the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, taken from the best authors.Common North Riding words, 1898.Standard English as pronounced in 1898, or giving the word which has supplanted the older one.AfeeredAfeeardAfraidAxedAxedAskedBesymsBizzums, buzzumsBroomBoundenBoundenBoundBrakBrakBrokeBrastBrastBurstBreedeBreedBreadthBurnBurnStreamCamCamCameChareChareCarefullyConcitideConsatedImagined, opinionatedFainFainGladlyFandFandFoundFlangFlangFlungFligFligTo flyFonnedFondFoolishGadderedGadderedGatheredGevenGeven(1)braceGivenGovenGovven(1)GottenGottenGotLappedLappedbraceWrappedLappideLapp’tLaverockLairockorlaverockThe larkLeiferLeiforleiferSoon, willinglyMonimentMonimentMonumentMownMunMustOnyOnnyAnyPartingePartingDivisionPlainPleeanComplainPuttenPuttenPutQuytQuitTo repayReweReweRepentRidileRuddleorriddleTo siftShamefullerShamefullerVery disgracefulSnarledSnarledKnottedStakkerStakkerStaggerStrakeStrakeStruckSwowndSwoundorsoondTo faintTeldeTell’dortell’tToldThrepeThreeapArgue, contendTogedderTogedderTogetherTossenTossenTo throwTweyTweeaTwoWareWareBewareWrackWrackDestructionBy hook or crookBy hook or crookBy any means1: ‘Gi’en’ is by far the most general. Still, amongst the older people, one often hears ‘geven’ and ‘govven.’
Words of the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, taken from the best authors.Common North Riding words, 1898.Standard English as pronounced in 1898, or giving the word which has supplanted the older one.AfeeredAfeeardAfraidAxedAxedAskedBesymsBizzums, buzzumsBroomBoundenBoundenBoundBrakBrakBrokeBrastBrastBurstBreedeBreedBreadthBurnBurnStreamCamCamCameChareChareCarefullyConcitideConsatedImagined, opinionatedFainFainGladlyFandFandFoundFlangFlangFlungFligFligTo flyFonnedFondFoolishGadderedGadderedGatheredGevenGeven(1)braceGivenGovenGovven(1)GottenGottenGotLappedLappedbraceWrappedLappideLapp’tLaverockLairockorlaverockThe larkLeiferLeiforleiferSoon, willinglyMonimentMonimentMonumentMownMunMustOnyOnnyAnyPartingePartingDivisionPlainPleeanComplainPuttenPuttenPutQuytQuitTo repayReweReweRepentRidileRuddleorriddleTo siftShamefullerShamefullerVery disgracefulSnarledSnarledKnottedStakkerStakkerStaggerStrakeStrakeStruckSwowndSwoundorsoondTo faintTeldeTell’dortell’tToldThrepeThreeapArgue, contendTogedderTogedderTogetherTossenTossenTo throwTweyTweeaTwoWareWareBewareWrackWrackDestructionBy hook or crookBy hook or crookBy any means1: ‘Gi’en’ is by far the most general. Still, amongst the older people, one often hears ‘geven’ and ‘govven.’
Need I add more to prove my case? I think not.
Those interested are requested to read the concluding remarks at the end of the Glossary.