CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORELAND WORDS OF SCANDINAVIAN ORIGIN.
From: The Northmen of Cumberland and Westmoreland by Robert Ferguson 1856
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LOUP. To leap. LAND-LOUPER. A vagabond. N. hlawpa, to run, land-hlaupari, a vagrant. North. Crav. Sco.
LOW. To blaze. N. loga, D. lue, to blaze, N. hlua, to warm. North. Crav. Sco.
LURDANE. A sluggard. This word has been derived from the haughty and imperious manner in which the Danes " lorded" it over the people whom they had subdued.
" In every house Lord Dane did them rule all;
Whence layzie lozels lurdanes now we call."
Mirror for Magistrates.
But this derivation, though bearing the prestige of antiquity, is, like most of its class, one which cannot find favour among etymologists. By whatever name of hatred the insolent conquerors might be called, "sluggard" would be the last to apply to the character of the Northmen. And even if we could suppose such an epithet to have passed current in districts where the Danes had once been masters, and had been expelled, it would scarcely be found, as it is, to be a word more particularly characteristic of the districts where they mustered in strongest force, and longest maintained their separate nationality. Besides, even if such a derivation would explain the origin of "lurdane,” it would not account for that of North. " lurdy," nor Crav. " lurgy," both same meaning as lurdane, nor of Cumb. " lurry," to loiter. In all these the root is evidently "lur," corresponding with N. lúr, laziness, lúra, to be indolent. Mr. Todd more rationally derives lurdane from Old Fr. lourdin, clownish. But in my opinion both "lurdane" and lourdin, as well as the Mod. Fr. lourde, are derived from the Old Norse. The past part. of lúra, to be lazy, would be lúradr, which would give us lourde; an adjective formed in a regular manner from the part. would be lúrdinn, which would give us lourdin and " lurdane." I do not find such an adjective, but I think that it may probably have existed.
Instead then of this word being one expressive of the indolence of the Northmen, it is one of the many terms, both English and provincial, in which they have transmitted to us their contempt for this very quality. For the Eng. " lazy" seems to be most nearly connected with N. lissa, torpor, hlessa, wearied ; " loll" is evidently derived from N. lolla ; " loiter," most probably from N. lötra, lente et segniter ingredi, and "looby," and "lubber" from N. lubbi, servus ignavus. Of the provincial terms the Crav. " lurgy," before referred to, is no doubt from N. lúrgr, defectus virium. N. lúra to be lazy, or lúra, to weary. Haldorsen gives these as two separate verbs.
LURRY. This is explained in the glossaries " to pull." But it occurs also in the Codbeck Wedding in a sense which I cannot make to be any other than that of loitering.
“The younger-mak lurried ahint them,
Till efter them Bell made a breck."
The meaning of this seems to be—the younger part of the company loitered behind the others in the marriage procession (perhaps doing business on their own account,) till one of them made a " breck"—a rush forward.
LYTHE. To listen. S.-G. lyde, D. lytte.
“We’ll see them cheat, and lythe them lie,
O'er many a gallows bargain."
Rosley Fair.
MAFF, MAFLIN. A simpleton. MIFF-MAFF, nonsense. Probably from N. mafr, a gull. North. (Crav. " maffle," to stammer, to be puzzled.)
MAN. A Cumberland wife calls her husband her " man." The D. mand is also used in the same sense.
MAWK. A maggot. N. madk. North. Crav. Sco.
MAZELIN. A simpleton. Probably from N. mas, ineptiæ, masa, nugari. North. Crav.
MOWDY-WARP. A mole. N. moldvarpa. The word might also be formed from A. S. mold, earth, and weorpan, to cast up, but I do not find that the Anglo-Saxons had such a word. North. Grav.
MUCK. Manure. N. myki. North. Crav. Sco.
MUGGY. Damp, foggy. N. mugga, a mist.
MUMP. TO munch. N. mumpa, to eat voraciously. Brockett has " mump," to slap upon the mouth. The Sco. meaning seems to be that of complaining, begging with a face of distress, or as we say in Cumberland, " making a poor mouth." Macaulay uses it in this sense in the third volume of his history, for which he has been taken to task by the critics.
MUN. The mouth. N. munnr. This word has several derivatives in English, as "mumble," N. mumla, of which our provincial "mummle" retains the original form; “muzzle," N. musla, contracted from munsla, to take in the mouth
NAR. To seize unexpectedly. S.-G. nappa. D. nappe. North. Crav. (Sco. " nab," to strike.)
NAGGY. Cross, contentious. N. nagga, to quarrel, to dispute, connected probably with naga, to gnaw. North. Crav.
NATTY. Neat, tidy, well-made, active. N. natinn, signifies sharp, handy, industrious, but seems to relate more to mental qualities, while " natty" is applied rather to personal appearance. It may therefore be referred rather to S.-G. naett, Eng. "neat."
NEIF. The fist. N. knefi. North. Crav.
NOLT, NOUT. Horned cattle. N. naut, an ox. North. Sco.
OWNED. Fated, destined. The writer in the Kendal Mercury suggests, with considerable probability, that this may be related to D. aand, the spirit.
PADDOCK-RUD. The spawn of frogs. N. ruda, rejectaneum.
PATE. A badger. This word, like " brock," seems to be derived from the clumsy gait of the animal. N. pat, delay. See brock, next list. Also paut, infra.
PATTICK. A fool, simpleton, one who talks nonsense — Westm. Perhaps from N. patti, a young boy, applied as the word " child" in English to one who conducts himself beneath his years. Or from N. pati, an uncertain rumour.
PAUT. To walk heavily. N. pat, delay.
POKE. A sack. This is the North of England word, and is probably from N. poki. The Sco. " pock" more probably from A.S. pocca. North. Crav.
PENT. TO paint. PENTER. A painter. N. penta, to paint, pentari, a painter. Sco.
PRENT. TO print. Icel . prenta. Our dialect shows the original form both of this word and the last. They are both probably of Scandinavian origin. Sco.
QUANDARY. A state of perplexity. This is another word which has been made the subject of etymological vagaries. Some have derived it from the Lat. " quando ara T " When will the altar be ready ?"—the exclamation of a heathen anxious
to have his doubts solved for him by the Augur. " When will the halter be ready ?" would almost be a fitting retort, on Mr. Disraeli's principle, for the author of such a derivation. Skinner has derived it from the Fr. "qu' en dirai ?" which, though an etymology adopted by Mr. Todd, is one of a sort generally to be viewed with great suspicion. I apprehend that it is derived from N. quantadr, uncertain, irresolute, an idea which has suggested itself to Haldorsen. It will at once be seen that " quantadry," as a noun formed from the above would require only a slight euphonic change to make it our word. " Quandary" is common to the northern counties, but cannot be called a dialectic word.
QUIT. Free. N. quíttr. A Cumberland servant, when he has left his situation, says that he is “quit," in which he is often erroneously supposed to make an ungrammatical use of the verb. It was formerly in general use.
" The owner of the ox shall be quit."
Exod.
RACKEN. To reckon. N. rakna. The A. S. is reman, corresponding with the English word.
RACKLE. Rude, unmanageable. In this sense it might be, as Jamieson suggests, a diminutive from N. rackr, brave, powerful. But it seems to have sometimes a stronger sense, and more approaching to “rascally." The N. has rœekall, contracted from rœgikall, calumniator, diabolus, which seems, however, rather too strong a sense. It has also
roekr and hraklegr, worthless, from hrak, refuse, which may be nearer the mark. Some of the other compounds of the same word show more of the sense in question, as hrakyidri, boisterous weather, hrakyrdi, violent language. " Backle" is probably the same word as the Old Eng. " rakel" used by Chaucer, and altered by later writers, from a perversion of its meaning, into " rakehell." The Fr. racaille, dregs, off-scum of society, may be from the same origin.
RAKE. A journey, excursion. N. reik. It is also applied to the scene of an excursion; hence the name of the " Lady's rake," a hollow in the summit of Wallow Crag, through which the Countess of Derwentwater is traditionally said to have effected her escape when her husband was arrested. The editor of Black's glossary remarks, “In the language of the Northern dalesmen, the sheep are said to rake when they extend themselves into a long file." But this, I apprehend, has no reference to the act of spreading themselves into a file, further than that this is the invariable mode in which, among the mountains, they set out to seek for a fresh pasture. The sense is properly the same as that of Craven " to stray as cattle in search of food,"—N. reika, to wander. In the lowlands of Cumberland the word is most generally applied to a journey to and fro with a horse and cart. Thus a man leading coals to any place would say that he could make so many "rakes" in a day. This sense seems more akin to N. reiksa, to travel backwards and forwards. North. Crav. Sco.
RANGLE. To range about in an irregular manner— Westm. N. rángla, oblique vagari.
RAPPIS. A scamp. N. hrappr, wild, 'violent, or N. rápa, ráfa, to wander, in the sense of a vagabond. Hence is probably formed riff-raff, D. rips-raps, an alliterative combination of the two verbs rífa and ráfa, to rob and to roam.
" Fell-siders and Sowerby riff-raff
That deil a bum-bealie dar seize."
Codbeck Wedding.
We have also " raffling," disorderly, prob. a diminutive of ráfa, to roam about.
REAP-UP. To rip up—to revert to old grievances or disputes. The N. rippa upp appears to have had the same meaning, except that it was not necessarily employed in the offensive sense which our phrase always has, with reference to disagreeable subjects which ought to be allowed to drop.
North. Crav. (Sco. " ripe," to investigate).
RIBALD, more commonly corrupted into REBEL. A riotous and dissolute person. N. ribbaldi, a violent and quarrelsome person. Hence probably Eng. " ribald ;" perhaps Fr. ribaud, formerly ribauld.
RIFE. Ready, quick to learn. Prob. from N. rifia, animo versare.
RIVE. To tear. N. rífa, D. rive. North. Grav. Sco.
ROCK. A distaff. N. rockr, D. rok N
ROTTEN-MAD. Quite mad. Prob. from N. rot, rotan, imbecility of mind. Hence perhaps the phrase " great rot," great nonsense, common in the North.
ROWTH. Abundance. N. rád, force, power, wealth.
“Here’s baby-lakings, rowth o' speyce—
Rosley Fair.
ROYSTER. To indulge in boisterous mirth Prob. from N. rosta, a tumult or uproar.
RULE. To sit in strange postures—Westm. S.-G. rulla, D. rulle, to roll, turn about.
RULE, REUL. A noisy, disorderly person. N. rugla, to disturb, disquiet—rugl, confusion, uproar.
RUM. Queer. This is usually considered a cant word, though I rather doubt whether it is properly so classed. It may be from N. rumr, vir immanis, gigas, upon the same principle that " droll" has been derived by some etymologists from D. drol, S.-G. troll, an evil spirit. It is a regular Cumberland word.
SCALE. To disperse, separate. D. skille. North. Crav. Sco.
SCONCE. A large screen dividing a room into two parts. N. skans, munimentum. Crav.
SCOWDER. Bustle. Perhaps from N. skondra, ititare.
SCRAFFLE. To scramble, struggle, Applied also metaphorically to struggling for a livelihood. The explanation, " to be industrious," quoted by Todd, does not fully express this sense. " It's hard scraffling for a bit o' breed." We have it also in the sense of wrangling or squabbling. I take the two meanings to be of different origin—the former
is probably from N. skreflaz, to keep with difficulty upon the feet—the latter seems to be a diminutive of skrafa, to talk, whence skrafinn, garrulous, skraffi, a babbler, and skrœfa, a vain boaster. The S. G. has also skrafla, which as well as the N. skraffi and strœfa, was used as a term of reproach, much as we use " scraffles" in Cumberland.
" Peer scraffles! thy land grows nae gurse."
Codbeck Wedding.
SNIG. A young eel. N. snöggr, smoothe, slippery, D. snige, to creep. From the same root are probably D. snog, A.-S. snaca, Eng. " snake," and N. snigill, A.-S. snegel, Eng. "snail." North. Crav.
SNIRP. TO pine, wither, contract. D. snirpe.
SNIRRELLS. The nostrils. This appears to be immediately derived from some Scand. word which has not come down to us, but of which the origin is N. snerla, to drill or bore holes. The sense, then, is the same as that of "nostrils," (formerly "nosthrils,") the apertures in the nose, from A.S. thirliam, to drill or bore. Mr. Blackwell observes that " a number of verbs beginning with sn denote a nasal function, or are in some way indicative of the nose, as to snuff, sneeze, snore, snort, snarl, snuffle, snivel, snub, sneer, &c." It is evident, then, that we have here a very ancient word, for it is at the bottom, not only of many of these words, but of the older forms from which they are derived. " Snore," for instance, he observes, is cognate with N. snorla. But N. snorla is evidently derived from some lost word corresponding to "snirrells," for the latter contains the sense which is at the root of all .
SNODD. Smoothe. N. snodinn. North. Crav. Seo.
SOPS. Lumps of black lead. N. soppr, a ball, a sphere.
SOTTER. To boil slowly. Probably a diminutive from. N. sioda, to boil.
SPAN-NEW. SPLINTER-NEW. Quite new. N. spán-nyr, D. splinter ny. The former of these is common to several dialects; the latter I have not met with but in Cumberland.
“Clogs splinter-new, bass-bottomed chairs."
Rosley Fair.
Various interpretations have been given of " spannew," to which it is not necessary for me to refer here, further than to say that the derivation suggested by Ihre, and approved by Jamieson, from N. spánn, a chip, is, in my mind, the correct one. Hence the meaning of " span-new" would be the same as that of " splinter-new. The S.-G. spingspangende ny contains a reduplication of the same idea—spinga, a chip, and spánga, a chip. And so probably does our " spick-and-span"—" spick" being from " spilk" or " spelk," a splinter. The same idea seems to be contained in the Germ. splitter-neu, and the Sco. " split-new." We find also various changes rung upon the same idea in the different Teutonic dialects. The S.-G. has ser-naken, stark-naked, and split-galen, quite mad. The D. has also splitter-nogen, and the Germ. splitter-nackend, stark-naked. It is worthy of note that Cumberland has both the Old Norse phrase and the modern Danish.
SPRACK. Quick, lively.—Westm. IS. sprœkr, fortis, strenuus.
SCRUNTY. Meagre, stunted. D. skrante, to be weakly, skranting, a weakling. S.-G. skruten, shrivelled. North. Grav.
SCUGG. Lurking or lying hid in a corner. N. skuggi, shade or shelter.
North. and Grav. " scugg," a place of shelter. Sco. " scugg," to hide, take shelter.
SEGGY. Hard, callous, applied to the skin. N. sigg, thick and hard skin.
SEUNE. Seven. N. siöund. But we use more commonly "sebben," A.-S. sibun.
SHIVE. A slice. N. skífa, D. skive. North. Grav.
SIZLE. To saunter. N. sisa, difficilia lente moliri, sysla, to be engaged in business. The latter appears in form to be a diminutive of the former, but in sense is an augmentative. Our word is properly a diminutive.
SKAIF. Wild, fearful. IS. skiálfa, to tremble.
SKELLED. Twisted out of shape. N. skœdr, distorted.
SKILL. Knowledge. N. skilia, intelligere. North. Grav.
SKRIKE. TO shriek. N. skríkia. North. Grav. Sco.
SLAT. TO spill. N. sletta, spargere. North. Grav.
SLAIRY. Nasty. N. leir, mud. See clarty. North. " slair," mud.
SLINGE. TO go about in a creeping or slinking manner. N. slinni, a sluggard, slöngvir, a snake.
SLAPE. Slippery. N. sleipr. This is our most common word, but we have also " slippy," A. S. slipeg, characterized by Johnson as " a barbarous provincial term," whereat Mr. Brockett is justly indignant. The Eng. "slippery" seems to be from S.-Gr. slipprig.
North. Gram.
SLAVER, To let the saliva escape from the mouth. N. slavra.
SLOKKEN. To quench, slake. S.-G. slokna, to extinguish. North. Sco.
SMELTER. " Smelt" is a Scand. form of " melt"—in Eng. applied only to metals. Stagg uses it in the sense of a capacity for liquids.
" Each was at a slwote a smelter."
SNAFFLE. TO saunter. A diminutive of N. snáfa, to wander—literally to follow scent like a hound.
SNAP. A round gingerbread cake. N. snap, esculenta emedicata. The N. had also snackr, of the same meaning, whence prob. "snack," a slight and hasty repast, used in some parts of England The D. has snaps, a dram, which with the words corresponding in German and Dutch, is no doubt from the same origin as the above—all these words signifying something " snapped" or " snatched" in an impromptu manner. North.
.
SNAPE. To snub. N. sneipa, to put to shame. Grav.
SNIFTER. To snivel. S.-G. snyfta. North. Grav. Sco.
STANG. TO sting. N. stanga. Grav. Sco.
STANK. TO groan. N. stianka. Grav. Sco.
STEW. Dust. Also a state of trouble and perplexity arising from a difficult task. A man ratter overmastered by his work would say, “Aw’s in a sad stew." I am inclined to consider these two meanings as of different origin. The former is no doubt the same as D. stbv, dust—the latter may probably be from N. stöv, difficult or troublesome work. North. Grav. Sco.
STORKEN. To stiffen. N. storkna. North. Grav.
STOUR. A stake. N. staur. North. Crow. Sco.
STRAMMER. Great, thumping, as a " strammer lie." D. stramme, to stretch. Hence a "strammer lie" is akin to the expression of " a stretcher."
STRIKE. TO make a straight line by means of a string. N. strika, lineam ducere.
SUMP. A puddle, a miry pond. D. sump, a swamp. North. Grav.
SWA ! Fie ! desist! N. svei, fie !
SWAYMOUS. Shy. Perhaps from N. sveima, to hover about. This may not improbably be the same word as Engl. “squeamish." North. “swamish."
.
SWAP. dean, quickly, smartly.—Westm. Probably from N. sveipr, curled, derived on a similar principle to " cruse"—q v.
SWEY. To swing. N. sveigia. D. sweje. North. (Crav. to weigh, to lean upon.)
SWINGLE-TREE. The splinter-bar. N. svingla, to vibrate. North Crav.
TAGGY-BELL. The curfew. So called in the neighbourhood of Penrith, where the custom of ringing the bell is still kept up. I am indebted for this word to the writer in the Kendal Mercury, who derives it, and I think correctly, from N. tegia, D. tœkke, to cover. Thus the meaning is the same as that of the Norman couvre-feu, or " curfew."
TAMMY. Glutinous. N. táhna, to impede, adhere.
TANGLE. Sea-weed. D. tang. North. and Sco. " tang."
TAVE. To wade through mire. Also to work up plaster or anything adhesive. N. tefia, to stick. Hence perhaps the origin of " taffy," a sweetmeat made from treacle, well known throughout the north.Crav. " tave," to stick, as in mud.
TEAM. To empty, to pour out. N. tœma. North. Crav.
THICK. Intimate, friendly. This word, which is common to several dialects, has been generally supposed to be merely an oblique sense of the Eng. word. I take it, however, to be from N. theckia, to know, to be acquainted with, whence theckr, welcome, agreeable.
THUR. These. N. theyr.
TIKE. A dog. N. tík, a bitch.North. Grav. Sco.
TILE. To set a trap, to place anything so that it may easily fall.—Westm. N. tilla, to set up in a fast and loose manner. Probably allied to " tilt."
TOME. A fishing-line made of hair. N. taumr, D. tömme, a fishing-line. Jamieson observes that “tome" is applied to the whole length of the line; a single length from knot to knot is called " a snood," S.-G. snod, a small cord. North. Sco.
TRAILY. Slovenly. N. treglegr, lazy, indolent.
TRAMP. To travel on foot. N. trampa. North. Cram. Sco.
TRAVE. TO stride along as if through long grass. N. trefia, to impede. Mr. Carr observes, " Our word invariably includes the idea of having the feet fettered in grass.
North. Crav.
TRIG. Tight, compact, trim ; also well in health. N. tryggr, true, faithful, also safe. North. neat, trim ; also true, faithful. Sco. neat, trim.
TWILY. .Restless, wearisome.—Westm. N- tvíla, to doubt, to vacillate.
TYKE. A coarse, vulgar person. D. tyk, gross, corpulent. North. Crav.
WALE. Choice. N. vol. North.
WANELY. Carefully, gently. N. vandlega, carefully.
"' Come. luive!' quo' I,' aw'l wanely take thee down'—
"' Stand off! thou gowk,' she answered with a frown."
Simon and Sammy, a Pastoral, by Sloan Clark.
WAP. A truss of straw. N. vap, involucrum.
WAR-DAYS. All other days except Sunday. S.-G. hwardag, an ordinary, or working-day.
WEEKY. Wet. N. vökvi, moisture, vokva, to wet.
WHEAM. The gullet N. hvoma.
WHIDDER. To tremble. N. hvidra, to be easily moved.
WHIDDERSFUL. Energetic, striving. Probably from N. hvida, fervida actio.
YAMMER. To scold, to bawl. N. jálma, strepere.