Gents Mag 1866 part 1 p.56
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introduction | ||
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list, 3rd qtr 19th century | ||
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Gentleman's Magazine 1866 part 1 p.56
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dialect Westmorland Cumberland |
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Dialect, Westmorland and
Cumberland
At a meeting of the Royal Society of Literature:- [The Rev.] Mackenzie E. C. Walcott, F.R.S.L., read observations on Archbishop Nicolson's MS. Glossary of the Dialect of Cumberland and Westmoreland, which is now preserved in the library of the Dean and Chapter of Carlisle. The excellent prelate drew up this curious MS. with the view of vindicating the northern dialect from the charge of barbarism brought by the English of the south. About one hundred new words, after comparison with the works of Brockett and Jamieson, and the "Promptorium Parvulorum," were adduced; and a spirited discussion followed on may of the derivations. On the word "holm," Sir Patrick Colquhoun and Mr. Greenwood offered some interesting observations, showing that it occured in Hamburgh, meaning insula in Flumine sita, and possibly in Opperheim. Mr. Nash stated that "ham" was well known in the west, meaning enclosed land, usually that reclaimed from the river, and left moist. Mr. Nash and Sir Patrick Colquhouon showed that "stark" usually signified stiff, rather in the sense of strong. "Lift" appears in the sense of spoiling in Scotland. Mr. Birch observed that some few of these words appeared to be High German, whilst others were of Low German origin. In relation to "Antwerp," Sir Patrick Colquhoun showed that, according to a legend, the word meant the hand-thrower, in relation to a destructive giant, and Mr. Birch noticed that "Jack the Giant Killer" was the representative of "Thor." The Greek derivations were shown to be pure Celtic, embodying common roots, and Mr. Birch said that "khen," a goose, and "zeph," a sword, - Egyptian words, - like many others, reappear in Greek; and suggested that the study of the former language would throw great light on philological studies. A discussion occured on the derivation of the word "Belten," which was considered to be of Phoenician origin. Sir Patrick Colquhoun said that on St. John Baptist's-day, in Greece, the children camp out all night in the fields, revelling, and light fires, through which they jump, and eat figs. Mr. Beresford observed, that on St John's-eve, in Ireland, the young men having drawn lots by a piece of black bread, leap through the fires after a leader who has jumped through the fire surrounded by a circle of turf. Mr. Nash said that on Midsummer-day, in Germany, a wheel of fire is rolled down from a hill-top into the river below, and contended that these rites were of Phoenician origin. ... ... |
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