Tuesday, 25 January 2011

In time for Robbie Burns Day; "Scots Wha Hae" lyrics translated

"Scots Wha Hae" ~ The unofficial Scottish national anthem, written by Robbie Burns in the Scots Leid. Translates as "Scots Who Have" in English.
BTW the Gaelic translation of title is "Brosnachadh Bhruis" which is not a literal translation, "Bhruis" is the Gaelic version of "Bruce" and "brosnachadh" basically means "war cry".

a) SCOTS WHA HAE (in Scots)
"Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,
Welcome tæ yer gory bed,
Or tæ victorie.

Now's the day, and now's the hour:
See the front o' battle lour,
See approach proud Edward's power -
Chains and Slavery.

Wha will be a traitor knave?
Wha will fill a coward's grave?
Wha sæ base as be a slave?
Let him turn and flee.

Wha, for Scotland's king and law,
Freedom's sword will strongly draw,
Freeman stand, or Freeman fa',
Let him on wi me.

By Oppression's woes and pains,
By your sons in servile chains!
We will drain our dearest veins,
But they shall be free.

Lay the proud usurpers low,
Tyrants fall in every foe,
Liberty's in every blow! -
Let us do or dee."

b) SCOTS WHA HAE (in English)
"Scots, who have with Wallace bled,
Scots, whom Bruce has often led,
Welcome to your gory bed
Or to victory.

Now is the day, and now is the hour:
See the front of battle lower,
See approach proud Edward's power -
Chains and slavery.

Who will be a traitor knave?
Who will fill a coward's grave?
Who's so base as be a slave? -
Let him turn, and flee.

Who for Scotland's King and Law
Freedom's sword will strongly draw,
Freeman stand or freeman fall,
Let him follow me.

By oppression's woes and pains,
By your sons in servile chains,
We will drain our dearest veins
But they shall be free.

Lay the proud usurpers low,
Tyrants fall in every foe,
Liberty is in every blow,
Let us do or die!"

c) "BROSNACHADH BHRUIS" (in Gaelic)
"Albannaich a chail ur fuil
Fo'n laoch Uallas'us fo Bhrus,
Failt' do shuain ur bais an duigh,
No do bhuidhinn stri.

Feuch an latha, so an uair,
Faicaibh gnuis a bhlair fo ghruaim,
Feachd righ Eideard teachd le uaill,
'S geimhlean cruaidhe dhuinn.

Co bhiodh iudasach sa chath,
Co'n uaigh gealtair a bhiodh taisgt',
Co a bhiodh na thraill fo smachd,
Teich gu grad 's na till.

Co as leth tir aird an fhraoich,
Thairneas claidheamh treun na saors',
Le'n fhearr bas na geill' do h-aon,
Thig do'n raon leam fhein.

Le gach truaighe fuaight' ri' daors',
Le cuing thruaillidh cloinn ar gaoil,
Doirteamid ar fuil na taom,
Ach sar shaor bidh sinn.

Sgriosaibh na Sr-foirnidh dhan,
Tuitidh aintighearna 's gach namh,
Anns gach beum tha saors' an aigh,
Buaidh no bas biodh leinn!"

Monday, 24 January 2011

Two brief stories in Manx with English translations

Manx is the Gaelic language of The Isle of Man, an island in the Irish Sea between England, Ireland and Scotland. Manx is a Gaelic language related to the Irish and Scottish forms but distinct even though it is spoken by only a few hundred people at the most. Unlike Irish and Scottish Gaelic, Manx uses the same alphabet as English and has simplified, somewhat phonetic spelling making it easier to learn.

1.a) A story in Manx (taken from a field recording;
"Va ben aynshoh yn çhiaghtin chaie as v'ee laccal mish dy ynsagh ee dy gra yn Padjer yn Çhiarn. Dooyrt ee dy row ee gra eh tra v'ee inneen veg, agh t'eh ooilley jarroodit eck, as v'ee laccal gynsagh eh reesht son dy gra eh ec vrastyl ny red ennagh. As dooyrt mish dy jinnagh mee jannoo my share son dy cooney lhee as ren ee çheet aynshoh son dy clashtyn eh, as vel oo laccal dy clashtyn mee dy gra eh?"

b) English translation;
"There was a woman here last week and she wanted me to teach her to say the Lord's Prayer. She said that she used to say it when she was a little girl, but she has forgotten it all, and she wanted to learn it again to say it at a class or something. And I said I would do my best to help her and she came here to hear it, and do you want to hear me say it?"

2.b) A story from Manx folklore;
"V'ad smooinaghtyn dy beagh cabbyl jeeaghyn skee as deinagh ayns y voghree dy beagh eh er ve ec ny ferrishyn fud ny h-oie as beagh ad cur lesh yn saggyrt dy cur e vannaght er."

c) English translation;
"They used to think if a horse was looking tired and weary in the morning then it had been with the fairies all night and they would bring the priest to put his blessing on it."

Passages from the "Ormlum" with translations

Written around 1180 by a monk named Orm or Ormin, The Ormlum was a collection of biblical studies writen in Early Middle English and show English evolving from Saxon and taking in influences from Norse and Norman French as well as Latin.

1.a) From the introduction by Ormin;
"Þiss boc iss nemmnedd Orrmulum
forrþi þatt Orrm itt wrohhte"

b) Modern translation;
"This book is named Ormulum
because Orm wrote it"

2.a) Also from the introduction;
"Icc was þær þær i crisstnedd was
Orrmin bi name nemmnedd"

b) Modern translation;
"Where I was christened, I was
named Ormin by name"


3.a) A passage about the nativity Ormin's original;
"Forrþrihht anan se time comm
þatt ure Drihhtin wollde
ben borenn i þiss middellærd
forr all mannkinne nede
he chæs himm sone kinnessmenn
all swillke summ he wollde
& whær he wollde borenn ben
he chæs all att hiss wille."

b) modern translation;
"As soon as the time came
that our Lord wanted
to be born in this middle-earth
for the sake of all mankind,
at once he chose kinsmen for himself,
all just as he wanted,
and he decided that he would be born
exactly where he wished."

Some passages from Wycliffe's Bible with Modern Translation

Written in a period of years from 1382 to 1395 in the Middle English tongue by John Wycliffe and distributed widely in the British Isles the Wycliffe was a huge influence on the development of English as well as the Scots and Yola lieds which kept many of it's words into the modern era.

1. a)Wycliffe version;
"Oure fadir þat art in heuenes halwid be þi name;
þi reume or kyngdom come to be.Be þi wille don in herþe as it is dounin heuene.
yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred.
And foryeue to us oure dettis þat is oure synnys
as we foryeuen to oure dettouris þat is to men þat han synned in us.
And lede us not into temptacion but delyuere us from euyl."

b)Modern version;
"Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'


2. a)Wycliffe version;
"And God seide, Lict be maad; and lict was maad"
~ Genesis 1:3

b) King James translation;
"And God said, Let there be light; and there was light"
~ Genesis 1:3 Old Testament

3. a)Wycliffe version;
"For God louede so the world that he yaf his oon bigetun sone, that ech man that beliueth in him perische not, but haue euerlastynge lijf."
~ John 3:16

b) Modern King James translation;
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."
~ John 3:16 New Testament


4. a) Wycliffe version in Middle English;
"And it is don, aftirward Jesus made iourne bi cites & castelis prechende & euangelisende þe rewme of god, & twelue wiþ hym & summe wymmen þat weren helid of wicke spiritis & sicnesses, marie þat is clepid maudeleyn, of whom seuene deuelis wenten out & Jone þe wif off chusi procuratour of eroude, & susanne & manye oþere þat mynystreden to hym of her facultes."
~Luke ch.8, v.1–3

b) Modern Translation;
"And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, and certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance."
~Translation of Luke ch.8 v.1–3, from the New Testament

Two "Canterbury Tales" prolouges with translation

Written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 1380's "The Canterbury Tales" is considered the greatest example of literature of the English language of the pre-Renaissance, Middle English era. "Canterbury Tales" are a collection of short stories told from the point of view of a group of travelers on the way to Canterbury. Along with the Wycliffe and Caxton Bibles, the work was the most hugely influential in the development of English literature until Shakespeare's works. It also left an important legacy in the Scots and Yola leids which retained many words and spellings after they left Modern English.
Below are two examples with modern translations.

1.a) From the general prologue;
Original in Middle English(London dialect):
"Whan that Aueryłł wt his shoures soote,
The droghte of Marcħ, hath perced to the roote;
And bathed euery veyne in swich lycour,
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan zephirus eek wt his sweete breeth,
Inspired hath in euery holt and heeth;
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne,
Hath in the Ram, his half cours yronne;
And smale foweles, maken melodye,
That slepen al the nyght with open iye;
So priketh hem nature, in hir corages,
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrymages;
And Palmeres for to seeken straunge strondes,
To ferne halwes, kouthe in sondry londes;
And specially, from euery shyres ende,
Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende;
The holy blisful martir for to seke,
That hem hath holpen whan þt they weere seeke."

b) Modern English translation (note the brackets have been added as they did not exist in Middle English);
"When in April the sweet showers fall
And pierce the drought of March to the root, and all
The veins are bathed in liquor of such power
As brings about the engendering of the flower,
When also Zephyrus with his sweet breath
Exhales an air in every grove and heath
Upon the tender shoots, and the young sun
His half course in the sign of the Ram has run
And the small fowl are making melody
That sleep away the night with open eye,
(So nature pricks them and their heart engages)
Then folk long to go on pilgrimages,
And palmers long to seek the stranger strands
Of far off saints, hallowed in sundry lands,
And specially from every shires’ end
Of England, down to Canterbury they wend
The holy blissful martyr, quick
To give his help to them when they were sick."

2.a) From "The Merchant's Prologue";
"Wepyng and waylyng, care and oother sorwe
I knowe ynogh, on even and a-morwe,'
Quod the Marchant, 'and so doon oother mo
That wedded been."

b) Modern English translation;
"Weeping and wailing, care and other sorrow
I know enough, in the evening and in the morning,'
said the Merchant, 'and so does many another
who has been married."

Sunday, 23 January 2011

The Lord's Prayer in various British Leids

Since the Lord's Prayer has been highly standardized and well known for centuries it is often used to compare different languages;
1.First by way of comparison (in case you've forgotten it) here's the English version;
Our Father, who is in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
Amen.

2.The Prayer in Braid Highland Scots-English;
Fiitheeb o' us a', biding Aboon !
Thy name be holie!
Lat thy reign begin !
Lat thy wull be dune, baith in Tirth and Hoeven !
Gie us ilka day oor needfu' fendin.
And forgie ub a' oor ill deeds, as we e'en forgie thae wha did us ill.
And lat us no be sift.it; hut save us frae the Ill-Ane
I For the croon is thine ain,
and the micht and the glory, for evir and evir,
Amen !

3.The Prayer in Lowlands Scots;
Our Father, wha art in heaven,
ballowet be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will he dune
in yirth as it is in heaven.
Gie us this day our daily bread.
An' forgie us our debts, as we forgie our debtors.
An' lead us na intil temptation, hut deliver us frae evil ;
for thine is the kingdom, an* the power, an' the glory, for ever.
Amen.

4.The Prayer in Scottish Gaelic;
Ar n-Athair a tha air nèamh,
Gu naomhaichear d' ainm.
Thigeadh do rìoghachd.
Dèanar do thoil air an talamh,
mar a nithear air nèamh.
Tabhair dhuinn an-diugh ar n-aran làitheil.
Agus maith dhuinn ar fiachan,
amhail a mhaitheas sinne dar luchd-fiach.
Agus na leig ann am buaireadh sinn;
ach saor sinn o olc:
oir is leatsa an rìoghachd, agus a' chumhachd, agus a' ghlòir, gu sìorraidh.
Amen.

5.The Lords Prayer in Irish Gaelic;
Ár n-Athair, atá ar neamh
go naofar d'ainm.
Go dtaga do ríocht.
Go ndéantar do thoil ar an talamh,
mar dhéantar ar neamh.
Ár n-arán laethúil tabhair dúinn inniu,
agus maith dúinn ár bhfiacha,
mar mhaithimid dár bhféichiúna féin.
Agus ná lig sinn i gcathú,
ach saor sinn ó olc.
Óir is leatsa an Ríocht agus an Chumhacht agus an Ghloir, tré shaol na saol.
Amen.

6.The Prayer in Old Irish (circa 500-1000 a.d.)
A athair fil hi nimib,
Noemthar thainm.
Tost do flaithius.
Did do toil i talmain
amail ata in nim.
Tabair dun indiu ar sasad lathi.
Ocus log dun ar fiachu
amail logmaitne diar fhechemnaib.
Ocus nis lecea sind i n-amus n-dofulachtai.
Acht ron soer o cech ulc.
Amen ropfir.

7.The Prayer in Manx Gaelic (the language of the Isle of Man);
Ayr ain t'ayns niau,
Casherick dy row dt'ennym.
Dy jig dty reeriaght.
Dt'aigney dy row jeant er y thalloo,
myr t'ayns niau.
Cur dooin nyn arran jiu as gagh laa,
as leih dooin nyn loghtyn,
myr ta shin leih dauesyn ta jannoo loghtyn nyn 'oi.
As ny leeid shin ayns miolagh,
agh livrey shin veih olk:
Son lhiats y reeriaght, as y phooar, as y ghloyr, son dy bragh as dy bragh.
Amen.

8.The Lords Prayer in Shelta Gaelic;
The language of the Shelta (also known as the Irish travelers) nomads who live throughout the British Isles and North America. The older Gaelic version dates to the 14th to 18th centuries and is more closely related to the other Gaelic tongues with some influences from English and Welsh;
Mwilsha's gater, swart a manyath,
Manyi graw a kradji dilsha's manik.
Graw bi greydid, sheydi laadu
Az aswart in manyath.
Bag mwilsha talosk minyart goshta dura.
Geychel aur shaaku areyk mwilsha
Geychas needjas greydi gyamyath mwilsha.
Bat bog mwilsha ahim gyamyath.
Gradum a gradum.

9.The Lord's Prayer in English Shelta. The newer version (ie.post 19th century) is more clearly influenced by English. Also known as the Traveler's Cant;
Our gathra, who cradgies in the manyak-norch,
We turry kerrath about your moniker.
Let's turry to the norch where your jeel cradgies,
And let your jeel shans get greydied nosher same as it is where you cradgie.
Bug us eynik to lush this thullis,
And turri us you're nijesh sharrig for the gammy eyniks we greydied
Just like we ain't sharrig at the gammi needies that greydi the same to us
Nijesh let us soonie eyniks that'll make us greydi gammy eyniks,
But solk us away from the taddy.
Amen.

10.The Prayer in Welsh;
Ein Tad, yr hwn wyt ,
yn y nefoedd,sanctciddier dy Enw.
Deled dy deyrnas.
Qwneler dy ewyllys, megis yn y nef, felly ar y ddaear licfyd.
Dyro i ni heddyw tin burn bcunyddiol,
A maddeu i ni ein dyledion,
Tel y maddeuwn ninnau i'n dyledwyr.
Ac nac arwain ni i brofedigaeth ; eithr g wared ni rhag drwg.
Canys eiddot ti yw y deyrnas, a'r nertb, a'r gogoniant, yn oea oesoedd.
Amen.

11.The Prayer in Cornish (the language of Cornwall, closely related to Welsh);
Agan Tas ni, eus y’n nev,
bennigys re bo dha hanow.
Re dheffo dha wlaskor,
Dha vodh re bo gwrys y’n nor kepar hag y’n nev.
Ro dhyn ni hedhyw agan bara pub dydh oll,
ha gav dhyn agan kammweyth
kepar dell evyn nyni
dhe’n re na eus ow kammwul er agan pynn ni;
ha na wra agan gorra yn temptashyon,
mes delyrv ni dhiworth drog.
Rag dhiso jy yw an wlaskor,
ha’n galloes ha’n gordhyans,
bys vykken ha bynari.
Yndella re bo!
Amen.

12.The Prayer in Breton (not actually in Britain but closely related to Welsh and Cornish);
Hon Tad,
c'hwi hag a zo en Neñv,
ra vo santelaet hoc'h ano.
Ra zeuio ho Rouantelezh.
Ra vo graet ho youl war an douar evel en neñv.
Roit dimp hizio bara hor bevañs.
Distaolit dimp hon dleoù
evel m' hor bo ivez distaolet d' hon dleourion.
Ha n' hon lezit ket da vont gant an temptadur,
met hon dieubit eus an Droug.

13.The Prayer in Shetland Norn. Norn was the language spoken of the Shetland and Orkney Islands which died out in the late 19th century. It was a Norse Viking tongue related to Norwegian, Icelandic and Faeroese.
Fy vor or er i Chimeri.
Halaght vara nam dit.
La Konungdum din cumma.
La vill din vera guerde
i vrildin sindaeri chimeri.
Gav vus dagh u dagloght brau.
Forgive sindorwara
sin vi forgiva gem ao sinda gainst wus.
Lia wus ikè o vera tempa,
but delivra wus fro adlu idlu.
For do i ir Kongungdum, u puri, u glori,
Amen

14.The Prayer in Orkney Norn;
Favor i ir i chimrie,
Helleur ir i nam thite,
gilla cosdum thite cumma,
veya thine mota vara gort
o yurn sinna gort i chimrie,
ga vus da on da dalight brow vora
Firgive vus sinna vora
sin vee Firgive sindara mutha vus,
lyv vus ye i tumtation,
min delivera vus fro olt ilt,
Amen.

15.The Prayer in Anglo-Saxon (circa 900 a.d.);
Fæder ūre þū þe eart on heofonum,
Sī þīn nama ġehālgod.
Tōbecume þīn rīċe,
ġewurþe ðīn willa, on eorðan swā swā on heofonum
Ūrne ġedæġhwāmlīcan hlāf syle ūs tō dæġ
and forgyf ūs ūre gyltas, swā swā wē forgyfað ūrum gyltendum.
And ne ġelǣd þū ūs on costnunge, ac ālys ūs of yfele.
Soblice

16.The Prayer in Old Northumbrian, a variety of Saxon spoken in Northern England, influenced by Norse (circa 950 a.d.);
Suae ðonne iuih gie bidde fader
urer ðu arð ðu bist in heofnum & in heofnas;
sie gehalgad noma ðin;
to-cymeð ric ðin.
sie willo ðin suae is in heofne & in eorðo.
hlaf userne oferwistlic sel us to dæg.
& forgef us scylda usra suae uoe forgefon scyldgum usum.
& ne inlæd usih in costunge ah gefrig usich from yfle.

17.The Prayer in Old Scots;
Uor fader quhilk beest I Hevin, Hallowit weird thyne nam.
Cum thyne kinrik.
Be dune thyne wull as is I Hevin,
sua po yerd.
Uor dailie breid gif us thilk day.
And forleit us uor skaiths, as we forleit them quha skaith us.
And leed us na intill temptatioun.
Butan fre us fra evil.
Amen.

18.The Prayer in Gaulish-Brittonic (circa 100 a.d., this is a anonymous translation and may not be accurate);
Even taad rhuvn wytyn y neofoedodd,
Santeiddier yr hemvu tau.
De vedy dyrnas dau
Guueler dy wollya arryddayar megia agyit y nefi.
Eyn bara beunydda vul dyro inuiheddivu.
Ammaddeu ynny
eyn deledion, megia agi maddcvu in deledvvir ninaw.
Agna thowys Jni in brofedigaeth,
Namyn gvvaredni rbag drug.
Amen.

19.The Prayer in Jerriais, The language of Jersey, one of the Channel Islands. Essentially is dialect of Norman-French, the other Channel Islands have similar dialects;
Nouot' Péthe qu'es au ciel
qu'Tan nom sait sanctifié
qu'Tan règne veinge
qu'Ta volanté sait faite
sus la tèrre coumme au ciel
baille-nouos aniet not' pain d'la journée
et nouos pardonne nouos offenses
coumme nou pardonne les cheins tchi nouos ont offensé
et n'nouos mène pon dans la tentâtion
mais délivre-nouos du ma
car à Té est lé règne, l'pouver et la glouaithe
au siècl'ye des siècl'yes
Âmen

20.The Prayer in Anglo-Romani, the language used by the Romany (or Gypsy)community in England and Scotland. (In Wales and Ireland the Romany creole are more influenced by Celtic leids);
Moro Dad, so see adre mi Duvelesko keri,
te wel teero kralisom, too zee be kedo adre chik,
jaw see adre mi Duvelesko keri.
Del mendi kova divvus moro divvusly mauro,
ta fordel mendi moro wafedo-kerimus,
pensa mendi fordels yon ta kairs wafedo aposh mendi,
ta lel mendi kek adre wafedo-kerimus.
Jaw keressa te righer mendi avri wafedo.
Jaw see ta jaw see.

21.And one more; The Prayer in Gullah. Not actually spoken in Britain, but an interesting variety of English Creole. Gullah is one of the languages formed by the African slaves in the United States and Caribbean, surviving in communities in South Carolina;
We Fader wa dey een heaben leh ebrybody hona ya nyame.
We pray dat soon ya gwine rule oba de wol.
Wasoneba ting ya wahn, leh um be so een dis wol
Gii we de food wa we need dis day yah an ebry day.
Fagib we fa we sin, same like we da fagib dem people wa do bad
at we Leh we dohn hab haad test wen Satan try we.
Keep we fom ebil.
Amen.
Anglo-Norman;
Li nostre pere, qui ies es ciels:
saintefiez seit li tuens nums.
Avienget li tuns regnes.
Seit faite la tue voluntet,
sicum en ciel e en la terre.
Nostre pain cotidian dun a nus oi.
E pardune a nus les noz detes,
eissi cume nus pardunums a noz deturs.
E ne nus mener en temtatiun,
mais delivre nus de mal. Amen.

A few slightly derogatory regional terms

1. Teuchter ~ A Lowland Scottish word referring to Highland Scots, especially Gaelic speakers. No specifically derogatory but often used to imply lower class "white trash" or "hillbillies". Pronounced "chookter".

2. Sassenach ~ A Highland Scots and Irish word to refer to Lowland Scots or English. Translates as "Saxons". Not specifically derogatory, but by lumping in Lowland Scots together with the English as "Saxons" it implies that they are foreigners and not truly Scots. Pronounced "sassenakh".

3. Erse ~ A Lowland Scots word to refer to the Gaelic language and Gaelic tongue. Translates as "Irish" implying that Gaelic speakers are foreigners.

4. Taffy or Taffs ~ An English term referring to the Welsh, Cornish, Bretons or Cumbrians. Originally Taffy was a short form of Taffydd or Daffydd, a Welsh version of David, a common Welsh and Cornish name. Not specifically derogatory but is used to imply a lout. Evolved into the word "daffy" which then become a more general insult.

5. Sais ~ A Welsh word for the English, the female form is Saesnes. Originally from an old Saxon word meaning "fair" as in having lighter hair and skin, which doesn't sound too bad, however it can also be be meant to imply an effeminate toff. Or it could also be a corruption of the word Saxon similar to the Scottish term "Sassenach".

6. Sows ~ The Cornish word for the English, and the Cornish word for the English language is "Sowsnek" both of which sound particularly insulting, at least in English. Actually it comes from the same root word as the Welsh "sais".

7. Paddy ~ A common English and Scots term for the Irish, usually implies a drunken buffoon. Originally derived from the common Irish name Patrick (Padraig in Irish), St. Patrick is also of course the Patron Saint of Ireland. The term "Micks" used as insult is an American derivative. A female term sometimes used in the Victorian and Edwardian eras was "Bridget" although this has since fallen away.

Some other regional terms;

8. Grasano ~ Shelta term for a Scottish person

9. Shisher ~ Shelta term for an Irish person

10.Rilanthu ~ Another Shelta term for an Irish person

11.Palanthus ~ Shelta term for an English person

12.Eerish ~ Yola term for the Irish

A muckle of auld English words

1. Aers ~ A person's behind, Middle English, later evolved into "arse".

2. Bedswerver ~ An adulterer, 16 to 18th centuries.

3. Bellibone ~ A pretty girl, from the French "belle et bonne" (fair and good), 16 to 18th centuries.

4. Bellytimber ~ A hearty meal, 17 to 19th centuries.

5. Blue Devils ~ To be sad, to have the blues.

6. Bodkin ~ A slim dagger or arrowhead, later a sewing needle. A.K.A. bodekin, 15 to 18th centuries.

7. Chantpleure ~ To sing a sad song from the French "sing-cry".

8. Cokenay ~ A weakling or coward

9. Fellowfeel ~ To empathize, 17 to 18th centuries.

10. Fleshspades or fingerspades ~ Fingernails, 18 to 19th centuries.

11. Idea Pot ~ The brain, 19th century.

12. Keak ~ A dry cackle, 17 to 19th centuries.

13. Lip Clap ~ A kiss, 17th century.

14. Loller ~ An idler, a lazy person, to "loll around".

15. Lubberwort ~ Heavy food or drink of no value.

16. Malkin ~ A mop

17. Merry-go-sorry ~ A story or song that is both happy and sad, 16 to 17 centuries.

18. Mubblefubbles ~ To be sad or blue.

19. Mulligrabs ~ To be sad or blue.

20. Murfles ~ Freckles, pimples, birthmarks, moles.

21. Poplolly ~ A girl friend, from the French "poupelet", 16 and 17th centuries.

22. Prickmedainty ~ A prissy dandy, 16th century.

23. Quotha ~ Yes indeed, Middle English

24. Skint ~ To have no money or broke, from to be "skinned".

25. Smellsmock ~ A womanizer, a lech, 18 to 17th centuries.

26. Snirtle ~ To snicker derisively under one's breath.

27. Toff ~ A dandy.

28. Wold ~ The forest or woods, Middle English.

29. Wurp ~ A stone's throw or a quick glance, from the Saxon, 10 to 14th centuries.

30. Yclept ~ Called out, Middle English

Scottish New Years Terms

1. "Auld Lang Syne" ~ From the classic Robbie Burns poem, literally "Old long since", thus "Days of auld lang syne" means "days of old gone by".

2. Hogmanay ~ The name given to the New Year's celebrations. The origin of the word is unknown, some possibilities include the Norman French "hoguinané" or "Homme est né" or "Man is born" , the Norse "Hoggo-nott" a yuletime feast, the Flemish "hoog min dag" or "great love day", the Saxon "Haleg monath" or "Holy Month" or the Gaelic "Oge maidne" or "new morning".

3. "Lang may yer lum reek" ~ A traditional New Years greeting meaning "Long may your chimney smoke" or may you have enough fuel. Lum = Chimney, Reek = smoke.

4. "Handselling" ~ Was the custom of gift giving on the first Monday of the New Year but this has died out except for the Outer Islands. Also "Hanselling".

5. "Burning the clavie" ~ A bonfire made of a wooden cask filled with tar held together with an iron spike called a "clavis" in Latin; hence the term, however it may more likely also be from Scottish Gaelic "cliabh", a basket used for holding combustibles.

6. Douro ~ The alter upon which the clavie is burned.

7. Ne'erday ~ New Years Day.

8. Auld Handsel Monday ~ is traditionally celebrated on the first Monday after the 12th of January. Small gifts or tips are given out, roughly equal to Boxing Day in England and Canada. A "Handsel" or "Hansel" is a small gift box.