Sketcher.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 407, 25 February 1904, Page 2

Sketcher.

EXPRESSIONS. ; \ .■ *% { &SJBHE speech of the west country of -MAb England is the purest remnant of 'Jb&* the Anila-Saxon tongue now extant. Many Devon and Somerset words ate almost as pure as when spoken by Alfred's men: The Zummexzet man's , arrangement of sentences is a&origina l , and well illustrated by an epitaph to be seen in many a churchyard - ' ' :. As us am, so must you be, Therefore prepare to follow we. It is extraordinary how words for the same thing differ in England. Take ' lefthanded/ for example. Fn>Gloucestershire each a person is described as 'sorammy'; in Staffordshire he becomes 'caggy'; the phrase for a left-handed Yorkshimman is ' gawkrodger,''and in the next county, Durham, he is ,'cuddypaw' Both in Yorkshire and Lancashire 'wick' id still used, in its original.meaning as •alive' ('the quick and the dead') 'Starved' also is stiil used in its original sense by the north countryman, This is that of suffering from intense cold. To be 'fair starved' is to be exhausted, not by hunger, but by cold.":' 'c 'Drammylatch' has many incarnations «nd variations.' 'Diaalatohety' is Somerset for 'loitering.' ..Somerset has names enough for all the loitererb it contains. You would know a 'Mitcher' as soon as you bjvw him in pint, while jca would never dream of giving a job to a 'Zlatterpouch/ But it is curious that; sleepy Somerset has given America some of its moat native phrases, 'Here right,' they say in Somerset when they mean 'on the spot.' America tha an<S the method. But 'psart!' Is that not f.borougly Amfriaan ? No.; it is Somerset for 'lively.' •■■" .' It would be almost worth while to make a dictionary of portmanteau words—words that 'surprise by themselves' two words and two mesaings. For example, 'downdashiouia' is Somerset, coming by way of 'owdacious' fsom audacious/ And it ia a beautiful expression of the audacity which, will go so far as to down aa opponent on eight. In Kent they have "a delightful word <o express surprise, terror, delight, all at once. Some thisgs a?d tremendous, ps the M«4r:inj.que disaster, so me are m a circus cr.a joke, or * continent. Now and then a thing may combine all these attributes, or be indefinitely large, horrible or amusing What do you think o? 'teamense' P

NAMES, Petor 13 likaly to ba somewhat eccentric and quaint; ho has humor. Paul is artistio in soma direction or other, and as a rule rather good looking. Samuel may attain to distinction, especially in commerce, but Sam is rather coarse, and Simmy mostly goes to the bad. Stephen is generally a weak-kneed failure. Reuben is vulgar bui unpretentious. Much also must depend on whether the actual same or some version of it is used. For instance, William, if he is always called William, is a good man", but a prig; ifheiacaUed Willy he is weak; if he ia cilhd Bill he is a good fellow, but rather animal than spiritual. Ton can always depend on Jamas to take care of bimself, but you cannot Bay so much for Jim. The most virile names are John, George, Tnomas, and Eobert. George is inclined to luxury and selfindulgence ; John is more domestic; Jack has morn spirit than John; Thomas and Robert are good business names. Eobert has a temper, and *o has Bob; but Bobby is good-nature itself Richard ia a poseur; Dick is natural in manner, and has physical courage. Joseph in any walk of ' life is a schemer, sometimes with success and sometimes without it, but always a schemer. Henry and Edward are both rather colorless names. Henry may be anything from a criminal to a Cabinet Minister, but if he ia never called Harry he will tend to dullness and solidity. Walter is rarely popular, and is frequently inclined to sharp practice. Frank is popular enough, but wants enersry and determination. C carles has amiable qualities, and epuds money freely in his youth ; in his later yeirs he is likely to be frigid and parsimonious. Ernest is quiet, wellmeaning, and almost always mistaken. Before leaving the masculine names there are a few others, mostly less common, that.may be mentioned. Wherever the Christian name, or name in general use, is also a surname—such as Graham, Trevor, Scott—the man baa very marked , ability in one particular direction, but is extremely likely to be a charlatan ! Reginalds and Harolds belong to the very-nearly class, They get very near to success in almost any kind of work. More things have ben missed—oaly jast missed—by Reginalds and Harolds than by any six of the other nasals.