A Selection Taken from 'The County of Devon' by G.A.Cooke
(written ca. 1816-1820)
A vocabulary containing, for the most part, such provincial words as
are current among the common
people of Devonshire (i.e. at the turn of the 19th century). The letter
A is seldom pronounced
open, but close......Thus it is salter not saulter; halter not haulter.
ACKER (Sax.),
acre.
AFFEARD, afraid.
AGEEST, afraid/astonished.
AGO, just gone,
nearly dead.
AGGING, egging
on, raising quarrels.
AKETHER, quoth
he.
ALKITOTLE, a
silly elf.
ALL ABROAD,
open ("the door is
all abroad").
ALLER, a pinswell,
whitloe.
ALLERNBATCH,
an old sore.
AN, than. ("more
an zo" - more than
so).
ANEEST, near.
("I wont go aneest
en").
APRILL'D, soured,
or turning sour.
APURT, sullen,
silent, with a gloating.
ANSNEY, to anticipate,
look, bad
news.
AQUOTT, squatted,
weary of eating.
ARG, to argue,
dispute.
ART, eight;
ARTEEN, eighteen.
ASLAT, cracked
(like a pot).
ASNEGER, an
ass.
AVROAR, frozen
or frosty.
AGOON, soon.
BAK, to beat.
BARRA, a gelt
pig.
BARTON, a large
demesne.
BATE, to quarrel.
BED ALE, ale
brewed for a
christening.
BEING/BIN, because.
BELLYHARM, the
colic.
BEE LIPPEN,
a bee hive.
BETWIT, to upbraid/repeat
a matter.
BESCUMMER, to
foul with dirty
linen.
BIBBLE, to drink
often.
BILLID, distracted/mad.
BOTE, part,
and past tense of to buy.
BRACK, flaw.
BIVER, to shake/quiver.
BLID, blood.
BLOGGY, to be
sullen.
BOOSTERING,
to labour busily so
as to sweat.
BOWERLY, blooming
("a comely
bowerly woman").
BUCKLE, a struggle.
BUDDLED, suffocated.
BULHAGGLE, a
scarecrow.
CAAL/CAALING,
a call.
CAWBABY, an
awkward timid bod.
CHAM, I am.
CHAVE, I have.
CHELL, I shall.
CHETS, kittens.
CHILBLADDER,
chilblains.
CHURN, a bad
woman.
CHUPS, cheeks/chops.
CLATHERS, clothes.
COB/CLOBB, mud,
loam and straw
building.
COCKABEL, an
icicle.
COCKHEDGE, a
(quickset) hedge.
COCKLEERT, when
cock crows.
COLE, any kind
of cabbage.
COMBE, a hollow
between two hills
open at one
end only.
COMMERCING,
as "conversing".
CONDIDDLE, to
waste/convey
away secretly.
CONDUDLE, conceit.
COPPER FINCH,
a chaffinch.
CLOPPING, lame,
limping.
CLUME BUZZA,
an earthenware
pan.
COALVARTY, a
bed/to warm a bed
with a warming
pan.
CORNIWILLIN,
a lapwing.
CORROSY, a grudge
or ill-will.
CORT, caught.
COTTEN, to beat
soundly.
COUCH PAWED/HANDED,
awkward/left-handed.
COURTLAGE, the
fore or backyard
of a house.
COWAL, a fish-woman's
basket.
COZING/COOZING,
loitering/soaking.
CRAZED, cracked.
CREWDLING, sensible
of cold.
CREWNTING,
grunting/complaining.
CRICKS, dry hedgewood.
CRICKLE TO, to bend.
CHRISEMORE, an unchristened
child.
CROPEING, stingy.
CRUEL, very.
CLEVES, cliffs.
CLEAR AND SHEER,
completely/totally.
DAB, an adept.
DAGGLE, to run like a young
child.
DAPS, the exact likeness of.
DAVER, to fade like a flower.
DAWCOCK, a silly fellow.
DEEF, rotten/corrupted.
DIMMET, the dusk of the evening.
DINDER, thunder.
DISHWATER, water wagtail.
DIZZEN, a dozen.
DO, to be done ("to be do").
DOAN, wet, damp bread.
DESPERD, very/extremely.
DIDDLECOME, half-mad/sorely
vexed.
DIRSH, a thrush.
DUDDER, to deafen with noise.
DOATTIE, to nod the head in
sleep while sitting up.
DOLL, to toll (as a bell).
DON/DOFF, to put on/off.
EART, sometimes.
ELLEM TREE, elm tree.
ELONG, slanting.
ELSH, new.
EN, him ("I told en").
ES,ISE,ISH, I.
EUTE, pour out.
ETH, earth.
FADGE, to fare ("how d'ye
fadge?")
FITTY, clever.
FLICKETS, flushes in the face.
FORE-RIGHT, honest (person).
FUMP, essence of.
GANMER, mistress/an old
woman.
GATFER, an old man.
GRAMMER, grandmother.
GRANFER, grandfather.
GUDDLE, to drink greedily.
GUIT, a joint.
HOOP, a bullfinch.
HULDER, hide or conceal.
HULVE, to turn over.
HELL, to pour.
HEND, to throw.
HATCH, fancy wish.
LIE A BIER, lie dead.
LEW, sheltered/defended from
storms.
LIDDEN, a tale/theme/subject.
LONGFUL, long in regard to time.
MANG, to mix.
MEECH, to play truant.
NUMMET/NUNCH, lunch.
ORT, anything.
RAY, to dress.
READSHIP, confidence, trust.
SHORD, a gap in the hedge.
SUENT, even, smooth.
SWANT, proper.
TAFFETY, delicate on the palate.
TANG, to tie.
TILBY, testy.
TINE, to shut/close.
TUT-WORK, piece-work.
TWILY, troublesome, irksome.
TRAPER, a slut.
UPSETTING, Christening.
UNRAY, to undress.
UNKET, dreary, dismal.
VANG, to receive/earn.
VAUGHT, fetched.
WARD, to wade.
WASHDISH, a wagtail.
WANT, a mole.
WHOP, a heavy blow.
WOODQUIST, wood-pigeon.
ZAT, soft.
ZAUNDY, to swoon.
ZIT, sit.
nbsp;
ZO, so.