Wednesday, 31 May 2017: Desmond Smart: Some Old Words
Club member, Desmond Smart, is a collector of “Old Words” , writing down words that were in common usage in our parents’ and grandparents’ time but little used today. The meeting had a simple but entertaining format; Desmond would call out a word and Probians would respond by saying if they had ever heard it or used it. Among those more readily recognised were NEB [beak or nose], OXTER [Armpit], WHEEN [small amount], GIRN [to pull a face] GULDER [shout or roar], BESOM [a broom]. Some words evoked childhood memories, for example BROO [riverbank] on which many members remembered playing and fishing. SNED was readily associated with the trimming the green tops off turnips – as in snedding turnips and some recalled sitting on a SLIPE [sledge] being pulled along by their grandfather’s horse. All could recount the stinging bite of CLEGGS [horseflies] and PLOUTERING through GUTTERS wearing WELLIES. However buried in the vernacular were some unflattering terms for persons such as an untidy girl [a CLART], a contemptible boy [a SCUT], a big stout fellow [a SWAD] and a rough course woman [a HASK]. Other words evoking memories included COOM [turf dust], SPANG [leap], STOON [pain], TRUMPERY [bric-a-brac] and DAYLIGONE [twilight]