Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-04-16

homeH = This proVinciaism is valuable as
showing the probable derivation of the
English verb to long, as in the expression,
| long to see you Some think there is
connection with the root to lag to delay,
and Latin laag1teo Horne Tooke supposes
that this word originated in the idea of
stretching ourselves out--that is, in making
ourselves long-for the sake of some de-
sired object But our Cumberland Valley
phrase relic doubtless of English in the
Middle Ages, for think lang is still COM
mon in the Cumbrian district of England
better supplies the intermediate link be-
tween the adjective long Qat, Loagas) and
the verb. We long for the object when we
think it long before we attain it.
Mind, in the sense of remember
Scotch-Irish, unquestionably, the word be-
ing so used in Scotch vernacular phrases.
La translation of a Confession of St.
Patrick, is the sentence, L minded me of
my sins. 4 months mind is series of
ecclesiastical services especially relating to
one subject.
Midding smart and right smart,
meaning pretty large quantity, as
'middling smart of bread, right smart of
wood.
'Mosey sugars, molasses candy with the
meat of nuts mixed with it. May it not
have been originally mosaic sugars, from
mosaic, a species Of inlaid work which the
candy when cut resembles? 'Mosey, mealy,
Worcestershire dialect.
Machines, constantly applied to vehicles,
covered wagons. hacks, dc. The common
use of this word by the middle classes
probably originated in facetious purpose
to employ highsounding word In the
same way, in New York City the fremen
call fre-engine machine
'Outcry. Handbills sometimes read,
viii be sold at public outcry, instead of
'yendue The word was formerly used IN
this sense in England, and is probably the
old Saxon name fol a custom that in the
moro civilized hands of the Norman-F French
became the vendue We find the word in
glossaries Of North Country words.
Poke, bag. Local in the northern and
other parts of England Poke is old Eng
lish for pocket or bag. 1t is strange how
an obsolete word will live in a maxim or
cant phrase. TO buy pig in poke is a
common expression in America and England
for making bargain without knowing what
you are buying. In Cumberland Valley
common people will, say, Put the feathers
in poke.
Should have, for did 81 was told
that you should have called him a thief.
Here the indicative is not used, evidently
because the speaker is reluctant to indicate
or declare what is pleasant or uncertain.
| OF Scotch-Irish origin
'Sots, common yeast.
'Snits, slices of dried fruits-dried apples
etc. Pear snits.
That, for, u was that scared knew not
what to do This is an English yulgarism.
In one Of the Reade's novels rustic says,
4 was that eager
TIL, for 'to'-'Going till town. Com
mon in North and Middle of England. Til,
in the sence Of to, is found in the Danish,
| Swedish and Scottish Its also Irish, and
Chaucer has Home till Athens
Said pronounced 'sayed, Mary land,
also.
'Seyerals,' for several or a few.-Severals
came and told US.
A cold dinner, or a meal hastily provided.
is sometimes called a check
Loss, as a yerb-'Did you lossi :?
| "A fall, for descent of rain or snow He
thought there would be fall soon. Falling
weather is common for the same thing.
Tshes, for ashes
You ems, for you, whether singular OF
plural, A variation 'you' 'enses, for us OF
we, is sometimes heard.
Stop, for object to or hold back from =
would MT stVp to &c r.'yself' q
would not ike to go.
Race, for chase, as racing the chick.
ems.
Once, at the end of a sentence, for only
Come here once. equivalent to Just come
here
Come back, meaning Come and see me
again. 4 lady not accustomed to this com.
plimeutary phrase, when on leaving the
house Of her friend she hears her say, Come
back, is apt to turn around and come in,
supposing she is wanted in the house again.
'Redd as to 'redd up room'-that is,
to put it in order. This is one of the most
marked Of the Pennsylvania provincialisms
and from Pennsylvania it has passed into
Ohio. It is a Saxon or Gothic variation Of
rid, and is common on the English and
Scottish border, In an old collection Of
nursery rhymes We find the couplet,
"A seamstress that sews, and would maks
her work redde,
Must use along needle and short thread.
In Margaret Maitland, by Scotch au-
thor, we find well redd-up house. Char.
lotte Bronte, in Jane Eyre, has this expires
sion, You areredd up and made decent =
'Redd, however, is obsolete: it is banishec
from the dictionaries, and ought never to be
used.
Shut off, or more frequently shet off
- freed from This is not peculiar tt
Pennsylvania. In the North of England
they say to get shet of; in the midland
counties, shut Of A woman, besieged
aud importuned by man to marry her, Al
last married him, as she said, to get shut
of him From the root shut and she'd, tC
throw Of, to get rid Of
Iake up - Is the meeting taken ur
yet They take up school at nine.
Tell on you, for tell of you;' wait on
you, for wait for you
In some parts of Pennsylvania they say
sun up for sun rise The Amerieanisn
'suudown, for sunset, is common through
I out the United States, though it is moi