Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-02-08
2aGhiashn STANDARD
: BOVINE LANGUAGE.
HOW HUMAN BEINGS TALK TO
THEIR COWS

ihNt>tS1tioS i"due DN Oto. he"Pi' T'eS'os"'
of the American Dialect Socsty-lt is Based
Upon Reports from 1000 or 5000 Persons
in Various Parts Of the Country.
We do not often regard as real
speech the words, calls, and inartlcu-
late clucks and grunts that we use in
addressing animals. They constitute,
however, form of speech that not
only is interesting in itself, but may
also be made to throw light on the
more usual forms of language. In
speaking to animals we are not re-
strained by any consideration for
what is, or is said to be, correct or ele-
CANT; hence the development OF such
speech is natural and quite unre-
strained. Moreover, in addressing an
imals we permit ourselves to indulge
the feelings that dominate us at the
time, and use soothing, gentle words
and terms, or hurl loud, rude orders at
them. Thus it becomes possible to
observe the effect that such repeated
indulgence of feeling has upon the
word usually employed, more than
can be done in the study of words gen.
orally employed only in a converse
tional tone.
But there is still another way in
which the study of this form of speech
may be made of use in general linguis-
tic overwhelmingly, in determ
lining the dispersion and extent Of our
dialects. The farming population of
a country makes up the great stable
portion of the nation. In many ways
it is the determining element, and q
study OF it and its ways throws light
on the nation as a whole and its prob
able future. 1t is, therefore, possible
to divide the country into dialect dis
tricts on the basis of farm usage in so
apparently unimportant matter as
the way of speaking to horses, COWS,
etc.
To show how different usage is in
these matters it will only be necessary
to call attention to some OF our local
calls to cows. "Co' boss" is the nor
NAL call in the North, and may be
heard here and there in other parts OF
the country. 1t came to us from
southern or Saxon England. "Co'
mully," which is frequent in Maine
and other parts of New England, is
rare elsewhere. In the Midland and
the South the most common call is
"sook" or "sook cow" This was orig
inally addressed only to calves, and is
form of our ordinary word suck.
The use is still restricted to calves in
northern England and in Ireland, as
also in some parts Of this country.
But in the largest portion of our con-
tinent the word has grown up with
the "critter," and is the normal call to
COWS, while some diminutive like
''soocky" is used to the calves. In the
Southeast there are many forms of the
good old call, "Come wench," which
goes back TO the time when wench des.
ignated perfectly respectable young
woman. Hence, the call is not much
different from the calls "Come lady"
or "Come old girl" In New Jersey
and southeastern New York we still
find "cush," call that is common in
northeastern England, and is original
ly OF Scandinavian origin. 1t has
found its way into literature in Jean
Ingelow's The High Tide:
"Cusha, cusha. cusha, calling,
Ere the early dews were falling"
In driving COWS various forms of
"Hurry," or Hurry up" and eco
long" are most frequent. Calves are
generally addressed in the same way,
but in the Southwest "S'cslf" OF
"Hiss calf" is common. Like Scat"
it was originally addressed to the dog
that was to sick Originally seek, as i.
still often said in England) the calf
and in time was used to intimidate
the calf, whether there was . dog
within hearing or not. The farthest
East that I have found "S'calf' il
in Pennsylvania.
Various interesting words are used
at milking time. The commonest
word employed to quiet COW is $50"
appearing in the forms $50 boss
"Saw cow" Saw wench," -" Soo," etc.
The pronunciation "saw" is peculiarly
southwestern. So is the usual form
elsewhere, bit $500" is found here
and there, especially in tho Northwest.
When COW is to be MIXED che is or.
dered to move over by STAND over
"Get over" or a Get round there"
"Stand over" is sometimes corrupted
to Hanover. The usual word to
get COW to put her leg out of the
way OF the mixer is Hist" form OF
hoist, corresponding to pint for
point" But in the South Back
and Back your leg" are in general
use.
Below l give q fuller, but not q
complete, list of the words used in
this country in addressing COWS and
calves:
Q.) Cows-To come: Hoo-eow
CO. mully, CO. boss, CO. boss, CO. boys
co-co-co, so boss, co'wench, (Which
rinch, inch, anch, aunch, etc. }, caunch
coo-inch, coo-y, sock COW, 500 COW, SOC
boss, sock, sock, sock, CO. oof, coof
coff, Golf, cohee, courey. cush, cashu
cope, copper, cup, sup sup, etc.