具体描述
The Dictionary of Newfoundland English, first published in 1982 to regional, national and international acclaim, is a historical dictionary that gives the pronunciations and definitions for words that the editors have called "Newfoundland English". The varieties of English spoken in Newfoundland date back four centuries, mainly to the early seventeenth century migratory English fishermen of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset, and to the seventeenth to the nineteenth century immigrants chiefly from south-eastern Ireland. Culled from a vast reading of books, newspapers and magazines, this book is the most sustained reading ever undertaken of the written words of this province. The dictionary gives not only the meaning of words, but also presents each word with its variant spellings. Moreover, each definition is succeeded by an all-important quotation of usage which illustrates the typical context in which word is used. This well-researched, impressive work of scholarship illustrates how words and phrases have evolved and are used in everyday speech and writing in a specific geographical area. The Dictionary of Newfoundland English is one of the most important, comprehensive and thorough works dealing with Newfoundland. Its publication, a great addition to Newfoundlandia, Canadiana and lexicography, provides more than a regional lexicon. In fact, this entertaining and delightful book presents a panoramic view of the social, cultural and natural history, as well as the geography and economics, of the quintessential lifestyle of one of Canada's oldest European-settled areas. This second edition contains a Supplement offering approximately 1500 new or expanded entries, an increase of more than 30 per cent over the first edition. Besides new words, the Supplement includes modified and additional senses of old words and fresh derivations and usages.
A Lexicon of Obscure Nautical Terms and Maritime Lore: Echoes from the Grand Banks A Comprehensive Compilation of Forgotten Seafaring Vocabulary, Weather Signs, and Traditional Shipboard Customs This exhaustive volume delves deep into the often-unrecorded vernacular and intricate practices of the deep-sea fishing fleets and coastal communities that navigated the treacherous waters surrounding the North Atlantic, focusing intently on regions geographically and culturally distinct from Newfoundland. A Lexicon of Obscure Nautical Terms and Maritime Lore meticulously documents the specialized language, arcane knowledge, and time-honored rituals of sailors hailing primarily from the rugged coastlines of the West Country of England (Cornwall, Devon), the Scots Fisher Clans of the Outer Hebrides, and the Maritime Provinces of Eastern Canada (excluding Newfoundland's specific dialectical footprint). This work is not a study of insular linguistic variation, but rather a comparative anthropological and lexicographical effort to preserve the rich, nuanced vocabulary associated with age-old maritime trades far removed from the specific cultural crucible of the Newfoundland outports. --- Part I: The Language of the Line and the Trawl (Focusing on West Country Dialects) This extensive section meticulously catalogues the specialized terminology utilized by Cornish and Devon fishermen engaged primarily in drift netting and long-lining operations, particularly during the zenith of the pilchard and mackerel seasons of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The language documented here reflects heavy influence from the Celtic substratum and close proximity to major English ports, exhibiting features quite alien to the Gaelic-influenced speech patterns common across the North Atlantic periphery. Chapter 1: Rigging, Ropes, and Sail Dress Beyond the Banks We explore terms for sail configurations and rope management that differ fundamentally from Newfoundland practices. For instance, detailed entries are provided for: ‘Hauling the Bunt’ (West Country): The specific action of gathering the lowest part of a net or sail that has become waterlogged near the boat’s bilge, a phrase entirely absent in the dialectical records of the Labrador Shore. ‘Spreat’ or ‘Sprett’: A local term for a sudden, localized, violent squall, distinct from the broader "gale" or "growler" terminology prevalent elsewhere. Detailed analysis of ‘Stopper Knots’: Examination of unique, complex knots used for securing heavy loads on Plymouth-registered trawlers, knots which were superseded by simpler, standardized naval patterns on northern vessels. Chapter 2: The Nomenclature of the Catch The classification and handling of fish stocks reflect the differing commercial targets of these fleets. This section painstakingly documents names for fish species according to their size, maturity, and market readiness as recognized in Bristol Channel markets, not St. John’s quotas: ‘Schoolers’ vs. ‘Solitary Runners’: Distinctions made between tightly grouped herring shoals versus stragglers, using lexicon tied to regional market classifications. ‘Bloaters’ (Cornish Usage): This refers specifically to herring caught too late in the season, already beginning to soften, a term specific to curing practices in Mousehole, entirely distinct from the general term for salted fish found elsewhere. The Anatomy of the Net: Documentation of specialized components of the drift nets used for herring, such as the ‘selvedge-line’ or the ‘foot-rope’, using the vernacular names employed by Devon fishermen, many of which derive from ancient Anglo-Saxon roots rather than Norse or Gaelic influence. --- Part II: Maritime Lore and Weather Divination from the Hebrides and the Maritimes This section shifts focus eastward and northward, investigating the oral traditions, superstitions, and methods of weather prediction employed by Gaelic-speaking fishermen of the Inner Hebrides (especially Skye and Lewis) and the Acadian/Mi'kmaq influenced fishing communities of the southeastern Canadian mainland (Nova Scotia’s Northumberland Strait). Chapter 3: Gaelic Encounters with the Sea: Weather and Warning This analysis concentrates on prognostication based on wind patterns, cloud formations, and the behavior of seabirds, using direct transcription of Gaelic phrases and their nuanced English translation as recorded from retired crofter-fishermen: ‘An Tonn Dubh’ (The Black Wave): A highly specific term describing a particular rogue wave phenomenon observed off the exposed west coast of Scotland, which required unique boat handling techniques documented in detail here. The Significance of the Gannet’s Dive: A detailed study on how the angle and speed of a gannet’s strike into the water was interpreted as an immediate barometer reading by islanders, contrasted sharply with the reliance on pressure changes noted by mainland fishermen. Lamentations and Libations: Documentation of pre-departure rituals involving offerings made to the sea, a spiritual practice rooted in ancient Celtic belief systems that predates Christianized sailor superstitions. Chapter 4: The Acadian Seascape: Boat Construction and Coastal Navigation This segment focuses on the unique shipbuilding techniques and navigational jargon of the French-descended fishers operating in the warmer, shallower waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Northumberland Strait—a vastly different environment from the deep, cold waters navigated by Newfoundland skippers. ‘Chaleur Bay Rigging’: Examination of the specific, shallow-draft hull designs and the associated terminology used to describe their handling, such as the verb ‘dériver’ (to drift purposely) used in a specific navigational context. Tides and Shoals: Extensive glossary of local terms for sandbars and shifting mudflats unique to the Northumberland Strait, many retaining French phonetics, such as ‘la banc sablonneux’ (the sandy bank). The Craft of Smoking and Preserving: Detailed ethnography of Acadian techniques for smoking haddock and herring using local woods (e.g., alder), including the specific smokehouse vocabulary—terms like ‘fumoir’ (smokehouse) and the seasoning rubs employed, which utilized local herbs distinct from salt-and-pickle methods common across the Atlantic. --- Conclusion: A World Beyond the Ice A Lexicon of Obscure Nautical Terms and Maritime Lore deliberately excludes any significant inclusion of terminology originating from the dialect spoken in the settlements of Labrador or the Avalon Peninsula. The book serves as a crucial counterpoint, illuminating the diverse, often contradictory, methods and vocabularies that defined North Atlantic seafaring outside the specific, isolated trajectory of Newfoundland English. Its value lies in its precision in documenting the other sea tongues—those born of Cornish granite, Hebridean mist, and Acadian marshland—offering linguists, maritime historians, and cultural geographers a robust comparative framework. The sheer density of unique regionalisms ensures that this volume stands as an unparalleled record of several endangered dialects of the sea.