The following pages claim to do no more than to set forth some of our best known dialect words, and to somewhat explain or illustrate their use by a sentence in which the word is introduced. So may not only the word be preserved, but something also of unity of expression be maintained at the same time.

Much of the matter has gone through the pages of the Penrith Observer, in the form of weekly notes. These notes were subject to some criticism. They were the means of eliciting a good deal of help towards making the collection more complete and accurate.

The method of spelling was frequently commented upon as involving an unnecessary innovation. A short explanation will, it is hoped, enable the reader to grasp it. Take such words as face, race, place, with the long a. We pronounce them as fi + as, ri + as, pli + as, with a short i sound, and the a short as in as. Words like master, plaster, become maister, plaister, with the a sounded as in pay. The long o sound is a pet aversion. Home becomes hi + am, boat as if it were boo + at, poke takes the form of poo + ak. Such words as post prove our consistency and cause many a one to get laughed at for the hasty o we assign it just as if it were copy.

The deep sound of oo shows our perversity. For ow we give it place every time, hoo, thoo, doon, noo, coo, and just as readily depose it from its legitimate place in boot, soot, nook, book, which in turn become bi + ut, si + ut, ni + uk, bi + uk. Go, going, gone, we make into ga (when short), gah, gahn, gi + an, and in some extreme instances almost garn. Final ing is too affected for us, so we drop it and substitute en. Quiet we quietly convert into whiat, because q is a pet aversion in all places with us. To give a hint as to the cause of this does not come within our scope. But no one can come closely into contact with the dialect without being struck with this aspect of it. A word like hope we evade or turn it into hooap or whop, yet daup, cauf, mope, crope, show that we can master the sound if we wish, and stick to it. If we will not say blue except as blew, we make up for it in hoo and noo. If the r is our aversion, we can, as few others can, say faddr, muddr, cluddr.

Having banished the ow sound from most of its legitimate places in the language, we put it in by way of amends where we can by “any manner o’ means” do so. Thus we have bowt for bolt and bought; browt for brought; bowster for bolster; cowt for colt; thowt for thought; dowter for daughter; and so on.

In the present work no attempt is made to explain or account for anything of a peculiar character in the dialect. If language grows out of life, we are justified in regarding ours as a type, and those who are most familiar with the life out of which it has grown, will be most likely those to regard it most leniently. They will know something of the social habits which the fair and market, the smithy hearth, the shoemaker’s shop are dominating factors in forming. They will understand what it is to be concerned with cattle, and the elements, as others are with more mighty affairs. Out of the exigencies of ploughing, sowing, reaping, and gathering; of boon days and sale days; of shiftings and settlings; of hiring and term times they know what to expect and will not be annoyed by grossness, or deterred by affectations or their absence.

In these circumstances the word collector in Lakeland will find a favourable condition for his operations if he know how to go about it. Nor need he expect because so much of life is taken up with the “struggle for existence” that the gentler and humaner phase of it will not afford him specimens, “tender and true,” as in the most refined circles.

An explanation is due to Cumbrians, who will find in this collection words they did not expect, and will find omitted those they had anticipated seeing. In many matters the two counties are indeed what they are often termed—sisters. The words have largely been collected in North Westmorland, but it must be borne in mind that Penrith, to many, is to all intents as much as if it were in Westmorland, and to have given one county only in the title would have been misleading and far from accurate. This observation will apply to “Kendal side” of Westmorland too.

Doctor Milner Fothergill says, “that up to Orton in Westmorland, the speech is that of Lancashire; beyond its scar it is that of Cumberland.” The genial, hearty doctor was too generous, and Cumberland as well as Lancashire would disclaim his kindness. Likeness there is no doubt towards the north, or towards the south, as the case may be, and the fells mark a cleavage more distinct than some imaginary boundary of counties, yet Westmorland men will never be prepared to be so quietly effaced until a much greater extinction of dialect speech takes place than has yet been effected, much as latter-day influences have done towards modifying its most prominent features.

In the present work, such as it is, the help of Mr. Daniel Scott, editor of the Penrith Observer, has to be acknowledged, also that of “Northerner” in the same journal. The Rev. J. S. Davidson, the Rev. M. B. Parker, Mr. R. E. Leech, M.A., Mr. John Harrison, Mr. Jas. Rennison, Mr. Jos. Graves, Mr. Wm. Kerr, Miss Hunter, Miss Rudd, Mrs. Fauldrew, Mr. A. Whitehead, and Mr. C. R. Farrer, with a number of correspondents in various parts, whose names never transpired, have given generous help to make the collection as comprehensive as possible. Also a very able and representative body of critics was soon en evidence to see that it was as correct as possible. The Rev. Canon Thornley, the Rev. John Wharton, and Professor Joseph Wright, M.A., were amongst those to whose suggestions is due the fact of a permanent form being given to what at first was only intended as a passing notice.

To Mr. Wilson, of Kendal, I am under the special obligation of the adventurer who has help just when and where it is most wanted. From him it has ever been an easy and pleasant task to obtain advice and counsel without stint of pains or sympathy. With his aid and discrimination, many otherwise insurmountable obstacles have been overcome. Without his aid nothing of the present form could have been as much as attempted.

It is earnestly hoped that the rough and ready treatment of the subject herein attempted will not in any way interfere with any of the more thorough works dealing with the same subject now in course of preparation by those capable of treating it from all standpoints as specialists. Ours is the effort to present an inside view of the dialect, marred no doubt by the leanings of prejudice, and for its worst defects the only indulgence that is asked is that it may be judged with that consideration kept in mind. It is a lover’s account, and as such must be excused.

B. KIRKBY.

Batley, 1898.