In Miss Leslie's Lady's New Receipt-book ©1850 Eliza Leslie gives this list of Christmas & New Year's Dinners. Now in my family we have always had large holiday dinners but nothing compares to this list.
Boiled turkey with oyster sauce; two roast geese with apple sauce; roasted ham; chicken pie; stewed beets; cold-slaw; turnips; salsify; winter-squash--Plum pudding; mince pie; lemon custards; cranberry pie.
Roast turkey with cranberry sauce; boiled fowls with celery sauce; boiled ham; goose pie; turnips; winter-squash; salsify; cold-slaw; beets--Mince pudding boiled; lemon pudding baked; pumpkin pudding.
Mock turtle soup; roast turkey with cranberry sauce; boiled turkey with celery sauce; roasted ham; smoked tongue; chicken curry; oyster pie; beets; cold-slaw; winter-squash; salsify; fried-celery--Plum pudding; mince pie; calve's-feet jelly; blanc-mange.
I'm not sure about you but several of the items above through me, below are some recipes for some of those items:
FRENCH OYSTER PIE.—Having buttered the inside of a deep dish, line it with puff-paste rolled out rather thick, and prepare another sheet of paste for the lid. Put a clean towel into the dish (folded so as to support the lid) and then put on the lid; set it into the oven, and bake the paste well. When done, remove the lid, and take out the folded towel. While the paste is baking, prepare the oysters. Having picked off carefully any bits of shell that may be found about them, lay them in a seive and drain off the liquor into a pan. Put the oysters into a skillet or stew-pan, with barely enough of the liquor to keep them from burning. Season them with whole pepper; blades of mace; some grated nutmeg ; and some grated lemon-peel, (the yellow rind only,) and a little finely minced celery. Then add a large portion of fresh butter, divided into bits, and very slightly dredged with flour. Let the oysters simmer over the fire, but do not allow them to come to a boil, as that will shrivel them. Next beat the yolks only, of three, four, or five eggs, (in proportion to the size of the pie,) and stir the beaten egg into the stew a few minutes before you take it from the fire. Keep it warm till the paste is baked. Then carefully remove the lid of the pie; and replace it, after you have filled the dish with the oysters and gravy.
The lid of the pie may be ornamented with a wreath of leaves cut out of paste, and put on before baking. In the centre, place a paste-knot or flower.
Oyster pies are generally eaten warm; but they are very good cold.
Veggie Garden Tips gives us a good description of what salsify is as well as how to grow and store it.
From "The French Cook" ©1829 by Louis Eustache Ude I found this recipe for Oyster Sauce.
625. Oyster Sauce. (See No. 99, page 41.)
If you should be in a hurry, mark in a stewpan, a good lump of butter, a spoonful or two of flour, moisten with the liquor of the oysters, and put the sauce on the fire, but do not let it boil. When it is thick, throw in the oysters, with a spoonful of essence of anchovies, a little cavice, a spoonful of thick cream, and serve up.
Showing posts with label 1829. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1829. Show all posts
Friday, December 23, 2016
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Chocolate Recipes
AS I mentioned earlier I would have another post on Chocolate from an earlier source. This one comes from The Italian Confectioner ©1829 Chocolate came to America as a beverage in 1755, however the confection that most of us think of when referring to chocolate many sources say happened in 1830. However this Italian recipe book points to a year earlier. It is also said that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert introduced the American people to the confection in 1851 at The Exposition in London.
Chocolate. lOlbs. of Cocoa, l0lbs. Sugar,
Take lOlbs. of cocoa, prepared as in the preceding number, have a cast-iron mortar, and warm it by filling it with live charcoal; when very hot, wipe it out well, that there may be no dust; pound your cocoa nuts with the iron pestle till you have reduced them to an oily paste, which you will ascertain by the pestle sinking into it by its own weight; add to the paste seven pounds and a half of fine powdered sugar, and continue to pound it till perfectly mixed ; then take out the paste, put it into a pan, and place it on one side in your stove (see plate I. fig. 13), having a charcoal fire on the other side to heat the stone, which must be very flat and smooth, eighteen inches wide and thirty long. Take about a pound of the paste, and grind it with an iron roller, till, upon tasting it, it will melt in your mouth like butter, without leaving any sediment. Put this into another pan, and continue to roll the remainder; the stone should be so heated as scarcely to bear your hand on it. When the several parcels are thus prepared, make the whole into one mass on the stone, lessen the degree of heat, mix it well, and divide it into quantities of two ounces; put them into moulds of tin (see plate I. fig. 14), place the moulds on a board, and on shaking the board your chocolate must become flat in the moulds, and shine; let it cool, and take it out of the moulds. To make the vanilla chocolate, you must pulverise two ounces of vanilla with one part of sugar, and add it to the gross quantity of paste when finished.
No. 103. Chocolate Drops, with Nonpareils.
Take a quantity of chocolate, warm a small cast-iron or metal mortar, and pound your chocolate in it till it becomes malleable; divide it into small balls, and place them on square pieces of paper, about three quarters of an inch from one another ; shake the paper to flatten them, and pass over them some white nonpareils, entirely to cover their surface; when cold take them off the papers.
No. 104. Chocolate Drops in Moulds.
To make these you must have two sorts of moulds ; one sort of thin copper, tinned inside, about the eighth of an inch deep, representing some object, coat of arms, or device ; the other flat, a simple sheet of metal the size of the first mould, having likewise some device upon it, and also tinned; the hollow mould to receive a small ball of prepared chocolate, and the flat one to cover it, which, being flattened between the two pieces, takes the form and impression on both sides; when the drop is cold it comes out easily: it must be well impressed and shining.
No. 105. Vanilla Chocolate Drops.
18 pods of Vanilla, 8 1/2 drachms of Cinnamon, 8 Cloves, 2 grains of Ambergris, and 3 pounds of Sugar in powder.
Pound the above articles in a metal mortar with half a pound of sugar ; sift the whole through a silk sieve, and mix it with the remainder of the sugar; put four pounds of chocolate in an iron or metal mortar, first warmed, and pound it till it is melted, and your pestle sinks into it by its own weight; then add your other ingredients, and pound and mix the whole; the drops are to be dropped on paper, as in No. 103, except that they are to be small, as the drop No. 71, and without nonpareils.
No. 106. Cocoa Nuts in Sugar.
Take cocoa kernels, roasted as in No. 101. Then moisten with orange-flower water, or clear water,into which essence of cinnamon has been dropped, a sufficient quantity of powdered sugar to form a paste for drops. (See No. 71.)— Wrap the nuts in the paste, as pistachios (see No. 99), with or without nonpareils; they are also put in papers, cut at both ends.
Chocolate. lOlbs. of Cocoa, l0lbs. Sugar,
Take lOlbs. of cocoa, prepared as in the preceding number, have a cast-iron mortar, and warm it by filling it with live charcoal; when very hot, wipe it out well, that there may be no dust; pound your cocoa nuts with the iron pestle till you have reduced them to an oily paste, which you will ascertain by the pestle sinking into it by its own weight; add to the paste seven pounds and a half of fine powdered sugar, and continue to pound it till perfectly mixed ; then take out the paste, put it into a pan, and place it on one side in your stove (see plate I. fig. 13), having a charcoal fire on the other side to heat the stone, which must be very flat and smooth, eighteen inches wide and thirty long. Take about a pound of the paste, and grind it with an iron roller, till, upon tasting it, it will melt in your mouth like butter, without leaving any sediment. Put this into another pan, and continue to roll the remainder; the stone should be so heated as scarcely to bear your hand on it. When the several parcels are thus prepared, make the whole into one mass on the stone, lessen the degree of heat, mix it well, and divide it into quantities of two ounces; put them into moulds of tin (see plate I. fig. 14), place the moulds on a board, and on shaking the board your chocolate must become flat in the moulds, and shine; let it cool, and take it out of the moulds. To make the vanilla chocolate, you must pulverise two ounces of vanilla with one part of sugar, and add it to the gross quantity of paste when finished.
No. 103. Chocolate Drops, with Nonpareils.
Take a quantity of chocolate, warm a small cast-iron or metal mortar, and pound your chocolate in it till it becomes malleable; divide it into small balls, and place them on square pieces of paper, about three quarters of an inch from one another ; shake the paper to flatten them, and pass over them some white nonpareils, entirely to cover their surface; when cold take them off the papers.
No. 104. Chocolate Drops in Moulds.
To make these you must have two sorts of moulds ; one sort of thin copper, tinned inside, about the eighth of an inch deep, representing some object, coat of arms, or device ; the other flat, a simple sheet of metal the size of the first mould, having likewise some device upon it, and also tinned; the hollow mould to receive a small ball of prepared chocolate, and the flat one to cover it, which, being flattened between the two pieces, takes the form and impression on both sides; when the drop is cold it comes out easily: it must be well impressed and shining.
No. 105. Vanilla Chocolate Drops.
18 pods of Vanilla, 8 1/2 drachms of Cinnamon, 8 Cloves, 2 grains of Ambergris, and 3 pounds of Sugar in powder.
Pound the above articles in a metal mortar with half a pound of sugar ; sift the whole through a silk sieve, and mix it with the remainder of the sugar; put four pounds of chocolate in an iron or metal mortar, first warmed, and pound it till it is melted, and your pestle sinks into it by its own weight; then add your other ingredients, and pound and mix the whole; the drops are to be dropped on paper, as in No. 103, except that they are to be small, as the drop No. 71, and without nonpareils.
No. 106. Cocoa Nuts in Sugar.
Take cocoa kernels, roasted as in No. 101. Then moisten with orange-flower water, or clear water,into which essence of cinnamon has been dropped, a sufficient quantity of powdered sugar to form a paste for drops. (See No. 71.)— Wrap the nuts in the paste, as pistachios (see No. 99), with or without nonpareils; they are also put in papers, cut at both ends.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Opera Dresses throughout the 19th Century
The richest full dress should be worn at the opera. This must be governed by the prevailing fashion. The head should be bare, and dressed in the most becoming style. Jewelry may be worn, according to taste, as there is no place where it shows to better advantage. A light or brilliant colored opera cloak will add greatly to the lady’s appearance and comfort. Gloves of white, or delicately tinted kid only are to be worn.
1829
1840
1857 Opera Bonnett
1859 Opera Cloaks
1877 Men's Opera Hat
1889 Russian Opera Hood Lower left image
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Dinner Dresses thru the 19th Century
Today's tidbit are a few dinner dresses down through the 19th Century. First I'm sharing some tidbits from "The College of Life Or Practical Self" a description regarding dressing for Dinner.
How Ladies Should Dress.
Dressing for dinner only presents points of difficulty to the ladies; the rule to be followed by gentlemen is simple enough.
Several considerations serve to embarrass the gentler sex. For a “great” dinner, a lady dresses in a style which would be extravagant and out of keeping with a “small” dinner; yet the invitation is in both cases couched in the same terms. Moreover, a dinner is often the prelude to an evening party, or a visit to the opera, or some other form of amusement; and the style of dress must be suited to these contingencies also. One or two general rules may be laid down.
Full dinner dress means a low dress; the hair arranged with flowers or other ornaments; and a display of jewelry, according to taste. For a grand dinner, a lady dresses as elaborately as for a ball; but there is a great distinction between a ball dress and a dinner dress. Let no misguided young belle who is invited to a great house rush to the conclusion that it will be right for her to appear in a dress that she has worn in a ballroom. The style of thing required is wholly different. In the ball-room everything should be light, floating, diaphanous, ethereal, and calculated to produce a good general effect.
A dinner dress must be good in quality; it should be of silk of the latest make, with an ample train. By way of setting the dress olf, rich lace may be worn—Brussels, Mechlin, Honiton, Maltese or Cluny; but such light materials as blonde, tulle, areophane, tarlatane, etc., are quite out of place as trimmings.
Jewelry of almost any value may be worn at a great dinner—diamonds, pearls, emeralds, rubies, any kind ; but it is not in good taste to wear too much jewelry at any time.
As accessories, an opera-cloak, a fan, and a pair of perfectly white and perfectly fitting gloves must not be forgotten.
In dressing for an ordinary dinner—say a dinner of six or eight, or a dinner at a country house—the demi-toilette is sufficient. The dress should be made with a low body; is in good taste, and the shirt-studs may be choice, but should be in proportion to the means of the wearer.
It may be as well to remark that dinner~ parties are not supposed to be given on Sundays, and, therefore, when an invitation is accepted for that day—or when, on a visit, host and guests dine together—it is not necessary to dress; the ladies appearing in high dresses, or the demi-toilette at most; gentlemm in walking-dress.
1829
1832
1840
Unfortunately in my files I don't have an "Dinner Dress" between these two dates.
1864
1865
1871
1876
1880
1889
How Ladies Should Dress.
Dressing for dinner only presents points of difficulty to the ladies; the rule to be followed by gentlemen is simple enough.
Several considerations serve to embarrass the gentler sex. For a “great” dinner, a lady dresses in a style which would be extravagant and out of keeping with a “small” dinner; yet the invitation is in both cases couched in the same terms. Moreover, a dinner is often the prelude to an evening party, or a visit to the opera, or some other form of amusement; and the style of dress must be suited to these contingencies also. One or two general rules may be laid down.
Full dinner dress means a low dress; the hair arranged with flowers or other ornaments; and a display of jewelry, according to taste. For a grand dinner, a lady dresses as elaborately as for a ball; but there is a great distinction between a ball dress and a dinner dress. Let no misguided young belle who is invited to a great house rush to the conclusion that it will be right for her to appear in a dress that she has worn in a ballroom. The style of thing required is wholly different. In the ball-room everything should be light, floating, diaphanous, ethereal, and calculated to produce a good general effect.
A dinner dress must be good in quality; it should be of silk of the latest make, with an ample train. By way of setting the dress olf, rich lace may be worn—Brussels, Mechlin, Honiton, Maltese or Cluny; but such light materials as blonde, tulle, areophane, tarlatane, etc., are quite out of place as trimmings.
Jewelry of almost any value may be worn at a great dinner—diamonds, pearls, emeralds, rubies, any kind ; but it is not in good taste to wear too much jewelry at any time.
As accessories, an opera-cloak, a fan, and a pair of perfectly white and perfectly fitting gloves must not be forgotten.
In dressing for an ordinary dinner—say a dinner of six or eight, or a dinner at a country house—the demi-toilette is sufficient. The dress should be made with a low body; is in good taste, and the shirt-studs may be choice, but should be in proportion to the means of the wearer.
It may be as well to remark that dinner~ parties are not supposed to be given on Sundays, and, therefore, when an invitation is accepted for that day—or when, on a visit, host and guests dine together—it is not necessary to dress; the ladies appearing in high dresses, or the demi-toilette at most; gentlemm in walking-dress.
1829
1832
1840
Unfortunately in my files I don't have an "Dinner Dress" between these two dates.
1864
1865
1871
1876
1880
1889
Friday, September 26, 2014
American Ladies Magazine
During the early part of the 19th Century there was a magazine called "American Ladies Magazine." The first volume was actually titled "Ladies Magazine." Below is a list of links to Google Books for several volumes. The editor of this project is Sarah Josepha Hale, the author of Mary Had a little Lamb. By clicking the author's name you will be taken to the Wikipedia page about her. In 1837 the magazine was purchased by Godey and merged it with his Godey's Lady's Book.
Ladies Magazine Vol. 1 1828
Ladies Magazine Vol. 2 1829
Ladies Magazine Vol. 3 1830
Ladies Magazine Vol. 4 1831
Ladies Magazine Vol.5 1832
American Ladies Magazine Vol.6 1833. This link is not to Google Books and you can download a copy for your research pleasure.
American Ladies Magazine Vol. 7 1834
One more note, I've listed what is now available on Google books for free. However, other volumes are available for a substantial fee from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. So if you're interested in these volumes I recommend that you download and keep your own personal copy of them.
Ladies Magazine Vol. 1 1828
Ladies Magazine Vol. 2 1829
Ladies Magazine Vol. 3 1830
Ladies Magazine Vol. 4 1831
Ladies Magazine Vol.5 1832
American Ladies Magazine Vol.6 1833. This link is not to Google Books and you can download a copy for your research pleasure.
American Ladies Magazine Vol. 7 1834
One more note, I've listed what is now available on Google books for free. However, other volumes are available for a substantial fee from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. So if you're interested in these volumes I recommend that you download and keep your own personal copy of them.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Historical Irish Pronunciations
I'm working on a character for my third book in my St. Augustine Historical Series and needed to find some information on the Irish brogue. I thought I'd share with all of you some of what I found.
The Irish accent, or brogue, as it is called, is equally obvious with the Scotch, to an English ear; though there are neither so many peculiarities of pronunciation, nor of the use of words in Ireland as in Scotland. Much difference, however, both of accent and pronunciation prevails in the different provinces of Ireland, according as the inhabitants happen to be chiefly of Celtic or Saxon, of English or Scottish origin. In the South and *West, therefore, the language is very different from that in the North and East. I shall first take notice of a peculiarity of pronunciation, which seems to be of Celtic origin, and is chiefly confined to the South, or partially to the Catholic population of other districts; I mean the sounding of "th" like "t," and "t" like "th," wherever an "r' follows or precedes them. It will be most convenient to give these in form of a table.
WORDS VULGAR IRISH CORRECT ENGLISH
AJ SPELLED. SOUND. SOUND.
Trust. Thrust. Trust.
Truth. Thruth. Trooth.
Troth. Throth. Troth.
Try. Thry. Try.
The Celtic Irish also sound " t" at the end of a word like " rf," and " f" like" as wid for "with;" iv for " if;" bud for " but."
The next mistake which I shall mention, is common to the whole country, and in the instance of some words is also a Scots provincialism, particularly in Galloway, where the vicinity of the coasts has closely assimilated the language to Irish. I refer this remark to the mistake of pronouncing many words with the long open sound of " a" in " fare," which should be pronounced as long "e" in "me." The words of this kind mistaken by Scotsmen, are enumerated at page 226. As in the preceding example of " th" and" t" those sounds are also for the most part confounded so, that we hear both "a" for " e," and " e" for "a," as in the following table :—
WORDS VULGAR IRISH CORRECT ENGLISH
AS SPELLED. SOUND. SOUND.
Beast. Bayst. Beest.
Beat. Bayt. Beet.
It will be unnecessary to extend this table, as it may easily be enlarged by such readers, as may be interested in it by collecting all the words, having the long open sounds of "a" and " e." In the sound of " o" short, Irishmen are no less apt to mistake, giving it very commonly the sound of " a" in "far." For example, we may hear crass for "cross," acrass for " across," Lard for "Lord," Gad for "God," &c. The following are a few miscellaneous instances, which are very common errors of pronunciation in Ireland.
The words " mamma" and " papa" are pronounced even by the middle ranks in Ireland, as of the "a" at the end of the words were a short "e," as in the word " then," or something between this and a short "a," as in the word "than," whereas the terminating "a" in "mamma,'' and "papa," ought to sound like "a" in " far." To a stranger this Irish sound of "mamma" and " papa" is very offensive. The same offensive Irish sound is given to "a" in "ah," as " ah! now is it?" In some parts of Scotland, this sound of" ah!'' is as common as in Ireland—in Glasgow for example.
There is a peculiar sound of "u" common in Ireland, particularly in the North, as about Belfast, which I have little doubt has been often remarked. It is not easy to explain it, but it consists in sounding an "e" rather slightly before the "u," as de-oo for "due," te-oo for " two," tre-oo for "true," gre-oo for "grew," ye-oo for "yon." This is very vulgar.
The remark which I made relative to the harsh and jarring pronunciation of the letter "r" in Scotland, is equally applicable to Ireland; but I regret to point out a fault, which it is, I fear, impossible in most cases to correct.
With respect to grammatical accent, the only word which I can recollect at present as very striking, is the word "character," which ought to have the stress of the voice on the syllable "char," whereas an Irishman almost invariably puts it upon the syllable "ac" as if the word were written char-eckter. The same word I have remarked, is often pronounced with an opposite fault, as if it were written chareter the sound of " ac" being left out. This error, I should think it almost impossible for an Irishman to commit.
The most remarkable peculiarity of AngloIrish, I think, is the construction of the sentences, derived I have no doubt from the Celtic, though I am not sufficiently acquainted with it to exemplify or prove the derivation.— The peculiarity which I allude to is that of inverting the order of the English construction, and saying that at first, which an Englishman would say last, as in the example," The boy, is it, you mean?" for "Is it the boy you mean?" This inverted order runs through the whole conversational speech of Ireland, and if I had room I should give a table of corrected examples, but I must be contented with this single remark. I may mention, however, that it is the same principle which gives origin to what may be called the paraphrastic phraseology so common in Ireland. For example, " and it is just he sure who is the man that will do it." instead of " he is the man that will do it." No instances, which I can give, will be of much practical utility for avoiding this vulgarity. The reader must, therefore, depend upon his own observations for its correction.
Another of the Irish vulgarities of Celtic origin is, that instead of answering a plain question simply by " yes" or " no," part of the question is repeated. For example, if you put the question " does it rain to day ?" the answer will be " It does" or "It does not," instead of "yes" or "no." If you ask whether the mail has arrived; the answer will be " It has," or "It has not." The words " yes" and " no," indeed, seem to have no place in the AngloIrish vocabulary. In this respect, the Latin is somewhat similar. It would, perhaps, be wrong to assert that this manner of answering questions is always a breach of the English idiom, but when it is uniformly practised, it must be considered an Irish vulgarity.
In asking questions, an Irishman has a great predilection for the word "which," and employs it very often improperly, at least it frequently sounds very awkward, though this may be partly owing to the broad pronunciation, nearly approaching to whuch. It is most out of place when it is used, as it always is by an Irishman, if he do not hear or understand what you say. For example, if you ask indistinctly, what it is o'clock, the Irish cross question, "which ?" seems very awkward; if you remark in a low voice, that "Ireland is a fine country," you will probably hear this perpetually recurring "which?" as a counter-tenor to your bass. The French in similar cases use "how?' [comment ?] which seems no less awkward. The vulgar Scotch say, "what's your will?' and the more vulgar English, "what did you say?"
In exclamations, oaths, and bye-words, the vulgar Irish is very copious; but I must refer to the chapters on those several subjects for the few which I have thought it requisite to mention, in accordance with the plan of this work. It is not necessary, I conceive, to point out such obvious vulgarities, as by the law;— by dad;—sure and sure; Och, and indeed now; at all, at all; Arrah; Botheration; Musha; Honey; Jewel; &c, as none of those, who may read this little book, can require to be told that such expressions are as vulgar as that of using the word boys for " bachelors," or a sprig of shellalah, for a " bludgeon," en purity for " pretty," or once't and twice'I, for " once and twice."
As another instance of the peculiar use of words, I may mention "entire," "entirely," used for "whole," and "altogether,'' which in this sense are quite Irish and vulgar. Thus an Irishman will say, "I have bought the entire or the altogether of it," instead of" I have bought the whole of it;"—and " It is impossible entirely/' instead of " It is altogether impossible." In consequence of the great number of Irishmen engaged in writing for the daily papers, these expressions are beginning to be used, even in England. The word "invite" for " invitation," is also a vulgar Irish expression; for example " I got an invite to visit her," instead of" I got an invitation to visit her; or "she gave me the invite to come," instead of "she gave me an invitation to come." A vulgar expression very common in Ireland, and extremely offensive to an English ear, is used in inquiring about the character of a person. Thus instead of saying, " what sort of a person is he?" the Irish question is, "what kind is he?" This expression must be carefully avoided, as it is only used by the uneducated.
For a few other Irish vulgarities I may refer to pages 12, 17, 39, 42, 60, 65, 75, 76, 77, 94, 95, 96, 98, 102, 155, 174, &c. See also the observations on the use of " shall" and "will," "should" and "would," at page 233, above.
Source: The vulgarities of speech corrected: ©1829
The Irish accent, or brogue, as it is called, is equally obvious with the Scotch, to an English ear; though there are neither so many peculiarities of pronunciation, nor of the use of words in Ireland as in Scotland. Much difference, however, both of accent and pronunciation prevails in the different provinces of Ireland, according as the inhabitants happen to be chiefly of Celtic or Saxon, of English or Scottish origin. In the South and *West, therefore, the language is very different from that in the North and East. I shall first take notice of a peculiarity of pronunciation, which seems to be of Celtic origin, and is chiefly confined to the South, or partially to the Catholic population of other districts; I mean the sounding of "th" like "t," and "t" like "th," wherever an "r' follows or precedes them. It will be most convenient to give these in form of a table.
WORDS VULGAR IRISH CORRECT ENGLISH
AJ SPELLED. SOUND. SOUND.
Trust. Thrust. Trust.
Truth. Thruth. Trooth.
Troth. Throth. Troth.
Try. Thry. Try.
The Celtic Irish also sound " t" at the end of a word like " rf," and " f" like" as wid for "with;" iv for " if;" bud for " but."
The next mistake which I shall mention, is common to the whole country, and in the instance of some words is also a Scots provincialism, particularly in Galloway, where the vicinity of the coasts has closely assimilated the language to Irish. I refer this remark to the mistake of pronouncing many words with the long open sound of " a" in " fare," which should be pronounced as long "e" in "me." The words of this kind mistaken by Scotsmen, are enumerated at page 226. As in the preceding example of " th" and" t" those sounds are also for the most part confounded so, that we hear both "a" for " e," and " e" for "a," as in the following table :—
WORDS VULGAR IRISH CORRECT ENGLISH
AS SPELLED. SOUND. SOUND.
Beast. Bayst. Beest.
Beat. Bayt. Beet.
It will be unnecessary to extend this table, as it may easily be enlarged by such readers, as may be interested in it by collecting all the words, having the long open sounds of "a" and " e." In the sound of " o" short, Irishmen are no less apt to mistake, giving it very commonly the sound of " a" in "far." For example, we may hear crass for "cross," acrass for " across," Lard for "Lord," Gad for "God," &c. The following are a few miscellaneous instances, which are very common errors of pronunciation in Ireland.
The words " mamma" and " papa" are pronounced even by the middle ranks in Ireland, as of the "a" at the end of the words were a short "e," as in the word " then," or something between this and a short "a," as in the word "than," whereas the terminating "a" in "mamma,'' and "papa," ought to sound like "a" in " far." To a stranger this Irish sound of "mamma" and " papa" is very offensive. The same offensive Irish sound is given to "a" in "ah," as " ah! now is it?" In some parts of Scotland, this sound of" ah!'' is as common as in Ireland—in Glasgow for example.
There is a peculiar sound of "u" common in Ireland, particularly in the North, as about Belfast, which I have little doubt has been often remarked. It is not easy to explain it, but it consists in sounding an "e" rather slightly before the "u," as de-oo for "due," te-oo for " two," tre-oo for "true," gre-oo for "grew," ye-oo for "yon." This is very vulgar.
The remark which I made relative to the harsh and jarring pronunciation of the letter "r" in Scotland, is equally applicable to Ireland; but I regret to point out a fault, which it is, I fear, impossible in most cases to correct.
With respect to grammatical accent, the only word which I can recollect at present as very striking, is the word "character," which ought to have the stress of the voice on the syllable "char," whereas an Irishman almost invariably puts it upon the syllable "ac" as if the word were written char-eckter. The same word I have remarked, is often pronounced with an opposite fault, as if it were written chareter the sound of " ac" being left out. This error, I should think it almost impossible for an Irishman to commit.
The most remarkable peculiarity of AngloIrish, I think, is the construction of the sentences, derived I have no doubt from the Celtic, though I am not sufficiently acquainted with it to exemplify or prove the derivation.— The peculiarity which I allude to is that of inverting the order of the English construction, and saying that at first, which an Englishman would say last, as in the example," The boy, is it, you mean?" for "Is it the boy you mean?" This inverted order runs through the whole conversational speech of Ireland, and if I had room I should give a table of corrected examples, but I must be contented with this single remark. I may mention, however, that it is the same principle which gives origin to what may be called the paraphrastic phraseology so common in Ireland. For example, " and it is just he sure who is the man that will do it." instead of " he is the man that will do it." No instances, which I can give, will be of much practical utility for avoiding this vulgarity. The reader must, therefore, depend upon his own observations for its correction.
Another of the Irish vulgarities of Celtic origin is, that instead of answering a plain question simply by " yes" or " no," part of the question is repeated. For example, if you put the question " does it rain to day ?" the answer will be " It does" or "It does not," instead of "yes" or "no." If you ask whether the mail has arrived; the answer will be " It has," or "It has not." The words " yes" and " no," indeed, seem to have no place in the AngloIrish vocabulary. In this respect, the Latin is somewhat similar. It would, perhaps, be wrong to assert that this manner of answering questions is always a breach of the English idiom, but when it is uniformly practised, it must be considered an Irish vulgarity.
In asking questions, an Irishman has a great predilection for the word "which," and employs it very often improperly, at least it frequently sounds very awkward, though this may be partly owing to the broad pronunciation, nearly approaching to whuch. It is most out of place when it is used, as it always is by an Irishman, if he do not hear or understand what you say. For example, if you ask indistinctly, what it is o'clock, the Irish cross question, "which ?" seems very awkward; if you remark in a low voice, that "Ireland is a fine country," you will probably hear this perpetually recurring "which?" as a counter-tenor to your bass. The French in similar cases use "how?' [comment ?] which seems no less awkward. The vulgar Scotch say, "what's your will?' and the more vulgar English, "what did you say?"
In exclamations, oaths, and bye-words, the vulgar Irish is very copious; but I must refer to the chapters on those several subjects for the few which I have thought it requisite to mention, in accordance with the plan of this work. It is not necessary, I conceive, to point out such obvious vulgarities, as by the law;— by dad;—sure and sure; Och, and indeed now; at all, at all; Arrah; Botheration; Musha; Honey; Jewel; &c, as none of those, who may read this little book, can require to be told that such expressions are as vulgar as that of using the word boys for " bachelors," or a sprig of shellalah, for a " bludgeon," en purity for " pretty," or once't and twice'I, for " once and twice."
As another instance of the peculiar use of words, I may mention "entire," "entirely," used for "whole," and "altogether,'' which in this sense are quite Irish and vulgar. Thus an Irishman will say, "I have bought the entire or the altogether of it," instead of" I have bought the whole of it;"—and " It is impossible entirely/' instead of " It is altogether impossible." In consequence of the great number of Irishmen engaged in writing for the daily papers, these expressions are beginning to be used, even in England. The word "invite" for " invitation," is also a vulgar Irish expression; for example " I got an invite to visit her," instead of" I got an invitation to visit her; or "she gave me the invite to come," instead of "she gave me an invitation to come." A vulgar expression very common in Ireland, and extremely offensive to an English ear, is used in inquiring about the character of a person. Thus instead of saying, " what sort of a person is he?" the Irish question is, "what kind is he?" This expression must be carefully avoided, as it is only used by the uneducated.
For a few other Irish vulgarities I may refer to pages 12, 17, 39, 42, 60, 65, 75, 76, 77, 94, 95, 96, 98, 102, 155, 174, &c. See also the observations on the use of " shall" and "will," "should" and "would," at page 233, above.
Source: The vulgarities of speech corrected: ©1829
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