University of Virginia Library

SOUTHERN (Group 3): ISLE OF WIGHT.

The following colloquy is quoted in the Glossary of Isle of Wight Words, E.D.S., 1881, at p. 50.

I recollect perfectly the late Mr James Phillips of Merston relating a dialogue that occurred between two of his labourers relative to the word straddle-bob, a beetle.... At the time of luncheon, one of them, on taking his bren-cheese (bread and cheese) out of a little bag, saw something that had found its way there; which led to the following discourse.

Jan.

What's got there, you?

Will.

A straddlebob craalun about in the nammut-bag.

J.

Straddlebob? Where ded'st leyarn to caal 'n by that neyam?

W.

Why, what shoud e caal 'n? 'Tes the right neyam, esn ut?

J.

Right neyam? No! Why, ye gurt zote vool, casn't zee 'tes a dumbledore?

W.

I know 'tes; but vur aal that, straddlebob's zo right a neyam vor 'n as dumbledore ez.

J.

Come, I'll be blamed if I doant laay thee a quart o' that.

W.

Done! and I'll ax Meyastur to-night when I goos whoam, bee't how't wool.

Accordingly, Meyastur was applied to by Will, who made his decision known to Jan the next morning.

W.

I zay, Jan! I axed Meyastur about that are last night.

J.

Well, what ded ur zay?

W.

Why, a zed one neyam ez jest zo vittun vor'n as tother; and he lowz a ben caal'd straddlebob ever zunce the Island was vust meyad.

J.

Well, if that's the keeas, I spooas I lost the quart.

W.

That thee hast, lucky; and we'll goo down to Arreton to the Rid Lion and drink un ater we done work.

Notes.--Observe z for s, and v for f initially. What's, What hast thou; nammut (lit. noon-meat), luncheon, usually eaten at 9 A.M. (nōna hōra); leyarn, learn; esn, is not; gurt, great; zote, soft, silly; casn't, canst not; laay, lay, wager; how't wool, how it will; that are, that there; lowz (lit. allows), opines; zunce, since; vust meyad, first made; keeas, case; lucky, look ye!