LL-L "Etymology" 2005.01.21 (03) [E/S]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 21.JAN.2005 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West) Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Weel, here's an interestin airticle anent furrin wirds in Scots:
"The Chyngin Scots Language"
http://uk.geocities.com/rfairnie@btinternet.com/Chyngin_Scots_Language.pdf

The author gies "peelie-wallie" (sickly, feeble, pallid, delicate) as an
ensaumple wird fae an Indian springheid.

Mebbe it's cleckit fae Hindi/Urdu पतला / فتلا _patlā_ (~ पतल _patla_
'delicate', 'weak') an वाला / والا _wālā_ (agent, doer > ... guy)?

Hmmm ... but by the way o the _Oxford English Dictionary_ (that pertends
Scots is a kynd o English) for "peely-wally":

"Also peelie-wallie and as one word. [‘Orig. prob. imit. of a whining,
feeble sound’ (Sc. Nat. Dict.). Cf. Eng. dial. _pee-wee_ whining, small
(E.D.D.), and WALLYDRAG.]
   Pale, feeble, sickly, ill-looking.
   1832 A. HENDERSON Proverbs 208 Peelie, thin; meagre. Peelie-wallie, thin;
sickly. 1833 J. KENNEDY Geordie Chalmers 81 But may I ride on the win' wi'
auld Nanee Logan, the witch o' Glenteerie, when I gang to siccan a
peely-wally concern again! 1895 W. STEWART Lilts 104 The sun sen's forth its
flickerin' rays, Fu' peely-wally wan. 1904 ‘H. FOULIS’ Erchie xii. 73, I was
a kind o' eccentric peely-wally soul, because I sometimes dried the dishes.
1932 ‘L. G. GIBBON’ Sunset Song 278 And damn it, if before a twelvemonth was
up she didn't have a bairn, a peely-wally girl. 1945 B. FERGUSSON Lowland
Soldier 25 Ye'd say he was thin, Peelywally, bow-leggit and shilpit. 1962 A.
MACLEOD Eighth Seal vi. 71 The wee Englishman is too peelywally to start any
scrapping. 1966 K. WHITE Lett. from Gourgounel 96 A snail..her long
peelie-wallie neck with two horns slowly prodding the air."

For "wallydrag" an "wallydraigle":

"1. ‘A feeble, ill-grown person or animal; a worthless, slovenly person,
esp. a woman’ (Eng. Dial. Dict.).
  1508 KENNEDY Flyting w. Dunbar 43 Waik walidrag, and werlot of the
cairtis. 1500-20 DUNBAR Poems xxvi. 97 Full mony a waistless wallydrag, With
wamiss vnweildable, did furth wag, In creische that did incress. a1508  Tua
Mariit Wemen 89, I haue ane wallidrag, ane worme, ane auld wobat carle. 1817
SCOTT Rob Roy xxxiv, That canna be said o' king's soldiers, if they let
themselves be beaten wi' a wheen auld carles that are past fighting,..and
wives wi' their rocks and distaffs, the very wally-draigles o' the
country~side. 1818 Hrt. Midl. xviii, We think mair about the warst
wally-draigle in our ain byre, than about the blessing which the angel of
the covenant gave to the Patriarch. 1871 W. ALEXANDER Johnny Gibb (1873) 142
Yon bit pernicketty wallydraggle! He'll dee some service, or than no.
2. (See quot. 1808.)
  1808 JAMIESON, Wallidrag... It appears primarily to signify the youngest
of a family, who is often the feeblest. It is sometimes used to denote the
youngest bird in a nest. 1826 GALT Last of Lairds xxxvii, It's just like a
cuckoo dabbing a wallydraigle out o' the nest."

Guidwill tae a, an "a guid wind in the sails," as we say Laich Saxon.
Reinhard/Ron

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