"chanty" = ditty

[Jonathan Lighter]

OED's "chant(e)y / shanty," of uncertain origin, denotes a rhythmic solo-and-chorus song sung by sailing-ship sailors during heavy manual labor such as hoisting sail and weighing anchor.

Regardless of spelling, the word seems always to have been pronounced "shanty."

Despite the justifiable grumbling of specialists, the word in popular use now often refers to almost any sea song.  Under the influence of print (it would seem), it is also pronounced  "chanty."

Though Paul's 1939 ex. is somewhat equivocal (Jansen is at the wheel of a yacht), he doesn't seem to be singing any kind of a sea song and the intended pronunciation appears to be "chant" + "y."

Rouse's 1922 ex., however, is unquivocal.  The book contains invented ditties in Greek and Latin for the amusement and edification of young pupils.

JL
son Gray <wilson.gray at RCN.COM> wrote:
---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Wilson Gray
Subject: Re: "chanty" = ditty
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Is this the word that OED lists under "shanty," with "chant(e)y" as
alternate spelling(s)?

-Wilson

On May 23, 2005, at 11:59 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:

>
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: Jonathan Lighter
> Subject: "chanty" = ditty
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --------
>
> OED does not list this word.
>
> 1922 W. H. D. Rouse _Chanties in Greek and Latin: Written for Ancient
> Traditional Airs_ (Oxford: B. Blackwell) (_title_).
>
> 1939 Elliot Paul _Mysterious Mickey Finn_ (rpt. N.Y.: Collier, 1962)
> 225: Hjalmar Jansen was roaring a chanty as he spun the wheel. 'She
> was only a poet's daughter, / But she never was averse.' "
>
> JL
>
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