apple davy?

[Joel S. Berson]

At 1/20/2010 07:10 PM, Robin Hamilton wrote:
>... thus "currant Tam" is [derived from] "a roon [round] currant-scone".

To be simple-minded, does a "roon" scone become a "Tam" from the
hat's shape?  And from no less an authority, on its "TAM" page, "tam
(cap) a *round* woolen cap originating in Scotland" (emphasis added).

But I wouldn't be concerned about
>(I've had my attention drawn to the way that explaining a black bun by
>reference to a treacle scone might actually make things more rather than
>less obscure, in terms of American Standard English.

We Americans all know what treacle is from Lewis Carroll, or at least
Martin Gardner's notes thereon: " 'They lived on treacle,' said the
Dormouse, after thinking a minute or two."

But if you meant that "scone" was obscure, or if you ask one what a
dormouse is, well ... for the first, Americans could go to Starbucks.

And I look forward to Michael Sheehan's startled reaction when he rejoins us.

Joel


>>Three substitutions are obvious:
>>
>>    Apple PIE => Apple Davie
>>    Sugar STICK => Sugar rollie
>>    Black BUN => Black man
>>
>>... but Currant [????] => Currant Tam
>
>Lor', just thought to look at my own earlier post:
>
>    (1) *w.Dmf. 1920 J. L. Waugh Heroes in Homespun 108:
>    I aye bakit, beforehaun, a girdle o' roon currant-scones, a trekkle bun,
>an' an aipple-cake.
>
>Therefore:
>
>    aipple-cake =>  apple Davie
>    trekkle bun => black man
>
>... thus "currant Tam" is [derived from] "a roon [round] currant-scone".
>
>Robin
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org