LL-L "Idiomatica" 2002.10.13 (07) [E/S]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 13.OCT.2002 (07) * 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) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic
               V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at scotstext.org]
Subject: "Idiomatica"

> From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Idiomatica
>
> I provided the Lowlands Saxon (Low German) expression:
>
> > - up (d)'n Hund kamen
> >   ("to come/get onto a/the dog")
> >   'to go bankrupt (due to mismanagement)'

A peculiar thing about dog proverbs in Scots is that they
tend to refer to a particular dog. Here's some from Hislop's
Proverbs of Scotland:

"Nae equal tae ye but oor dug Sorkie, an he's deid, sae ye're marrowless."

"Ye're buttoned up the back like Achmahoy's dug."

"Ye're like the dug o Dodhaa, baith dooble an twa-faced."

"Ye're like the dugs o Dunraggit-ye winna bark unless ye hae yer hinder end
tae the waa."

Hislop doesn't explain any of these names - can anyone enlighten us?

My mother had a favourite saying about "Birkie's dug", but I can't remember
it. Anybody?

Some of my favourite general dog proverbs:

"An auld dug bites siccar."
("An old dog bites securely.")

"Fecht dug, fecht bear; wha wins, deil care."
("Dogs and bears may fight but no-one cares about the outcome")

"He can lee like a dug lickin a dish."
("He can tell lies like a dog licking a dish.")

"He fells twa dugs wi ae bane."
"He fells twa dugs wi ae stane."
("Killing two birds with one stone" - or "bone", in the diplomatic version)

"Him that sleeps wi dugs maun ryce wi flechs."
("He who sleeps with dogs must rise with fleas.")

"If I haed a dug as daft, I wad shoot him."
(I've often heard this one!)

"I'm no every man's dug that whistles on me."
("I don't answer to everyone")

"Like the smith's dug, sleep at the soond o the hammer, an
wauk at the crunchin o teeth."
("Like the blacksmith's dog, sleep at the sound of the hammer,
and awaken at the crunching of teeth.")

Sandy
http://scotstext.org/

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