the - Hamely Tongue
Source: The Hamely Tongue: A Personal Record of Ulster-Scots in County Antrim
Author: James Fenton
Comments: ‘The Hamely Tongue’ has been widely acclaimed as the authoritative record of contemporary (surviving) Ulster-Scots in its heartland of County Antrim where James Fenton faithfully recorded his dictionary items among a network of other native speakers over a 30-year period. This searchable online version of his book takes its text from ‘Part One’ of the fourth edition of 2014 and includes over 3000 word entries. The book preliminaries, supplementary word lists and end matter have been excluded.
the ~ (as) to- (the day, the morra, the night); how (The heech he’s got! the quick she can rin; the mony kye he haes); what (Ir ye awar the age he is?); one, for one (jaist stied the week). the baith both. the best (see best). the maist most (the maist o yins; drunk the maist o it). the much how much (see much). the worse o the worse for (the worse o drink; the worse o the weer). the worst o the thing the most unfortunate aspect of the matter (The worst o the thing wuz he had nae insurance). the year this year (But A hae naen in the year). (Also often used (1) for possessive pronouns: the da, the dochter, the wife; the han, the heid; the health; (2) before (a) disease: the jendies, the maisles; (b) pursuits, etc.: a gret yin for the fishin; foriver at the gemmlin; (c) institutions: aye goes tae the meetin; startin the school; (d) names of languages: cannae hae the Latin; (e) items of food, meals, etc.: could niver dae withoot the prootas; gan in for the dinther; (f) a specified day (left on the Thursday); (g) a specified or emphasised number (Oany the yin o them wuz there. The hale echt o them come); (h) a named county (the Coonty Doon); (3) for emphasis: But he’s the sore eedyit; in praise or exhortation: That’s the boy. G’on the girl, ye!)
