Notwithstanding every effort to make this glossary as complete as possible, there remain not a few words and phrases with which I can do nothing satisfactory. This is the case not only with ballads from recent tradition, but with some that were taken down in writing three hundred years ago or more.
At every stage of oral transmission we must suppose that some accidental variations from what was delivered would be introduced, and occasionally some wilful variations. Memory will fail at times; at times the listener will hear amiss, or will not understand, and a perversion of sense will ensue, or absolute nonsense, nonsense which will be servilely repeated, and which repetition may make more gross. Dr. Davidson informs me that one of his female relatives rendered 'an echo shrill did make' (in Chevy Chace, 10) 'an achish yirl did make,' and that he took 'aching or frightened earl' to be the meaning until he read the piece. Happy are we when we are sure of the nonsense; as when, in The Gypsy Laddie, 'they cast their glamourie owre her' is turned into 'they called their grandmother over.' "The combination of two words into one," says Dr. Davidson, "is not rare in Scotch, nor is the reverse process. For example, the word 'hypochondriac' is turned into 'keepach and dreeach,' and the two parts often used separately. 'I'm unco keepach' and 'I'm unco dreeach' are common expressions among old people. Imagine an etymologist, ignorant of the facts, trying to discover the etymology of 'keepach' or of 'dreeach.'" Words of one or two syllables are long enough for the simple; a laboring man of my acquaintance calls rheumatism 'the tisrn': what are the other syllables to such, who understand no one of the three? Learned words do not occur in ballads; still an old native word will be in the same danger of metamorphosis. But, though unfamiliarity naturally ends in corruption, mishearing may have the like effect where the original phrase is in no way in fault; hence, perhaps, 'with a bretther a degs ye'll clear up my nags,' 'a tabean briben kame,' 'I'll have that head of thine, to enter plea att my iollye,' etc.
It must be borne in mind, however, that as to nonsense the burden of proof rests always upon the expositor. His personal inability to dispose of a reading is not conclusive; his convictions may be strong, but patience and caution are his part and self-restraint as to conjectures.
It is with a strong feeling of what 'a kindly Scot' signifies that I offer my thanks to many gentlemen who have favored me with comments on lists of words submitted to them. Especial acknowledgment is due to Dr. Thomas Davidson, a native of Old Deer, who has made his home in the United States, and to Mr. William Walker, of Aberdeen. Besides these, I have to mention with gratitude the Rev. Robert Lippe, Rev. Dr. Walter Gregor, the late Dr. William Alexander, Principal Sir W.D. Geddes, Dr. James Mori, Messrs. William Forbes, James Aiken, David Scott, W. Carnie, W. Cadenhead, and William Murison, all of Aberdeenshire; Dr. James Burgess, Messrs. J. Logic Robertson and William Macmath, of Edinburgh; Professor A.F. Murison, of London, and Dr. Robert Wallace, M.P.; Professor James Cappen, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario; Rev. Professor J. Clarke Murray and Principal Dr. W.M. Barbour, of Montreal; Rev. Dr. Alexander McDonald, St. Francis Xavier's College, Antigonish, N.S.; Rev. Dr. Waters, of Newark, N.J. For some difficult English words help has been given by Dr. W. Hand Browne of Johns Hopkins University, Professor Manly of Brown University, and Professor Kittredge of Harvard College.
It will be observed that ballads in the Skene Manuscript which were derived from the "Old Lady's Collection" are not glossed, but the originals, which should be substituted for Skene's more or less incorrect copies.
[References are usually to volume, page, and stanza.]
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