Time to bring back the blatherskites me thinks T
HE word blatherskite arose in conversation the other day. My chum Raghad had heard it on a television quiz show and it had taken his fancy.
I could understand why as it sounds like a cross between Yorkshire dialect and Shakespearian English.
But when I checked, its origins are apparently in a 17th century Scottish song called Maggie Lauder.
This became popular among the rebellious colonists fighting against Britain in the American War of Independence, probably because a fair percentage of them were from Scotland.
The word was adopted into American English, although it has fallen into disuse. This is a shame as I would think it particularly appropriate in today’s world of politics as it means: a person who talks at great length without making much sense. Foolish talk; nonsense, a voluble purveyor of nonsense.
As an example, the Oxford Dictionaries quote: “Politicians get away all the time with obscurantist blatherskite.” Which is true in any nation. While not Shakespearian, it’s worthy of the era of the bard, whose way with words is credited with creating many that remain in modern English, such as newfangled, bedazzled, advertising, zany and hobnob.
I wonder if McVitie’s realise they might owe royalties to Will for the name of their ever popular biscuit which means, quite appropriately: to mix socially, especially with those of perceived higher social status.
Mind you, he did invent a few that might be judged unsuitable in today’s society such as kicky wicky, a jocular term meaning girlfriend or spouse. It was the word of the week for Shakespeare’s globe blog four years ago but doesn’t seem to have caught on. Which is no real surprise.
While some words, like blatherskite, seem ripe for revival in the age of Boris and Trump, the 16th and 17th centuries are also rich with insults that could be dusted down and used again:
Bedswerver (adulterer), fopdoodle (insignificant or foolish man), loiter-sack (slacker), lubberwort (stupid person), muck-spout (constantly swears), a raggabrash (disorganised or grubby person) and cumberworld, meaning useless person, and not to be confused with Cumberbatch, who is a national treasure.
Shakespeare can be credited with the splendid: “You scullion. You rampallian. You fustilarian, I’ll tickle your catastrophe.”
By heck, missus, so that’s where Doddy got his catchphrase.
Simpler ones include: Thou art as fat as butter; Thou art a boil, a plague sore, an embossed carbuncle; His wit’s as thick as Tewkesbury mustard; and Thou cream faced loon.
For those wishing to rise above the obvious, how about: “I do desire we may be better strangers.”
You scullion. You rampallian. You fustilarian, I’ll tickle your catastrophe