Finnegan's Wake - Uncommon or Non-standard English Phrases and Terms

Uncommon or Non-standard English Phrases and Terms

  • brogue (accent)
  • hod (a tool to carry bricks in)
  • tippler's way (a tippler is a drunkard)
  • craythur (craythur is whiskey, "a drop of the craythur" is an expression to have some whiskey)
  • Whack fol the dah (non-lexical vocalsinging called "lilting"; see Scat singing and mouth music)
  • trotters (feet)
  • full (drunk)
  • mavourneen (my darling)
  • hould your gob (shut-up)
  • belt in the gob (punch in the mouth)
  • Shillelagh law (a brawl)
  • ruction (a fight)
  • bedad (an expression of shock)
  • Thanam 'on dhoul (your soul to the devil)

Non-English phrases:

  • The last part of the song where Tim Finnegan says, "D'ainm an diabhal", means "In the name of the devil", and comes from the Gaelic.
  • However, in other versions of the song, Tim says "Thunderin' Jaysus" or "Thanum an Dhul".

Read more about this topic:  Finnegan's Wake

Famous quotes containing the words uncommon, english, phrases and/or terms:

    The inspired scribbler always has the gift for gossip in our common usage ... he or she can always inspire the commonplace with an uncommon flavor, and transform trivialities by some original grace or sympathy or humor or affection.
    Elizabeth Drew (1887–1965)

    His character as one of the fathers of the English language would alone make his works important, even those which have little poetical merit. He was as simple as Wordsworth in preferring his homely but vigorous Saxon tongue, when it was neglected by the court, and had not yet attained to the dignity of a literature, and rendered a similar service to his country to that which Dante rendered to Italy.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    She loved Cecil; George made her nervous; will the reader explain to her that the phrases should have been reversed?
    —E.M. (Edward Morgan)

    I had a long day’s work, starting at eight in the morning and ending after nine at night, but in those days [we] ... did not think of our day in terms of hours. We liked our work, we were proud to do it well, and I am afraid that we were very, very happy.
    Louie Mayer (b. c. 1914)