All text from Berkshire Words and Phrases by Rev. M J Bacon.
BERKSHIRE BORDERS
The original author notes that those on the Wiltshire side of Berkshire used different words from those on the Hampshire side. Being a 'squashed in' county this is hardly surprising!
ABOUT THESE BERKSHIRE WORDS
"... next to verbs and adjectives, the names given to birds and animals, implements or any common object, would determine a man's county."
KICKSHINS
"... and forty years ago it was the regular custom, when two carters stopped at a way-side public-house, for the men to shake hands first, in token of friendship, and then to indulge in the pastime of either cutlegs or kickshins, the former consisting of the men standing apart, and lashing each others legs with their long cart whips till one cried 'hold', while in kickshins each man took firm grip of is opponent by twisting both hands in the over lapping collar of his smock frock, and then kicking with his hob-nailed boots at the other's shins, the vanguished one of course paying for both pots of ale before they started once more on their respective journeys. There was living in the Lambourn valley, less than forty years ago, a man who was considered the champion of the county side, and his shins were knotted and bent and twisted in the most remarkable manner, as the result of his numerous encounters."
A
Aks - ask
Athurt thur - over there
Arg - argue
B
Breakstuff - breakfast
Bristle - expressing a sharp active fellow
Briffut - expressing a sharp active fellow, or perhaps a terrier. e.g. briffut about in search of rats.
C
Clapse - clasp
Chuff - sharp. e.g. a sharp or quick mannered man
Casualty - risky. Hollies being considered casualty things to plant. Casualty weather in hay making time is risky weather (perhaps heavy rain).
Caddle - muddle
Coomither - come hither, come this way.
D
Droo Wet - wet through from rain.
Deedy - careful, wary, cautious.
Ducket - small bill hook for cutting faggots.
Dasher - wagtail (bird)
Dal-lee! - exclamation of surprise, excitement, or satisfaction.
E
Eddish - newly mown hay.
F
Fess - sharp. e.g. a sharp or quick mannered man.
Feart(ish) - used to emphasis an expression.
Ferrick - fidget. to be in a ferrick is to be in a fidget.
Fogger - forager.
G
(none)
H
Hapse - hasp.
Hechatty - onomatopoeia, applied to a cough.
Heft - weight. Hefty is weighty. To poise anything in the hand to test its weight would be to heft it.
Huck - to dig up, or empty.
I
(none)
J
(none)
K
Kite, Kite up - look up sharply or peeringly.
Kickshins - pastime.
"Each man took a firm grip of his opponent by twisting both hands in the overlapping collar of his smock frock, and then kicking with his hob nailed boots at the other's shins..."
L
(none)
M
Main - used to emphasis an expression i.e. main deedy.
Margiowlet - small white moth.
Mouldiwarp - steady plodding mole (also called a want).
N
Nuncheon - elevenses.
Nalpasser - bradawl.
Nippens - bird's claws.
O
Overright - opposite.
P
Plim - swell.
Pruff - sharp. Of vegetation such as young shoots or buds.
Peart - sharp.
Peaked (pronounced pikkid) - pointed, as the end of a stick.
Pe-Pe bird - wry neck or cuckoo's mate.
Q
Quilt - swallow.
Quisiting - inquisitive.
Querky - querulous.
R
(none)
S
Stomachy - proud, self-willed.
Sprack - sharp.
Smart - used to qualify another word e.g a smart few or rain smartish
Shackelty - shaky
T
Tar'blish - shortening of tolerablish.
Tuck - pluck, applied to dressing the sides of a newly made rick with the hand to make it trim and neat.
Tang - sting or bite.
Tedding out - spreading hay out in the sun after it has been mown.
Tallut - man who tends the cattle (herdsmen).
Tushes - dog's fangs.
Tom - male or cock bird.
U
Unked - awkward (in the sense of obstinate or troublesome).
V
(none)
W
Wangery - languid.
Worriting - worrying, to worrit or terrify being synomymous
XYZ
Yaffingal - woodpecker (bird).
Young Radical - troublesome boy.
