Now - a spot of etymology (From Gazette & Herald)

Now - a spot of etymology

IN December last year, the word 'teefall' was introduced by Vera Goodwill of Terrington, and since then it's been 'going the rounds'. I think we've reached the definitive stage now. Because of the way in which the word 'tea' is spoken in this part of the country, it often comes out like 'tear'. Thus, the word was thought to be spelled perhaps as 'tearfall', because that was mostly how it was pronounced.

However, the answer came to me on Saturday morning when I met old friends from Hovingham who put me wise. It is, in fact, spelled just as it is written, which is 'tierfall', and when explained to me it all fell into place. A 'tier' is something which is at a lower, or a different level to its neighbour, and one would refer to a roof as having not much 'fall' on it, or whatever. Thus a fall is the roof, and the tier is the fact that it is lower than the next one, and so we end up with 'tierfall'.

I can't find the word in any dictionary, neither can a Pickering reader who wrote to tell me that he has a list of 2,600 Yorkshire words, and it's not there either. However I assume I've worked out the etymology correctly - unless someone has different ideas!

Lack of eccles cakes was another earlier subject, and Mrs Bateman of Kirkbymoorside sent me a message to say that Nicholson's of Helmsley have these, and that they are excellent. If you remember, this is where you can obtain your Force cereals too. Some shops 'shine' don't they!

A recent report in the Gazette & Herald tells that certain planning matters could be dealt with by planning office employees, and not by committee, in future. This is a very disturbing turn of events, for 'Government of the people, by the people' is what local government is all about, and sliding out of that responsibility, and pushing it over to the employees is not the way it should go. This is, as I see it, an undemocratic state of affairs, for already we are governed largely by a huge army of bureaucrats at a higher level, and if one looks at the state of affairs in other countries where this is the norm, it is open to all sorts of problems. With councillors now being paid for the privilege of serving their fellow men, then this is what they should continue to do. Delegation will lead to considerable expense, because more highly-paid staff will be needed and who knows where it will end. For they in turn will need clerical assistance, more office space, and more office equipment - it just snowballs along. A committee of people is a far fairer way of reaching a decision than that of just one person. This must be remembered before any committee responsibilities are shed.

Another press report tells me that a road was closed, because of a car crash, for seven hours. This surely is unheard of. I appreciate there was a fatality and serious injury involved, but this lengthy road closure, which seems to be the norm these days, needs investigating closely. At one time, when the highways were patrolled by a road traffic vehicle, with usually only one person aboard, he was the one who attended to a crash. He organised the vehicle recovery operation, the ambulance service dealt with the casualties, and the number one aim was to get the road safe and passable for other road users, and as quickly as possible. Sometimes there was a wait for a photographer, but if traffic conditions demanded it, measurements would be taken and the vehicles got off the highway, and the photographer dispensed with. I appreciate that time and people have changed, yet all the modern equipment we have today hasn't meant that things are done any quicker, in fact quite the reverse, and an hour to measure up, and another to clear the wreckage should be what should be aimed for. It means getting a move one, but as long as there is the ability to close the road, then any urgency to get things moving goes on the back burner and the hours start adding up. But seven!

Christmas holidays always seem to be a time when the country comes to a complete standstill. Well all right, so it's Christmas, but getting cracking again is worse still. I'm sure the farmers milked their cows over the holidays, yet needing some milk after Boxing Day and after trying three shops before lunch with no success I gave up and bought some sterilised. It's January 2, as I write this, and the country is still asleep, and I expect won't wake up until Monday the 6th, and then reluctantly.

New Year's resolution! "If you resolve to give up smoking, drinking and loving, you don't actually live longer; it just seems longer." Anon.

Updated: 11:13 Wednesday, January 15, 2003