scrogglings

[prettygoodword]

Forgotten English Friday!


scrogglings - "The small, worthless apples which are left hanging on the trees after the crop has been gathered; Worcestershire. Scriggins, apples left on a tree after the ingathering; Glocestershire." —James Halliwell, Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words, 1855


A little digging about finds that both forms as well as "scrigglings" were used in Glocestershire, and a glossary of medieval words also has it (without any identification of region). No etymology found.

Scrogglings!

---L.

Comments

[janni.livejournal.com]

"You, you, you're ... no better than a scroggling, you ungrateful child, you. Kids these days ..."

Also, Scroggling would be an excellent title for both a YA and a picture book.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Can't you totally see a book called that? And with a bunch of ragamuffin main characters? Excellent.

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

You are not the only person to suggest it'd be a useful nickname for children.

---L.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

My English mother-in-law has a special word for windfall apples that you don't eat but use for cooking.... right now all I can think of, though, is my husband talking about scrumpy, a kind of Dorset cider.

Interestingly, Wikipedia says this: "Ciders made in the West Country are often called "scrumpy", from "scrump",[30] a local dialect term for a small or withered apple. "--so maybe a connection to scrogglings :-)

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

Me, I'm wondering whether Scroggling would make a good band name. Little Ed and the Scrogglings, or something like that. Playing Friday nights in a pub in Gloucester.

---L.

[azhdragon.livejournal.com]

the term is "scrumping", and also (sometimes) applies to the picking up of unconsidered trifles (ie, petty theft).

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Awesome--thank you!

[paulakate.livejournal.com]

That's a great and useful word, thank you!

[paulakate.livejournal.com]

Oh look, "scroggle" also means to gather holly for Christmas http://www.dictionary.co.uk/word/scroggle ...

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

*blink* *blink*

Thaaaaat's interesting.

---L.