mither

[prettygoodword]

mither (MAY-thur) - v.i., to fuss over or moan about something. v.t., to pester or irritate someone.


Also, a Scots variant of mother, but that's not the meaning of interest here. Used primarily in northern England. First appeared in the late 17th century, origin unknown, but compare Welsh moedrodd, to worry or bother, and meidda, to beg for whey.

---L.

Comments

[movingfinger.livejournal.com]

I find the similarity of both of these words to "mother" and cognates HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT.

[thistleingrey.livejournal.com]

FWIW, OED3 2002 says s.v. "moider" (of which "mither" is a variant):

Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈmɔɪdə/ , U.S. /ˈmɔɪdər/
Forms: 16– moidher, 16– moyder, 17 moyther, 17– moider, 18– mauther, 18– modder (Sc.), 18– moidar, 18– moidur, 18– moither, 18– moodher, 19– mother
Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps < Irish modartha dark, murky, morose (Early Irish modarda sullen, sad), of uncertain origin. Compare mither v.

Welsh mwydro, moedro to bewilder, perplex (18th cent.) has been adduced as a possible cognate of the Irish word, but is probably borrowed < English.

Chiefly Irish English, Manx English and Eng. regional (north. and midl.).

I am interested in that "late 17th century" bit, partly because OED3 2002 gives s.v. "mither,"

Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈmʌɪðə/ , U.S. /ˈmaɪðər/
Forms: 18 mayther, 18 meither, 18 meyther, 18– mither, 18– myther.
Etymology: Variant of moider v.
orig. Eng. regional (north. and midl.).

and gives only C19 quotations despite those C18 forms. Sloppy, OED editors, sloppy.

In my limited experience, if the word had gone from Welsh to English, the vowel would've changed more.

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

Innnnnnteresting data there.

---L.