A reader left this comment on yesterday's post:
"mommucked"?"grass cutter"?What language are you speaking down there?Little help, please?
My, my, my....I guess we do live in another world way out here.
[Dum, dee, dum, dum.....interlude as I reach for my dictionary and look up mommuck, not only to offer the "dictionary definition" but to verify that it's a real word.]
Lo and behold, it's not in my Webster's. I know it's not a common word, but I thought it was one of those old-time, almost lost words that just happened to survive on Ocracoke. So I go to www.dictionary.com. What do I discover?? Well, I'm not going to spoil the fun and tell you. So, please, just click here and type in "mommuck." Very interesting.
As for grass cutter, I imagine the meaning of that is clear. But to explain a bit....I suppose this term is peculiar to Ocracoke because it's only recently that anyone has had a real "lawn" to "mow." Years ago the chickens (and sheep and goats) kept the sandy yards trimmed. Later on, as grass popped up here and there in ragged patches, folks imported those fancy new gadgets and used them simply to "cut the grass." Thus, grass cutters.
Do you know what a spider is? Or a cricket? How about a frock? Or a tomb? Pretty some? Puck? Maybe I'll address these one day, too.
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I had never used the word "frock" in my life until moving to England 21 years ago, where it's still in usage (although not as commonly as in the past). A frock is, of course, a dress. I even say frock myself occasionally, but usually only when referring to a formal dress.
ReplyDeleteMy family and I are crossing the pond in exactly 4 weeks' time to spend the remainder of July on Ocracoke. The days can't pass quickly enough for me and we're all so excited about our trip!