I be maggled to dyeath from all this dinkin’. Er’s the mwust keck-anded thing as ever sin in thee life; a scrimpy, slommocks lapp’n making motherish egg-flip and thee eggs he on. What a cattle!

Say what?

OXFORD is known as a prestigious hub of education, literature and history, but how did the people that lived here – and in the county – talk more than 100 years ago?

In an 1876 glossary called ‘Oxfordshire Words’, the words and phrases that were used in the 19th century are presented, some of which seem rather peculiar in this day.

Many of words that are no longer used have intriguing meanings. Among them are ‘slommocks’, which means an untidy person, ‘ooden-’eaded’ or wooden-headed which means stupid, and ‘maggled’ meaning hot and tired.

Also read: Oxford English Dictionary appeals for words about work

Although there are many words that have vanished from speech, there are others that we still use today.

Muggy, nighty-nighty, fidget and peek are just some of the phrases that remain familiar today.

The book, written by a collection of authors, explores different dialects around the country.

Oxford Mail:

Oxfordshire words has been collated from villages such as Eynsham, Hanborough, North Leigh, South Leigh and Barnard Gate.

Simon Horobin, Professor of English Language and Literature at Oxford University and author of ‘How English Became English’, said: “Dialect usage of this period tends to be a reflection of the way that communities were more rural and isolated.

Also read: Is this Oxford's most expensive home?

“Some of the regional terms attested for Oxfordshire of this period reflect its more rural status and consequent greater attention to, and concern with, the countryside.”

These are words for birds such as ‘yallaommer’ or ‘yellowomber’, which are names for the yellowhammer, or insects like the ‘lockchest’ or ‘lockchester’ which is a woodlouse, and ‘errewig’ which is an ‘earwig’.

The professor said that other words are grammatical forms that were passed on because they were in very common use at the time, such as words like ‘eirself’ which means ‘theirself’, ‘bist’ which means ‘are’, and ‘dwun’t’ which means ‘don’t’.

Professor Horobin said: “In 1800 the standard language was in its infancy and consequently regional forms did not have the same lowly social connotations. Regional variants like these are a natural feature of a living language used over a wide geographical area.

“It is only because of the introduction of a standard form - based on the London dialect - that we have come to view these forms as incorrect or socially disadvantageous.”

He added: “Since regional dialects were mostly used in conversation with other members of the community, they were viewed as perfectly acceptable means of communication.”

Nine 19th century words we still use today:

1. Egg on

2. Fidget

3. Frock

4. Muck

5. Muddle

6. Muggy

7. Nighty-nighty

8. Peek

9. Slouch

Eleven forgotten phrases:

1. Keck’anded – left-handed, clumsy

2. Ooden-‘eadded – wooden-headed, stupid

3. Slommocks – an untidy, loosely dressed person

4. Lapp’n – a silly person

5. Tay – tea

6. Motherish – when making egg-flip (egg nog) if it turns out curdled it is said to be motherish

7. Maggled – tired out, hot and tired

8. Dinks – to dance a baby in one’s arms

9. Cattle – confusion ‘What a cattle!’

10. Scrimpy – little, mean, poor

11. Scrunch – to eat quickly and noisily