Forest of Dean FHT Forum - Varmint definitely means...

Varmint definitely means... (reply)

slowhands — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 16:03:12 +0000

Varmint definitely is derived from vermin. It's not just a Forest of Dean term though as it's still commonly used here, in Yorkshire,too. In fact I'm surprised they use the term in the F of D as I thought it was Yorkshire dialect, like the use of spice for sweets and mester for mister.
I'd be interested to know more of the F of D dialect.
Best Wishes.
Helen B

varmint (ˈvɑːmɪnt)
— n
informal - an irritating or obnoxious person or animal

[C16: dialect variant of varmin vermin ]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009

Varmint definitely means... (reply)

unknown — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:56:21 +0000

An interesting thought, quite a few yorkshire mining folk moved to the Forest, my great grand parents and their family were amongst them. As a child my great uncle, who was born in Normanton, often used words such as varmint.

Vorest speak (reply)

Denise Thompson — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:52:21 +0000

Hello everyone,
Thanks to all of you for this interesting discussion.I will follow up on your suggestions re You Tube etc, and I'm pleased to be set right on the pronunciation.

Vorest speak (reply)

slowhands — Mon, 28 May 2012 22:45:22 +0000

Arising from this, I think I've seen somewhere a reference to a compendium of Forest words. Can anyone point me to it, please?

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=12678

Varmint definitely means... (reply)

rookancestrybest — Mon, 28 May 2012 20:37:43 +0000

Varmint definitely is derived from vermin. It's not just a Forest of Dean term though as it's still commonly used here, in Yorkshire,too. In fact I'm surprised they use the term in the F of D as I thought it was Yorkshire dialect, like the use of spice for sweets and mester for mister.
I'd be interested to know more of the F of D dialect.
Best Wishes.
Helen B

Pronunciation of St Briavels (reply)

peteressex — Mon, 28 May 2012 06:26:27 +0000

Definitely Bre-valls/Brevells. I remember my Lydney grandparents correcting me in the 1950s when I, a London curiosity and fool, said "Br-eye-a-vels."

I also agree about the distinct "land" rather than "lund" in "Newland" and can also recall my grandfather's pronunciation "Roo-ar-dean" for Ruardean rather than "Rur-dean" (which might be attributable to the old spelling "Rewardine") and a fairly distinct "ford" rather than "ferd" in Coleford and Cinderford, "wall" in Milkwall, and "well" in Clearwell, and, further afield, "Boorton", never "Burton", -on-the-Water and -on-the-Hill. However, we seem to have been spared a "ham" in Newnham.

Local accents, brogues, burrs, twangs, or whatever you want to call them, are a great national treasure but diminishing with global broadcasting and, sometimes, a desire to sound educated. I shall refrain from identifying a few people I know who nowadays only become Forest boys after a few pints.

Arising from this, I think I've seen somewhere a reference to a compendium of Forest words. Can anyone point me to it, please? I can remember plimsolls being called "pumps" and that when I misbehaved I was a "young varmint" which, without undue self-deprecation, I assume was a variant of "vermin."

Pronunciation of St Briavels (reply)

Jefff — Thu, 24 May 2012 02:08:48 +0000

For my sins I don't recall ever visiting the village, it being the "wrong" ;-) end of the Forest for us residents of newfangled Cinderford...., but I had a close schoolfriend from the village and of course (being ladies) the above are correct.

This site may possibly help you, Denise
http://www.st-briavels.com/AboutStBriavels.htm

and they helpfully say "St. Briavels (pronounced "Brevels")"...etc.

Good luck with your presentation !

Pronunciation of St Briavels (reply)

alison2 — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:41:00 +0000

I was born and brought up in St Briavels - it is Pronounced Brev-alls.

Pronunciation of St Briavels (reply)

m p griffiths — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:00:03 +0000

You could also go into 'Youtube'

and enter St Briavels Forest of Dean -

there are a number of short commented films...

Including

The Royal Forest of Dean - about 4.5 minutes and very informative - where it talks about the Hundred of St Brev-alls....

A Short Guided Tour of St Briavels Castle - about 9.51 minutes (with a member of Staff)

etc. etc.

Pronunciation of St Briavels (reply)

margaretmc — Tue, 22 May 2012 08:48:23 +0000

Hello,
I have always heard it pronounced "Brevilles". I don't live there but have often visited the area. However, I might add that I have only recently learnt that locals pronounce Newland with the emphasis on "land" so I have mis-pronounced that one all my life!

Best wishes,
Margaret.

Pronunciation of St Briavels

admin — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:43:33 +0000

Hello,

I am preparing a family and social history presentation, hopefully to be given at my local U3A history group. Part of it includes my ancestry in the Forest of Dean. As an Australian I confess I have no idea how "Briavels" is pronounced. Is it "Br-eye-ay-vels", "Brevilles" etc?
Not wanting to make a complete fool of myself I am hoping you can help.
Thanks and regards,
Denise Thompson, Sydney.