The Sea & Me Manual RURAL ABC S 1998 Shelburne County Learning Network Stories and exercises written by: Rhonda Tufts-Blades, B.A., M.A. Separate PDF documents are available by topic Introduction Fishing Holidays Parenting Black Loyalist History Native History Rural ABC's Pets in the Country Life Experiences Life Skills Seasons Rural Life Acadian Culture A Patchwork of Ideas Bibliography
TABLE OF CONTENTS RURAL ABC'S "Rural ABC's" Word Search Rural ABC's Answer Key RURAL ABC'S Many of the words and phrases in this section were inspired by Shelburne author and historian Marion Robertson's wonderful collection of Shelburne County folklore entitled The Chestnut Pipe.(6) At the time of printing, Mrs. Robertson resides at the Roseway Manor in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. After a writing career that spanned more than 50 years and produced hundreds of historical essays, as well as seven books, she is no longer able to write. Mrs. Robertson's work, however, still forms the basis of most historical information available on Shelburne County and its history. Marion Robertson has won numerous awards over the years, perhaps the most prestigious being the Order of Canada, presented by the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia in 1993. 6 Marion Robertson, The Chestnut Pipe Halifax: Nimbus Publishing, 1991) 203-261.
A B C D ABOARD AGROUND ANCHOR AQUACULTURE AXE BAIT BARREL BARRENS BLUEBERRY BUCKLE (also known as blueberry grunt or blueberry fungy.) A blueberry and dumpling combination, usually eaten as a dessert, but sometimes eaten as a main meal. BOAT BOW BRINE BUCKSAW BUOY CAPLOG - the log or timber around the edge of a wharf or boat landing; a curbing CAPTAIN CHOPPY COCKERWIT - the Mi'kmaq name for the area now called Woods Harbour. A COCKERWITTER is a person who lives in Woods Harbour. COD COMPASS CRAB CUBBY HOLE DOCK DOLLARD - a two-arm cleat on a wharf to hold a boat's rope DOLLY DOLPHINS - fixed buoys marking safe passage through sand and mud flats to deep water DORY DUNE
E F G H I EASTERLY EEL FIG OF TOBACCO - block of chewing tobacco FISH FLATCALM - still water FLOUNDER FOGGY GAFF GANNETT GLOVE GROANER - fog horn GROUNDFISH - fish caught near the ocean's bottom - cod, haddock, pollock, redfish GROUND SWELL - strange swelling of the ocean near the shore GULL GULLY GUNWALE HACKMATACK - the tamarack tree HALIBUT HAUL HERRING HEW - to chop HIP WADERS - hip-high rubber boots HOE HONEYSUCKLE HULL ICE ICICLE
J K L M N O JELLYFISH JIG JONAH - (also JONER) person bringing bad luck KAYAK KEEL KEG KIACK - gaspereaux. Also called ALEWIVES. Similar to herring. KNEAD KNIT LAND LUBBERperson who stays on shore and does not go out on the water LAUNCH LIGHTHOUSE LOFT MARSH MAST MOORING MOOSE MEAT MULCH MUSCLE NARY - not one, none NAUTICAL NIPPERS - a thick band of knitted wool worn around the palm of the hand by lobstermen when hauling pots by hand. Also STALLS. NO-SEE-UMS - tiny gnats and flies that appear in the summertime NOVIES - American name for Cape Island fishing boats OAR OILSKINS - cotton outer garments made waterproof by soaking the cotton in raw linseed oil, mixed with yellow ochre or lamp or coal black for colour OX HAUL
P Q R S PANTRY PEA SOUP - very thick fog PINK WINK - a peeper, or frog PITCH IN - to help PLANK POGIE - employment insurance benefits POLLYWOG - tadpole POPPLE - silver or white poplar PORT - nautical term for left POT SMASHER - severe storm at sea that smashes lobster pots and washes them ashore in the heavy tides PUTTER - to spend time doing nothing important QUAIL QUILLS - sharp needles on pine trees (also SPILLS) RAT RHUBARB ROBIN ROUND FISH - fresh cod or haddock, headed and gutted but not split. SAVANNAH - open expanse of level land, moist but not soggy like a swamp, covered with stunted black spruce and hackmatack, and a ground cover of kilkid, swamp laurel, Indian pitcher plants, and bog cotton SCALLOP SHACK - cod, hake, and herring. Also to shake bait off a hook so the hook can be rebaited. SHARK SHRIMP SKIPPER - master of a fishing boat SLIME SLOSH SMELT SMIDGEN - a very small amount SMOKE HOUSE SPLICE
STARBOARD - nautical term for right STARFISH STEAM STERN STOOP - a porch SWIM T U V W TATTLETAIL THOLE PINS - wooden pegs in the gunwale of a boat to hold the oars in place TIN EAR - unable to distinguish different musical notes TINKER - undersized lobster TRAWL TURTLE UDDER VALLEY VAPOUR VARNISH VEAL VEER VEGETABLE VEHICLE VERANDA VESSEL VESTRY - room or building attached to a church, used to store special robes worn during service. VILLAGE VOLUNTEER WEATHER GLASS - barometer WIDOW MAKER - the bowsprit of a sailing vessel, from which many sailors fell carrying the foot of a sail forward WIDOW'S WALK - (also CAPTAIN'S WALK OR WATCH) railed platform on the roof of a house, reached by a ladder from the attic floor. Where many anxious wives watched for the sight of their husbands' returning ships
X Y Z XMAS - an abbreviation for Christmas. The "X" stands for "Christ." YACHT YAP YARD YARN - a story YELP YOKE YOLK ZIG-ZAG ZIP ZOOM
"Rural ABC's" Word Search The words can be found forwards, backwards, sideways and upside down. AXE BRINE COCKERWITTER DOLPHIN EEL FOGHORN GROUNDFISH HOE ICICLE JIG KEEL LIGHTHOUSE MOOSEMEAT NIPPERS OAR OCEAN OILSKINS POTSMASHER PORT QUILLS RHUBARB STARBOARD SHACK SEA TINKER UDDER WEATHERGLASS YACHT ZOOM
RURAL ABC'S ANSWER KEY > Many of the words in this section have origins that date back hundreds of years, and it is interesting to learn how many of these old words are still in use today. Even if the words are old-fashioned or no longer used, it is still useful to learn to recognize them and know their definitions, especially since some of them cannot be found in a dictionary. We have attempted to provide as many local examples as possible, without employing and thereby encouraging the use of slang. Some words should also demonstrate how two words can sound the same but look different and have different meanings. The words and phrases collected under each letter of the alphabet will assist the learner in recognizing common (or unusual) words on sight. These may be entered in the learner's personal dictionary, and they may spark a discussion as to their meaning, which is provided in the case of a particularly interesting word or phrase. They also can be used to form sentences, which will demonstrate the learner's understanding of their meanings.