Harlow Carr

[Brian Ellis]

Sorry Lesley you are mistaken.  I should think Harlow Carr takes it's name from the area.  Here in Norfolk we get a lot of alder carr which is an area around fens, swamps, broads, ponds etc where alder takes over.  I think it also applies to willow and probably other trees.  As there is a lake and river at Harlow Carr it seems possible that is the reason for the name.  I am sure someone will correct me!!

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Brian. Heaven knows I'm plenty opinionated, but I'm happy to be corrected if need be. The origins of words always interest me so I'll do a little research.

[Brian Ellis]

You're welcome Lesley, I agree with you about the origin of words.  Whilst I lay in bed last night I realised that there are areas in Norfolk called Westcarr etc and also that in the 30's - no I do not remember that the mere in the front of the house was an alder carr.  Isn't it strange how your mind gets to work when you want to get to sleep

[David Nicholson]

Thanks Brian. Heaven knows I'm plenty opinionated, but I'm happy to be corrected if need be. The origins of words always interest me so I'll do a little research.

Me too Lesley. Carr is from the old Norse word 'kjarr' meaning marshy woodland or shrub. The 'Vikings' had many strongholds in the North Yorkshire area (as well as in parts of East Anglia Brian). Clues to place names with Scandinavian roots are places with 'thorp(e)' in them or ending in '......by'.

My lot include my interest in the derivation of place names in the ever lengthening list of things they consider I could 'bore for England'!!

[Magnar]

Thanks Brian. Heaven knows I'm plenty opinionated, but I'm happy to be corrected if need be. The origins of words always interest me so I'll do a little research.

Me too Lesley. Carr is from the old Norse word 'kjarr' meaning marshy woodland or shrub.

That's most interesting, David. The word "kjerr" is still in common use here in North Norway, and it means shrubs growing tight together in the moors and mountains.

[David Nicholson]

Magnar, as you will know a great many words in everyday use in the modern English language are 'borrowed' from old Norse; from ancient Germanic languages that formed the basis of Old English; from Latin and old French. In my home county Yorkshire as well as in other counties in Northern England there are many words still used that derive from old Norse, ones I can bring to mind at the moment are:- fell- a hill; beck- a stream; crag- a cliff; force or foss- a waterfall; gate- a way or street; and my granddad used to go to work with his packed lunch which he called his bait.

[Lesley Cox]

Me too Lesley. Carr is from the old Norse word 'kjarr' meaning marshy woodland or shrub. The 'Vikings' had many strongholds in the North Yorkshire area (as well as in parts of East Anglia Brian). Clues to place names with Scandinavian roots are places with 'thorp(e)' in them or ending in '......by'.

and "Thwaite" of course. Do you think the Scottish name Kerr (pronounced as Karr by pretentious persons) has the same origin? Not that I'd suggest for a moment that such persons are "wet. "

Brian I too had a sleepless night, brought about by the fact that my car's fuel pump has packed up and the cert of fitness and registration are both due and I have a large ($500) dental bill arrived yesterday. The problems are compounded by the fact that yesterday I did a little watering, just some newly sown seeds, turned the hose off at the business end but forgot to turn it off at the tap. In the course of the night the pressure has built up (we are on rain water which is delivered to house and garden from our big storage tank by a pump), blew the hose off the tap and proceeded to empty the tank. No water in the house this morning. Down to me, so I'll be paying for the water. I'm waiting for a water tanker to arrive and two men to collect and tow my car. I hope it will be ready today so I can go to work tomorrow. 20kms too far to walk and no public transport anywhere near here.  A bad few days.

Oh well, I've had a good moan now, so back to the thread.

[Magnar]

Magnar, as you will know a great many words in everyday use in the modern English language are 'borrowed' from old Norse; from ancient Germanic languages that formed the basis of Old English; from Latin and old French. In my home county Yorkshire as well as in other counties in Northern England there are many words still used that derive from old Norse, ones I can bring to mind at the moment are:- fell- a hill; beck- a stream; crag- a cliff; force or foss- a waterfall; gate- a way or street; and my granddad used to go to work with his packed lunch which he called his bait.

Yes. I remember when we visited friends near Grimsby some years ago they referred to a small stream we passed while out walking as a beck.. the Norwegian word is "bekk".  Norwegian for waterfall is "foss", in Sweden and in dialects up here it is "fors", and street is "gate". Fell I guess is from "fjell" which means mountain.

[David Nicholson]

Magnar, as you will know a great many words in everyday use in the modern English language are 'borrowed' from old Norse; from ancient Germanic languages that formed the basis of Old English; from Latin and old French. In my home county Yorkshire as well as in other counties in Northern England there are many words still used that derive from old Norse, ones I can bring to mind at the moment are:- fell- a hill; beck- a stream; crag- a cliff; force or foss- a waterfall; gate- a way or street; and my granddad used to go to work with his packed lunch which he called his bait.

Yes. I remember when we visited friends near Grimsby some years ago they referred to a small stream we passed while out walking as a beck.. the Norwegian word is "bekk".  Norwegian for waterfall is "foss", in Sweden and in dialects up here it is "fors", and street is "gate". Fell I guess is from "fjell" which means mountain.

My granddads packed lunch (his bait) is from the Old Norse 'beita'-food

[Lesley Cox]

Fish bait being food with which to catch fish. And did you read the wonderful books by Arthur Ramsome? The Amazons ("Swallows and Amazons") lived at Beckfoot, and they all explored the fells above the lakes, especially in "Pigeon Post" and "Great Northern." What super stories these were, and still are. I re-read them every few years.

[Gerdk]

To the word " beck ":
What an interesting origin! In my region we call a small stream "Beeke".
I thought this was only of local use. When I had a look in a dictionary I learned that it is a widespread expression in low German.
Gerd Knoche
Solingen, Germany

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Dutch for small river is "beek" ... and we also had Vikings visiting here in the dark ages.
Actually, visiting Norway a number of years ago I found out that a number of our Flemish dialect words sounded similar in Norwegian.

[David Nicholson]

Those Scandinavians have a lot to answer for

[Magnar]

Dutch for small river is "beek" ... and we also had Vikings visiting here in the dark ages.
Actually, visiting Norway a number of years ago I found out that a number of our Flemish dialect words sounded similar in Norwegian.

Thats right, Luc, many words are the same or almost the same in Dutch and Norwegian. But I think that's most of all because they both belong to the same language group: The Germanic languages. And I have also found that Dutch sailors ( I think) have brought quite some Dutch words to Norway, especially to the south west coast.

[mark smyth]

just found this interesting, hijacked post, and know another word we share but I dont know how to spell it. neb = nose or beak