So, just for fun, I am going to share some of the things I have discovered............
Jack be nimble
Jack be quick
Jack jump over the candle stick
It seems to be most commonly agreed that Jack was Black Jack, a late 16th century English pirate who was notorious for eluding and escaping from the authorities.
However, the 'jumping over the candle stick' does have several origins accredited to it. Candle leaping was a 'sport' that folk used to play at some English fayres which had developed from an even older game of leaping over fires. This had been considered too dangerous and banned and was subsequently substituted by candles.
Another theory goes back to lace-making school, where children were used as slave labour, it was traditional to dance around candlestick used to light their workspace which eventually lead to jumping over the candle.
Candles were incredibly expensive at that time and while the wealthy could afford candles made of beeswax, the poor could only buy the cheaper candles made from tallow (animal fat). These candles gave off a poor light and an unpleasant smell while the very poorest people used rush lights, made by collecting, then peeling off the green outer layer of rushes. The inner tissue was then dipped in to animal fat.
*** This statement caused a rather heated debate this morning - my heritage is English (as with all colony born people) - our forefathers(and mothers!) originate from Europe but we tend to be fiercely proud of our country of birth, in my case Africa. Hence me me saying 'As a non English, English speaking person'.
This weekend was the village garden festival, I will share photos and results tomorrow!
Hope your weekend was as sunny and warm as ours was :) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
However, the 'jumping over the candle stick' does have several origins accredited to it. Candle leaping was a 'sport' that folk used to play at some English fayres which had developed from an even older game of leaping over fires. This had been considered too dangerous and banned and was subsequently substituted by candles.
Another theory goes back to lace-making school, where children were used as slave labour, it was traditional to dance around candlestick used to light their workspace which eventually lead to jumping over the candle.
Candles were incredibly expensive at that time and while the wealthy could afford candles made of beeswax, the poor could only buy the cheaper candles made from tallow (animal fat). These candles gave off a poor light and an unpleasant smell while the very poorest people used rush lights, made by collecting, then peeling off the green outer layer of rushes. The inner tissue was then dipped in to animal fat.
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*** This statement caused a rather heated debate this morning - my heritage is English (as with all colony born people) - our forefathers(and mothers!) originate from Europe but we tend to be fiercely proud of our country of birth, in my case Africa. Hence me me saying 'As a non English, English speaking person'.
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This weekend was the village garden festival, I will share photos and results tomorrow!
Hope your weekend was as sunny and warm as ours was :) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ooh, what a lovely post - I didn't know that. Now I've got one for you - you're going to love this: I'm told that after the French invasion in 1066, the nobles spoke French and the common people spoke Anglo Saxon, and so we get our words for meat from French, and animals from Anglo Saxon - the French ate beef (boeuf) and mutton (mouton), the Anglo Saxons worked and farmed cows and sheep. Living history! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jane, I'd read that before and loved the connection with the posh names for the meal and the commoner's names for the animal - brilliant stuff this, thanks for reminding me! :)
ReplyDeleteI think your love of words and their derivatives must be inherited from your mother and grandmother!!! I too love seeing how and why words are formed. :>) xx
ReplyDeletePS Look forward to seeing the pictures of the Garden Festival too.
I love all of this stuff too...like Ring a Rosie being about the plague. I read a great book recently (the Time Travellers Guide to the Middle Ages) which explores the origins of our common language - as well as customs etc. Fascinating! xx
ReplyDeleteCount me in as being interested in the originals of our language.
ReplyDeleteYears ago I was listening to a tape Notes from a small island by Bill Bryson and I'm sure he said 'en' used to denote the plural form and today only a few of these words are still used today, ie children, oxen, bretheren, gentlemen. I feel there are others but I cannot remember them!
Your photo today is just amazing!! Called my husband over to see it, he said the same.
ReplyDeleteI am not so much into the origins of words or rhymes, but I love to see the differences in the way you spell words and the way we spell them here in the USA. Colour and Color for instance...we're a bit lazy with our spelling, me thinks. Off for a walk. Vicki
Love the photo, too. One of those well timed moments. Is it the causeway to Holy Island?
ReplyDeleteThank you all, it is something that interests me definately, words are so much deeper than they appear.
ReplyDeleteYes Julia - the causeway to the island, one of our favourite places to go x