PATTERSON ON NEWFOUNDLAND DIALECT. lv 
Pook, a hay cock. Wright gives it as in Westmoreland and Halliwell 
as in Somerset used in the same sense. 
Prong, a hay or fish fork. This is the meaning given by Johnson, 
who does not mention it as denoting one tine of a fork. So Wright 
gives it as an old English word denoting a hay fork. 
Putter along, an old English form still in use in New England for 
‘ potter,” to walk languidly or to labor inefficiently. 
Quism, a quaint saying or conundrum. In Anglo-Saxon. from 
ewethan to say comes cwiss a saying. 
The Newfoundlanders have also the word quisit¢ze, to ask questions 
of one, but it seems to be of different origin. 
Rampike, a dead spruce or pine tree still standing. It is used in the 
same sense by the woodsmen of the Maritime Provinces, and probably 
of New England. It is probably the same as the old English word 
rampick, an adjective, “ applied to the bough of a tree, which has lesser 
branches standing out at its extremity,” (Wright). 
Ramshorn, a wooden pound for washing fish in. But Wright gives 
it as a Somerset word denoting a sort of net to enclose fish that come in 
with the tide. So Halliwell. 
Randy is used both asa noun and a verb, of the amusement of 
coasting. ‘‘ Give usa randy” or ‘the boys are randying.” In Anglo- 
Saxon it means boisterous, and ‘‘on the randy” meant living in 
debauchery. The word is retained in Scotland, where it means a romp 
or frolic, but generally in an unfavorable sense. 
Roke or roak, smoke or vapor (Anglo-Saxon, veocan, to smoke), the 
same as reek in old English and Scotch. Thus Shakespeare : 
‘* Her face doth reek and smoke.” — Venus and Adonis, 555. 
Still used poetically 
** Culloden shall veek with the blood of the brave.”—Campbell. 
Robustious, is an old English word used by Milton, the same in 
meaning as robust, originally used in a favorable sense, but coming to 
mean violent and unruly. Hence it became a term of reproach, and 
finally fell out of use. But the Newfoundlanders still use it, or the 
similar word robustic, in its original favorable signification. 
Ructions. This word is used in Newfoundland to denote noisy quar- 
rellings. I had supposed that it was Irish and a corruption of insur- 
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