Scandinavian influence on Southern Lowland Scotch / A contribution to the study of the linguistic relations of English and Scandinavian

by George T. Flom

Skogy, adj. shady. Douglas, III, 1, 21, 16. See scoug.

Skrech, skrik, sb. a scream, yell. C.S., 39; Rolland, IV, 336. O. N. Norse skrik, a cry, a yell, skrikja, vb. Dan. skrig. Cu. skrike to scream. Eng. shriek < O. E. *scrician.

Skryp, sb. bag. Dunbar, F., 509. O. N. skreppa, a bag, Norse skreppa, Dan. skreppe, Sw. skräppa, id.

Skugg, sb. a shadow. Dunbar, III, 24, 12. O. N. skuggi. See skog. Cp. skog, vb. to hide. Isaiah, XXVIII, 15.

Skyle, vb. to hide, cover. Jamieson, quotation from Henryson. O. N. skjúla, O. Ic. skjóla, to screen, shelter, Norse skjula, Dan. skjul, Sw. skyla, Fer. skỹla, Shetland skail, skol, cover, protect. Our word corresponds most closely to the Fer. word. Both are developed out of O. N. skjúla. Cp. O. N. mjúkr > meek, in standard Eng. Norse skjula has preserved the original unumlauted vowel. The O. N. word was pronounced sk-iula or sk-júla. Cp. skjenka, which is N. Norse dial. sheinka. From skj developed sh in shielin.

Skyrin, adj. shining, conspicuous because of brightness, showy. Burns, 210, 87, 3. O. N. skirr, clear, bright, skira, to make clear, skýra, to purify. (Cp. Norse skjerr-torsdag, O. N. skiriþorsdagr, Maundy Thursday.) O. E. scir > N. Eng. sheer.

Slaik, vb. to smooth, to lick. L.L., 457, 2173. O. N. slæikja, to lick, Norse sleikja, Dan. slikke, O. Sw. slekia, Sw. dial. släkja. The Eng. word slick, with a short vowel, corresponds exactly to the Dan. word, but may be native. Cp. M. L. G. slicken. Slikke in Dan. may be a loan-word from L. G. The Sco. slaik corresponds in every way to the O. N., and is certainly a loan-word proved by quality and quantity of vowel.

Slak, sb. a pit, a hollow in the ground, hollow place. Bruce, XIV, 536; R.R., 769. O. N. slakki, a slope, Norse slakke, Dan. slank. Exhibits W. Scand. assimilation of nk to kk. Cu. slack, a shallow dell (Dickinson), Kent, slank.

Sle, adj. experienced, skillful. Bruce, XVI, 355; XVII, 44. O. N. slægr, O. Ic. slægr, Eng. sly. See Skeat.

Sleek, adj. neat, prancing, said of a horse. Burns, 7, 1, 1. O. N. slikr, smooth. Sleikit, smooth, Dunbar, 567, 38; Burns, 117, 114. See Skeat, under sleek, slick.