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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
English in UK

Newbie posting - "oont"

I grew up in North Staffs, where there are many wondeful dialect words, one of which is "oont" or "woont", meaning "mole", i.e the small burrowing furry animal. I understand that this word is also known in Gloucestershire.
Can anyone suggest the etymology of this word. I presume it has a Celtic or Saxon root, given that the two places where it is still used are so far apart. Any ideas?
Nick.
  

Top answer

[nq:1]I grew up in North Staffs, where there are many wondeful dialect words, one of which is "oont" or "woont", ... Celtic or Saxon root, given that the two places where it is still used are so far apart. [/nq] Not much help but a quick (UK) Google on "dialect" and "mole" suggests other similar versions - "unty tump" for a mole hill in Radnorshire and "uhmtie-tumps" in Norfolk.

— Usenet

  • [nq:1]I grew up in North Staffs, where there are many wondeful dialect words, one of which is "oont" or "woont", ...
  • Celtic or Saxon root, given that the two places where it is still used are so far apart.
  • [/nq] Not much help but a quick (UK) Google on "dialect" and "mole" suggests other similar versions - "unty tump" for a mole hill in Radnorshire and "uhmtie-tumps" in Norfolk.
  • A "want-catcher/cont catcher" for a mole catcher in Wilts.
  • "Want" for a mole in both Devon and Durham/Tyneside.
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5 Answers
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[nq:1]I grew up in North Staffs, where there are many wondeful dialect words, one of which is "oont" or "woont", ... Celtic or Saxon root, given that the two places where it is still used are so far apart. Any ideas?[/nq]
Not much help but a quick (UK) Google on "dialect" and "mole" suggests other similar versions - "unty tump" for a mole hill in Radnorshire and "uhmtie-tumps" in Norfolk. A "w
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[nq:1]Not much help but a quick (UK) Google on "dialect" and "mole" suggests other similar versions - "unty tump" for ... an OED entry if anyone can find it. "Mole" seems to be from Middle Low German via Middle Dutch (COD)[/nq]
Ta-daa (under 'want,n.1'):
Forms: 1 wand, wond; 4?6 wonte, 7 wounte, 5? wont; 6 wante, (vant), 6? want; 9 dial. waunt, wunt, woont, (h)unt, (h)oont, etc. (see Eng.
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[nq:2]Not much help but a quick (UK) Google on "dialect" ... to be from Middle Low German via Middle Dutch (COD)[/nq]
[nq:1]Ta-daa (under 'want,n.1'): Forms: 1 wand, wond; 4-6 wonte, 7 wounte, 5- wont; 6 wante, (vant), 6- want; 9 dial. ... The word is unknown to the dialects of the northern and north-east midland counties, but is elsewhere in common use.)[/nq]
Giles, many thanks, although
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[nq:2]Ta-daa (under 'want,n.1'): Forms: 1 wand, wond; 4-6 wonte, 7 ... and north-east midland counties, but is elsewhere in common use.)[/nq]
[nq:1]Giles, many thanks, although I know for sure that it is still in use in North Staffs and Derbyshire, which are in the North Midlands. So, it probably has a Viking origin then. Strange that I haven't heard it used here in East Anglia.[/nq]
Old E
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[nq:2]Giles, many thanks, although I know for sure that it ... that I haven't heard it used here in East Anglia.[/nq]
[nq:1]Old English rather than Viking - especially if it's in C8th glossaries. Vikings didn't even start raiding England until very ... wonder whether Mow Cop (previously Mole Cop) had anything to do with moles but it seems not e.g - [/nq]
Ah, yes. The Potteries' Mountain.
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