Written in Black and Wight: O
Created | Updated Nov 12, 2017
Ahoy-hoy, we have now come to the letter O in this, a quiz series dedicated to the Isle of Wight's dialect, as preserved in various publications1. What better way is there to symbolise we are now in the back half of the alphabet than by seeing the back of a smiley's head?
O
This week we have words brought to you by the letter O. We have already seen how the letter O was often substituted by 'Au', so a word like 'Overthrow' has become 'Auverdrow'. In order to symbolically demonstrate how popular the letter O was in comparison with the letter A, here is a little table in which the letter A is represented by a normal smiley, and the letter O's use in contrast is represented by the second smiley2:
| Letter A | Letter O |
|---|---|
 |  |
Quick Fire: Odd One Out Round
The word 'odd' has had a lot of odd uses on the Island, especially as it was said as a contracted form of 'God'. Local phrases include Odd rot it, which meant 'God rot it !', Oddzookers is a contraction of 'God succour us!' and Oddzounderkuns hauw was an expression used to find fault3.
Can You correctly identify which is the correct meaning for these odds and sods below?
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| Odds | Strange or not local |
| One | Outdo by talking |
| Out | Direction of returning home |
| Out at elbows | Skint, bankrupt |
| Outdacious | Offended, also scruffy |
| Out End | Extinguish a candle |
| Outlandish | Difference |
| Outlong | Impudent |
| Outtaak | A |
Main Round
Can You identify which of the three meanings is the correct one for the words below?
Oben
- An oven
- A dozen
- A haven or sheltered harbour.
Obstropolus
- Headstrong
- An obstacle course.
- An oboe player.
Off the Reel
- A fresh line-caught fish.
- Straight away and at once.
- To attend a local dance.
Okkepashun
- Occupation.
- A cowman or farmer who works with oxen.
- Someone who has hiccups.
Ole-fashioned
- Clothing that is rags and tatters, or an object that is broken.
- Obsolete.
- Sheepish.
Ore-weed
- Straw.
- Seaweed.
- Urine when used in tanning.
Ourn
- An hour
- Ours
- An urn
Overner
- Cricketer
- Someone from the mainland.
- Poultry farmer and/or egg seller.
Outraajus
- Outrageous.
- A raging anger.
- Outhouse or privy.
Oxlays
- An oxcart.
- Welder, someone who uses oxy-acetylene.
- Meadow used to keep oxen.
Click on the picture for the answers!
G - H - I - J - K - L
M - N - O
