Sunday Word: Clishmaclaver

[sallymn]

clishmaclaver [klish-muh-kley-ver, kleesh-]

noun:
(Scots) gossip; idle or foolish talk

Examples:

There is more of good sense, sound judgment, truth, and good taste, in it, than in all the clishmaclaver which has been issued from the Popish presses and Jesuit quarterly reviews in the United States, during the last half century. (William Hogan, Auricular Confession and Popish Nunneries)

Noo, I’ve been a gude friend to ye always, Peter, and eef there’s iver been anything wrang, I’ve been like Sir Murray himsel’ to all ye sairvants, and paid yer wage, and seen ye raised, and that no ane put upon ye; so now tell me, like a gude laddie, has there been any clishmaclaver with Maister Norton and my laird here? (George Manville Fenn, The Sapphire Cross)

Let me insense ye how matters are on that head, for it's better coming from the factor than any clishmaclaver you'll hear in other quarters. (Sam Hanna Bell, Across the Narrow Sea)

Your letter is at hand, stating that you cannot visit me on Friday per promise, because you husband has business that keeps him in town. What clishmaclaver is this! Has it come to such a pass that you can’t leave him for two days? (Jean Webster, Dear Enemy)

Origin:

1720–30; clish(-clash) gossip (gradational compound based on clash ) + -ma- (< ?) + claver (Dictionary.com)

The usual meaning of the Scottish word clishmaclaver (also clish-ma-claver, clishmaclaiver, clashmaclaver) is 'idle talk, gossip, or empty chatter'. The OED says it was formed 'apparently with allusion to clish-clash and claver, with echoic associations', and finds it also used as a verb ('keep me clishmaclavering'). Hiberno-English has the related short form clash 'gossip' as both noun and verb. Terence Dolan notes clash in Sligo ('He’s an awful old clash'), while a century ago P W Joyce reported clashbag 'tale-bearer' or 'busybody' in Armagh, Northern Ireland. (Sentence first)

Comments

[prettygoodword]

Ah, that's just jibber-jabber.