Tuesday Word: Neeps

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

neeps (ˈniːpz):
origin: (predates 12th Century) Middle English nepe, from Old English nǣp, from Latin napus

noun
(Brit, chiefly Scottish) a dialect term for turnips
→ as in: Haggis w/ "bashed neeps" & champit tatties

Comments

[kryptyd.livejournal.com]

I've always wondered what neeps 'n tatties were. Well I clearly didn't care enough to google it, but I always wondered when I heard the phrase. Guessed what the tatties were, naturally enough. Is this because Scottish people say "tur-neeeps".

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

Welp, I'd ask a Scottish person to be certain (been watching a lot of Scots tv lately), but otherwise I'd assume it's for the reasons stated in the origin of the word above -- it's simply ancient dialect that's hung around.

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

I'd ask instead how tur- got stuck on the front of nepe.

---L.

[sileni.livejournal.com]

It's a good question! But having lived in the Highlands for a year, I can definitely say that Scottish people pronounce 'turnips' as 'TURRRnips'

I've also heard of a 'neap tide' which I'm never sure has any significance.