Tuesday, April 10, 2012

I is for Ice


I'll give you ice! And bear in mind these are only a few ice words selected from the Dictionary of Newfoundland English. Ice was a way of life here but now, with climate change and PETA, less so. The following are a few selected words:

Ice-bird – the common dovekie
Ice-blind – temporary loss of sight caused by the glare of ice
Ice-block – blockade of coast during winter
ice boat or ice skiff – flat boat used in sealing
Ice-cat – sled used to haul wood in winter
Ice-chock – heavy lumber used to strengthen the hull of a sealing vessel
Ice clumper – floating pan of ice
Ice-gall – patch of bare slippery ice
Ice gaze – hunter's blind constructed from ice
Ice-glim – glow or brightness seen over a distant ice field
Ice-master – Captain of a sealing vessel
Ice-plant – sea lungwort, a spreading plant with oval leaves, pink-blue flowers
Ice-quar – ice formed from water seeping from or over the ground in freezing temperatures.
Ice skiff – undecked boat 30-40 feet long used in seal hunts
Ice-work – the seal hunt


And my favourite kind of ice? The slab-ice that forms on the shore like piled up paving stones. These are called Bella Carters. A word that still enchants me. I wrote it about it here.

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17 Comments:

Anonymous Grannymar said...

I am loving these alphabet posts.

Are Ice-glim's the equivalent of the mirages we see in the distance on a road during a heatwave?

Tue Apr 10, 05:03:00 AM GMT-02:30  
Anonymous nick said...

So you have at least 15 words for ice! I love ice, it's very beautiful (except of course when the pipes start bursting). Very topical subject, with the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic just a few days away.

Tue Apr 10, 10:46:00 AM GMT-02:30  
Anonymous Rummuser said...

Ah, they have not yet started calling diamonds as ice. Poor Newfoundland women!

Tue Apr 10, 11:05:00 AM GMT-02:30  
Blogger laurie said...

we are far too familiar with ice here in minnesota.

Tue Apr 10, 11:07:00 AM GMT-02:30  
Blogger Twilight said...

In Oklahoma the ice we fear most is an ice storm - something I'd never experienced in England.

Tue Apr 10, 11:34:00 AM GMT-02:30  
Blogger Government Funded Blogger said...

How about whiskey on ice?

Tue Apr 10, 12:08:00 PM GMT-02:30  
Blogger KarenG said...

When you live near the sea you've got to think of ice. I learned a few things today from this post.

I hope you're enjoying the Challenge!

KarenG
A to Z Challenge Host

Tue Apr 10, 12:55:00 PM GMT-02:30  
Blogger Damyanti said...

Mine is ice-cream :D

Love that visual...of seaside ice.

--Damyanti, Co-host A to Z Challenge April 2012

Twitter: @AprilA2Z
#atozchallenge

Tue Apr 10, 10:07:00 PM GMT-02:30  
Blogger Wisewebwoman said...

GM:
Yes I would say, it is an accumulation of light on the white ice.
XO
WWW

Tue Apr 10, 10:44:00 PM GMT-02:30  
Blogger Wisewebwoman said...

Nick:
I only selected a few of the words and the Titanic celebrations are huge here also, though not as big as Belfast.
Celebration sounds like the wrong word, though.
XO
WWW

Tue Apr 10, 10:45:00 PM GMT-02:30  
Blogger Wisewebwoman said...

True Ramana, I think they would look at me sideways if I mentioned ice as terminology for diamonds, coals to Newcastle kind of thing :)
XO
WWW

Tue Apr 10, 10:46:00 PM GMT-02:30  
Blogger Wisewebwoman said...

Laurie:
Yes you get your fair share as well!
XO
WWW

Tue Apr 10, 10:46:00 PM GMT-02:30  
Blogger Wisewebwoman said...

T:
Ice storms terrify me. I just hunker down with the fire and the dog.
XO
WWW

Tue Apr 10, 10:47:00 PM GMT-02:30  
Blogger Wisewebwoman said...

GFB:
Here's to yer elbow, fine sir!
XO
WWW

Tue Apr 10, 10:47:00 PM GMT-02:30  
Blogger Wisewebwoman said...

Karen:
Yes I am enjoying this and I love ice on the sea though with climate change we're getting less and less of it.
XO
WWW

Tue Apr 10, 10:48:00 PM GMT-02:30  
Blogger Wisewebwoman said...

Damyanti:
Ben & Jerry's?
And btw they actually sell the iceberg water and make iceberg vodka.
XO
WWW

Tue Apr 10, 10:50:00 PM GMT-02:30  
Anonymous nick said...

Re the Titanic, nobody's talking about a celebration here, more a commemoration. People are being very careful to respect painful memories.

Wed Apr 11, 04:30:00 AM GMT-02:30  

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