Need a word for...

[Phyrebrat]

I wonder if I should make this an OPEN thread for those word searches that can't be helped by a thesaurus or etymonline. I have already asked for help with a word that middle age Britain would use for jellyfish and was able to work around the suggestions, but now I'm in a new version of the same position.

This time the word I need is something that means 'grass' or 'snitch'. But it needs to be consistent with a 1340s Dorset. Turncoat is too soon and imprecise, and all the others just remind me of noir parodies.

Any ideas?

Thank you

pH

 

[The Judge]

Hmmm.

I can't quickly find any from the 1300s, but these are relatively old: talebearer (late C15th), informer (1500), telltale (1540s). Tattletale is apparently a lot newer (C19th) and possibly American but doesn't feel it so you might get away with it (and tattle itself meaning betray secrets is 1580). NB etymonline gives as a C16th word "pickthank" which I can't help thinking would cause more confusion!

There's always something like weasel, which doesn't mean snitch as such, but denotes someone who stinks, and would undoubtedly be a word on a yokel's lips in the C14th.

 

[Dan Jones]

Sticking with the animal theme seems like it would work as it'd be understandable across the different periods.

Rat, perhaps, works easily, while snake-in-the-grass has Biblical connotations so could be a good phrase for the job. Or, sticking with Jesus and his chums, how about plain old Judas?

 

[Vaz]

Bleat and Conk - both around (C18th)

Sorry, can't find anything as old as you're looking for.

V

 

[tinkerdan]

traitor
deceiver
treachery, trecheor, tricheor, trechier, trichier,treacher
Sinon

 

[Travis Woodward]

Judas? Late C15th for that usage apparently but the biblical origin might make it believable for an earlier era.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Here's a "Medieval English" thing that lists among its words "blob-tale" and "ong-tongue", both meaning gossip or tattletale.

http://www.citrus.k12.fl.us/staffdev/social studies/PDF/Medieval English.pdf

 

[Danny McG]

Maybe something in here?

Old English Translator

 

[Phyrebrat]

I particularly like 'treacher' but...

Here's a "Medieval English" thing that lists among its words "blob-tale" and "ong-tongue", both meaning gossip or tattletale.

http://www.citrus.k12.fl.us/staffdev/social studies/PDF/Medieval English.pdf

Blob-tale really gives me a good starting place to make my own version up.

Judas is a very precise option but as the man thinking that he might be a telltale is the abbot of a priory, and his 'gossip' is not really treacherous, I think it's a bit overstated.

I've got a 3 hour train ride to Chester-le-Street today so I'm sure I'll be able to patch something together.

pH

 

[Dan Jones]

Chester-le-street! Lovely place. Have fun.

 

[Dave]

Sorry, I'm late to this. I did find a slang 18th Century word for a magistrates informant last year and I've just spent time trying to find it again without any luck. I expect it is much too late for you to use in any case.

Glad you've found some words anyway.