Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
of troy Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
mugs, or drinking vessels?

on a recent Antiques Roadshow (US/PBS version--oregon)--some one showed up with a copper and silver trophy--it was a large hammered copper vessel, with ornate silver scrollwork at the base, and three handles--made from stags horns.

the expert appraiser said it was a sort of tyg

Onelook has only one listing for the word tyg... and that listing defines a tyg as a 12 handled vessel.

so... has anyone here (hi tsuwm!) ever heard of a tyg? anyone have a dictionary that list a tyg? and why a tyg? any other words with tyg as part of the word?

(any care besides me? its a good scrabble word for sure!)


Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
I picture such a vessel in the hands of a Viking and the word looks Nordic, as well.


Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Brick & Mortar OED has it:

A name said to have been formerly given in the Staffordshire potteries to a porringer; now applied by antiquaries and collectors to a drinking-cup with two or more handles, attributed to the 17th and 18th c.

Now, let's look up porringer:

A small basin or similar vessel of metal, earthenware, or wood, from which soup, broth, porridge, children's food, etc., is eaten.


Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
There were a lot of Vikings in Staffordshire, right?



Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 17
M
stranger
Offline
stranger
M
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 17
After consulting several swedish and multilingual dictionaries, I found only one meaning for the word tyg: cloth, fabric. In Norwegian, the verb tygge also means to chew, but this is the only reference to eating and drinking that I could find with my rather poor Swedish skills. However, I did find a picture from an English website which was similar to your description:
http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Tiffany/metal02_larger.html
Kinda puzzling, I'd say. Hope someone has an access to something that could explain where the word tyg has come to English...


Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
Z
Zed Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Z
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
How does one drink out of a 12 handled mug? For that matter, why does one drink out of a 12 handled mug?
(Fill it too often and you'd see 24.)


Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 48
S
newbie
Offline
newbie
S
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 48
*laughing at Zed's post*

Filling it just often enough, I'd say.


Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692
D
dxb Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
D
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692
Hope someone has an access to something that could explain where the word tyg has come to English... ~ Miia


The twelve-handled mug was originally used in jury rooms. It was grasped by each of the jurors to demonstrate their agreement on a verdict. By custom it was filled with strong mead to help the jurors to relax and, by each taking a drink in turn, heal any wounded feelings resulting from the arguments necessary to reaching the verdict. After the twelfth man had drained the last of the mead they could depart in peace and camaraderie. Tyg is an acronym for twelve yeoman’s gill, a gill being a fluid measure in some districts reckoned as a quarter pint and in others as a half pint.


Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 500
E
addict
Offline
addict
E
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 500
I was actually thinking the word looked Welsh - dunno why that should cross my mind.


Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
of troy Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
gill is a 1/4 pint (4 oz)--or it has been all my life-- a half gill is 2 oz, (or a large 'shot') In US a shot (of whiskey) is defined as 1.5 ounces..
(pint,-16 oz, half pint-8oz., gill-4 oz., , half gill-2 oz.)

well the tyg on the show, wasn't a 24 oz (12 X 2) mug! --in fact, it was a trophy for the best in show Spanniel at a dog show.


Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 442 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5