Need help with a word

[Bayonn...@gmail.com]

I'm going to admit a tiny fraction of my ignorance here: In the book,
"The Uninvited" written by Dorothy Macardle and published in 1942,
the character of Pamela has just enjoyed breakfast in bed provided by
her brother, Roddy. She says, "The egg's perfect: bless you,
avic."

Moving past the unusually close relationship between this particular
brother and sister, I failed to find a definition for the word
"avic."

If someone could tell me what the word means, especially in the context
of the sentence, I would appreciate it. Thank you.

Andy Harris

[Stephen Calder]

Bayonn...@gmail.com wrote:

The word is so rare that both the OED (second edition) and
Merriam-Webster's unabridged missed it. We can speculate, based on the
existence of the words avicular = relating to small birds, and
aviculture = bird-rearing, that it may mean the birds that lay the eggs
which provided her breakfast. It may mean the hen keeper, or aviculturalist.

She could also be referring to her brother as the bringer of the eggs,
though I think this is less likely.

If I had to guess at a meaning I would say "the spirit of the birds".

All purely speculative; we may never know what it meant back then.

--
Stephen
Lennox Head, Australia

[Isabelle Cecchini]

Bayonn...@gmail.com a écrit :

It's Gaelic for "my son" or "my friend".
http://users.ev1.net/~gpmoran/GlsryA_G.htm
and
http://www.irishgaelictranslator.com/translation/ftopic11580.html&sid=494a2df12b48a1e8fdca8ae0e7bfb752

I think that meaning makes sense, when we take into account Dorothy
Macardle's Irish origin. The word seems here to be a term of endearment.

It brings the French expression "mon petit" to my mind.

--
Isabelle Cecchini

[CDB]

Could be the vocative of "son" in Gaelic ("a mhic").

[Bayonn...@gmail.com]

Many thanks, Stephern, Isabelle and CDP. While I believe Isabelle's
answer is more in line with Macardle's meaning, "the spirit of the
birds" gives Stephen's guess a lyrical air to it.

Thanks again.

Andy

[Stephen Calder]

Bayonn...@gmail.com wrote:

If it's a Gaelic word dragged in for the occasion, then I was just about
as wrong as I could be.

It was fun to speculate though.

[dfl...@gmail.com]

I believe CBD was correct about "a mhic".
See the attached article. PHRASES AND WORDS IN IRISH, STILL IN COMMON USE IN THE PARISHES OF CREGGAN IN 1981

by

Con Mac an Ghirr


http://creggan1.tripod.com/Creggan2h.htm