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rant but not rave

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joe

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Jul 23, 2002, 1:41:44 PM7/23/02
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I asked this question on alt.usage.english but got no response.

I live in a Lancashire village that once had districts know as Upper Rant
and Lower Rant. I think 'rant' is a term used in weaving, as this trade was
practiced in those areas. Anyone know the origin of the word 'rant' as used
in this context?

Thanks Joe


Phil C.

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Jul 23, 2002, 3:24:30 PM7/23/02
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"joe" <jo...@nospamblueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:Uyg%8.5209$bq3....@news-binary.blueyonder.co.uk...

On the principle that any response is better than no response, Partridge
(Dictionary of Slang)hasn't got a helpful entry. I note, however, that a
"rantallion" was "one whose scrotum is so relaxed as to be longer than
than his penis" (ca1780-1850). I bet that's got a few people checking in
the mirror. Now why would they have needed a special word for that?

If no-one else can help, you may find some volume or journal article of
the English Place Name Society will explain the origin of the district
names. Their website is -
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/english/research/EPNS/

--
Phil C.
_______________________________
philandwoody"at"meem"dot"freeserve"dot"co"dot"uk

Molly

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Jul 23, 2002, 5:38:28 PM7/23/02
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On Tue, 23 Jul 2002, in article <ahkae7$foa$1...@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>, Phil
C. (Phil C. <nob...@nowhere.co.uk>) wrote

>On the principle that any response is better than no response, Partridge
>(Dictionary of Slang)hasn't got a helpful entry. I note, however, that a
>"rantallion" was "one whose scrotum is so relaxed as to be longer than
>than his penis" (ca1780-1850). I bet that's got a few people checking in
>the mirror.

Not me, of course. I do note, however, that the writer of the entry
claims excessive length for the scrotum, rather than deficiency in the
length of the penis. Must have been male.
--
Molly

If I'd known I'd be this thirsty this morning, I'd have drunk more last night.

joe

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Jul 23, 2002, 6:09:46 PM7/23/02
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Phil C. <nob...@nowhere.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ahkae7$foa$1...@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...

>
> If no-one else can help, you may find some volume or journal article of
> the English Place Name Society will explain the origin of the district
> names. Their website is -
> http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/english/research/EPNS/
>
From one rantallion to another - thank you for the response Phil and I'll
check that web site right now.

Regards Joe


John Dean

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Jul 23, 2002, 7:42:07 PM7/23/02
to
joe wrote:
> I asked this question on alt.usage.english but got no response.

Rare occurrence. I visit aue daily but never saw your query there.


>
> I live in a Lancashire village that once had districts know as Upper
> Rant and Lower Rant. I think 'rant' is a term used in weaving, as
> this trade was practiced in those areas. Anyone know the origin of
> the word 'rant' as used in this context?
>

OED has nothing to connect 'rant' with weaving. It does record it as a
variant of 'rent'. I wonder if that is the origin? - two patches of land on
which rent was paid, one upper & one lower?
--
John Dean
Oxford
De-frag to reply


Matti Lamprhey

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Jul 23, 2002, 9:05:45 PM7/23/02
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"John Dean" <john...@frag.lineone.net> wrote...

> joe wrote:
> > I asked this question on alt.usage.english but got no response.
>
> Rare occurrence. I visit aue daily but never saw your query there.

I saw it there, but couldn't find anything useful to say about it. Sorry,
joe. Another place you could look is in the Concise Oxford Dictionary of
English
Place-names by Eilert Ekwall -- and he also produced a book entitled the
Place Names of Lancashire. Most libraries have the former in their
reference section.

Matti


joe

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Jul 24, 2002, 1:39:40 AM7/24/02
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Cheers Matti - I'll do as you suggest and repost on aue. Joe

Matti Lamprhey <matti-...@totally-official.com>

> Rare occurrence. I visit aue daily but never saw your query there.
>

Another place you could look is in the Concise Oxford Dictionary of

> English Place-names by Eilert Ekwall and he also produced a book entitled

Michael Parry

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Jul 25, 2002, 4:34:46 PM7/25/02
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In message <ahkphk$qc0$1...@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>, John Dean
<john...@frag.lineone.net> writes

Any connection with Northern dancing as in the Cheviot Ranters? I can
imagine the imagine the dancers weaving in and out.

>--
YNASATDD

--
Michael Parry mic...@cavrdg.demon.co.uk
UK Aromatherapy Information and Products: http://www.celtic-flame.co.uk

Dave Fawthrop

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Jul 26, 2002, 2:03:11 AM7/26/02
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"Michael Parry" <mic...@cavrdg.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:yg6DLEtm...@cavrdg.demon.co.uk...

| Any connection with Northern dancing as in the Cheviot Ranters? I can
| imagine the imagine the dancers weaving in and out.

A rant in North Eastern Folk dancing is a quite common dance step.
It is a three step with similarities to a polka but the wieght of the
dancer is on *both* feet for the first beat.
A very similar step is used in Langashire Morris dancing.

Easy the recognise, difficult to do and hell to describe.

I doubt this definition has anything to do with placenames.

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