'Turk In Dialect'

The word 'Turk' is commonly used in dialect by elderly people in  Camborne-Redruth area. It has various forms of useage, each indicating  that a Turk is a cruel and frightening character. In all probability it is a lingering reference to the Turkish Knight of the Miracle Plays, but it might also refer to the Turkish pirates who were once so commonly found off the shores of south and west Cornwall. Listed below  the various forms of the word which the recorder has encoutered.

1. "That boy is an ardent Turk!" - That boy is naughty, or as bad as a Turk.

2. Ee da fight like a Turk."

3. "What the Turk an all are ee doin?!" - said to a child when doing something wrong. (All Redruth housewife. 1964. 64 years old.)

4. "I suffered the Turk under'ee! I'd rather 'ave the ashes of the other one than 'ee - I can't abiden!" (Camborne housewife 84 years old. 1978 comparing two local doctors.)

5. "I'll gev'ee the Turk ef theese cum 'ere!"  - I''ll beat you if you come here.' (Housewife, Penponds, Camborne, 81 years 1979.

The Tradition of the fearsome 'Turk' was continued by the Cornish in their emigration. The Yorke Peninsula Football Association in Australia was formed on 20th March 1888 from teams in the locallity. As early as the 4th May of that year, a dispute had broken out between 'Moonta Young Turks' and Wallaroo.

Michael Tangye. 

First published in the Old Cornwall Journal Vol.X. No.11. Autumn 1990. 

The following came from Mark Hatton who found it in an old newspaper cutting.

HOW TO WORK ON A PASTY

"This mouth-watering recipe for a real Cornish pasty in the real 'Cousin Jack' style comes from a Michigan community populated by many Cornish: 

"Go's on, my dear boy. Wat does thee know 'bout pasties? Thee's the kind of a man w'at cut 'n 'cross the middle and let's all that pretty juice run a' 'bout over the plate. Thee's the kind of a man w'at takes 'n righ h'out
of h'oven gulps 'n daown. Did theese ever 'ear of wrapping a pasty? Duss thee know w'at 'appens then? Well, you tak'n h'out of the h'oven with lovin' care. Theese wrap'n up careful in a great cloth, and let'n stand h'idle for 'alf hour. There's things going on in-side that pasty durin' that 'alf hour. The juice rolls around inside of 'n, it swishes up thru the bits of turmit on the top. It boils up into the under crust, then runs back daown again to start'n all over. Then unwrap 'n pick 'n up in both 'ands, start from the top and work daown. Tidd'n nawthin' to 'oller 'bout until you get 'bout half way or moor. Then you run smack into 'n that
dear old graavy is layin's there restin' comfortable in its bed of taties, 'honions, mate and turmit. Ee's waitin' there to run all over your great face, behind your 'ears and in your 'air if you got any. You eat on daown into 'n. Ee get thicker 'n thicker with every bite. Ee runs daown your shirt. Ee's 'ot, meaty and pretty - right daown to the last drop. 'And that, my son, eatin's a great pasty, as 'e should be et. So it's turmit, tatty or lickey pasty. Which
will 'e 'ave?"