Demic

[the Omrud]

Attending the funeral of Wife's uncle last week, I was reminded that
Yorkshire dialect is still alive and well. In Yorkshire, dur. Wife is
the only one of her cousins who got a decent secondary and then
university education and hence moved away from small-town Yorkshire.

Anyway, I was also reminded of a dialect word which she still uses from
time to time - one of her extended family must have spoken it.

Demic: not serviceable, useless, worn out, broken. Also figuratively: a
stupid, useless or very ill person. One could, if one wanted to exhibit
bad taste, use the word to describe the deceased at a funeral.

I suppose the closest I have in my own history is the legend "U/S" which
we used to chalk on broken equipment.

Demic is not in the OED (at least not in this sense). I strongly doubt
that anybody south of Yorshire/Lancashire will know it.

[Jerry Friedman]

Post by the Omrud
Attending the funeral of Wife's uncle last week, I was reminded that
Yorkshire dialect is still alive and well.  In Yorkshire, dur.  Wife is
the only one of her cousins who got a decent secondary and then
university education and hence moved away from small-town Yorkshire.
Anyway, I was also reminded of a dialect word which she still uses from
time to time - one of her extended family must have spoken it.
Demic: not serviceable, useless, worn out, broken.  Also figuratively: a
stupid, useless or very ill person.  One could, if one wanted to exhibit
bad taste, use the word to describe the deceased at a funeral.
I suppose the closest I have in my own history is the legend "U/S" which
we used to chalk on broken equipment.
Demic is not in the OED (at least not in this sense).  I strongly doubt
that anybody south of Yorshire/Lancashire will know it.

Pronounced as in "epidemic", /'dEmIk/?

I for one live south of Yorkshire and Lancashire and don't know it.

[David Kleinecke]

Post by Jerry Friedman

Post by the Omrud
Attending the funeral of Wife's uncle last week, I was reminded that
Yorkshire dialect is still alive and well.  In Yorkshire, dur.  Wife is
the only one of her cousins who got a decent secondary and then
university education and hence moved away from small-town Yorkshire.
Anyway, I was also reminded of a dialect word which she still uses from
time to time - one of her extended family must have spoken it.
Demic: not serviceable, useless, worn out, broken.  Also figuratively: a
stupid, useless or very ill person.  One could, if one wanted to exhibit
bad taste, use the word to describe the deceased at a funeral.
I suppose the closest I have in my own history is the legend "U/S" which
we used to chalk on broken equipment.
Demic is not in the OED (at least not in this sense).  I strongly doubt
that anybody south of Yorshire/Lancashire will know it.

Pronounced as in "epidemic", /'dEmIk/?
I for one live south of Yorkshire and Lancashire and don't know it.

I'd spell it "demmick". Under that spelling Google knows
all about it. It is said to mean, among other things:
Demmick was British army Second World War slang a soldier
on the sick list.

[Mack A. Damia]

On Sun, 12 Nov 2017 13:06:14 -0700, Jerry Friedman

Post by Jerry Friedman

Post by the Omrud
Attending the funeral of Wife's uncle last week, I was reminded that
Yorkshire dialect is still alive and well.  In Yorkshire, dur.  Wife is
the only one of her cousins who got a decent secondary and then
university education and hence moved away from small-town Yorkshire.
Anyway, I was also reminded of a dialect word which she still uses from
time to time - one of her extended family must have spoken it.
Demic: not serviceable, useless, worn out, broken.  Also figuratively: a
stupid, useless or very ill person.  One could, if one wanted to exhibit
bad taste, use the word to describe the deceased at a funeral.
I suppose the closest I have in my own history is the legend "U/S" which
we used to chalk on broken equipment.
Demic is not in the OED (at least not in this sense).  I strongly doubt
that anybody south of Yorshire/Lancashire will know it.

Pronounced as in "epidemic", /'dEmIk/?
I for one live south of Yorkshire and Lancashire and don't know it.

From Nigel Doran in London (ex-Stockport)

I have definitely heard of 'shythe' or even 'shive' of bread/toast.

Clemmies = balls (ie. testicles)

Mard arse = coward

Demic (my fave and surprised it's not been mentioned yet) = something
that doesn't work properly, or is out of order etc.

Skriking = crying

Ann Twacky (or ann twacky) = old fashioned. My Nana says this. I think
it comes from 'antique'.

Brew = hill

Barmpot = Idiot

Lanry = bleach (I have no idea where this comes from, but we say it at
our house in Stockport!)

Ladged = embarrassed

Dimp = cigaretted end

Gigs = eye glasses

Sken-eyed = cross eyed

Sken = look

Dicky Mint = bit strange, not quite right, not on (Mum used to always
say this)

Deaking = looking

I'm 'avin' that/it = I like that a lot (I know this has been on Royle
Family, but I remember this from way back)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/have_your_say/2002/11/06/manc_words_3.shtml

[GordonD]

Post by Mack A. Damia
On Sun, 12 Nov 2017 13:06:14 -0700, Jerry Friedman

Post by Jerry Friedman

Post by the Omrud
Attending the funeral of Wife's uncle last week, I was reminded that
Yorkshire dialect is still alive and well.  In Yorkshire, dur.  Wife is
the only one of her cousins who got a decent secondary and then
university education and hence moved away from small-town Yorkshire.
Anyway, I was also reminded of a dialect word which she still uses from
time to time - one of her extended family must have spoken it.
Demic: not serviceable, useless, worn out, broken.  Also figuratively: a
stupid, useless or very ill person.  One could, if one wanted to exhibit
bad taste, use the word to describe the deceased at a funeral.
I suppose the closest I have in my own history is the legend "U/S" which
we used to chalk on broken equipment.
Demic is not in the OED (at least not in this sense).  I strongly doubt
that anybody south of Yorshire/Lancashire will know it.

Pronounced as in "epidemic", /'dEmIk/?
I for one live south of Yorkshire and Lancashire and don't know it.

From Nigel Doran in London (ex-Stockport)
I have definitely heard of 'shythe' or even 'shive' of bread/toast.
Clemmies = balls (ie. testicles)
Mard arse = coward
Demic (my fave and surprised it's not been mentioned yet) = something
that doesn't work properly, or is out of order etc.
Skriking = crying
Ann Twacky (or ann twacky) = old fashioned. My Nana says this. I think
it comes from 'antique'.
Brew = hill
Barmpot = Idiot
Lanry = bleach (I have no idea where this comes from, but we say it at
our house in Stockport!)
Ladged = embarrassed
Dimp = cigaretted end
Gigs = eye glasses
Sken-eyed = cross eyed
Sken = look
Dicky Mint = bit strange, not quite right, not on (Mum used to always
say this)

Dicky Mint was one of the Diddymen, IIRC.

[the Omrud]

Post by Jerry Friedman
Pronounced as in "epidemic", /'dEmIk/?

Yes, sorry, should have said.

[occam]

Post by Jerry Friedman

Post by the Omrud
Attending the funeral of Wife's uncle last week, I was reminded that
Yorkshire dialect is still alive and well.  In Yorkshire, dur.  Wife
is the only one of her cousins who got a decent secondary and then
university education and hence moved away from small-town Yorkshire.
Anyway, I was also reminded of a dialect word which she still uses
from time to time - one of her extended family must have spoken it.
a stupid, useless or very ill person.  One could, if one wanted to
exhibit bad taste, use the word to describe the deceased at a funeral.
I suppose the closest I have in my own history is the legend "U/S"
which we used to chalk on broken equipment.
Demic is not in the OED (at least not in this sense).  I strongly
doubt that anybody south of Yorshire/Lancashire will know it.

Pronounced as in "epidemic", /'dEmIk/?
I for one live south of Yorkshire and Lancashire and don't know it.

:-) . You're also some 3500 miles west ... so that's aca-demic. You are
forgiven.

[Ross]

Post by the Omrud
Attending the funeral of Wife's uncle last week, I was reminded that
Yorkshire dialect is still alive and well. In Yorkshire, dur. Wife is
the only one of her cousins who got a decent secondary and then
university education and hence moved away from small-town Yorkshire.
Anyway, I was also reminded of a dialect word which she still uses from
time to time - one of her extended family must have spoken it.
Demic: not serviceable, useless, worn out, broken. Also figuratively: a
stupid, useless or very ill person. One could, if one wanted to exhibit
bad taste, use the word to describe the deceased at a funeral.
I suppose the closest I have in my own history is the legend "U/S" which
we used to chalk on broken equipment.
Demic is not in the OED (at least not in this sense). I strongly doubt
that anybody south of Yorshire/Lancashire will know it.
--
David

Some things that might be related turn up with the spelling "demmick":

"British Army WWII slang for a soldier on the sick list"

http://www.encyclo.co.uk/meaning-of-Demmick

"an idiot or a moron" (used by someone from England)

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Demmick

"Demmick" (sometimes "demic") was British army slang in the second
World War which meant a soldier on the sick list (perhaps derived from "epidemic"). It subsequently came to be used to mean a dummy or perhaps
a jerk (both definitions can be found on the internet, and neither seem
to be common).

[This in explication of the title of a song "Bo Demmick" by The Fall, a
group from Manchester.]

http://annotatedfall.doomby.com/pages/the-annotated-lyrics/bo-demmick.html

But hey, Wright's _English Dialect Dictionary_ is now available online,
and he has it under your spelling:

DEMIC, sb. and v. Yks. Not. Lin. Also written
demick m.Yks. w.Yks. Not.; demik w.Yks.; demmic
n.Lin.1; demmick e.Yks.1 w.Yks.; demmock w.Yks.;
demmuc n.Lin.1; demmuck sw.Lin.1; demock w.Yks.;
dimmock e.Yks.1 [de·mik, de·mək.]
1. sb. An epidemic.
w.Yks. N. & Q. (1897) 8th S. xi. 176; w.Yks.3, n.Lin.1
2. The potato-disease.
e.Yks.1 w.Yks. (S.P.U.); Floods, robberies, cattle plague,
small pox, measles, t'demmick an' what not, Yksman Comic Ann.
(1877) 39. n.Lin.1
3. A whitlow or thecal abscess, suppuration.
w.Yks. I've demick i mi thumb, Eccles Leeds Olm. (1879) 21;
(J.T.); (S.P.U.) n.Lin.1
Hence
(1) Demicked, adj. gathered, diseased;
(2) Demicky, adj. suppurating.
(1) m.Yks. You've got a demicked finger (F.P.T.). w.Yks. Aar
Bill hez gat a demik't thumb, Eccles Sngs. (1862) 141. (2) w.Yks.
Eccles Leeds Olm. (1879) 21.
4. v. Of potatoes: to take the potato-disease.
e.Yks.1 Deeant let em stop onny langer ĭ grund or they'll all
demmick. n.Lin.1
Hence Demic'd, ppl. adj. diseased, suffering from the
potato-blight.
Yks. The seeds I bought back end of last year wur half of 'em
dead or demic'd, Fetherston T. Goorkrodger (1870) 32. w.Yks.
Those potatoes o' yours are all democked, gaffer (H.L.); Tha
munnot tak nooan nobbut demmocked ens, Hartley Clock Alm.
(1878) 38. Not.2 n.Lin.1 He's caaingin' awaay like a demmuck't
taatie. sw.Lin.1
[An aphetic form of lit. E. epidemic.]

http://eddonline-proj.uibk.ac.at/edd/termsOfUse.jsp

[Peter Duncanson [BrE]]

Post by Ross

Post by the Omrud
Attending the funeral of Wife's uncle last week, I was reminded that
Yorkshire dialect is still alive and well. In Yorkshire, dur. Wife is
the only one of her cousins who got a decent secondary and then
university education and hence moved away from small-town Yorkshire.
Anyway, I was also reminded of a dialect word which she still uses from
time to time - one of her extended family must have spoken it.
Demic: not serviceable, useless, worn out, broken. Also figuratively: a
stupid, useless or very ill person. One could, if one wanted to exhibit
bad taste, use the word to describe the deceased at a funeral.
I suppose the closest I have in my own history is the legend "U/S" which
we used to chalk on broken equipment.
Demic is not in the OED (at least not in this sense). I strongly doubt
that anybody south of Yorshire/Lancashire will know it.
--
David

"British Army WWII slang for a soldier on the sick list"
http://www.encyclo.co.uk/meaning-of-Demmick
"an idiot or a moron" (used by someone from England)
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Demmick
"Demmick" (sometimes "demic") was British army slang in the second
World War which meant a soldier on the sick list (perhaps derived from "epidemic"). It subsequently came to be used to mean a dummy or perhaps
a jerk (both definitions can be found on the internet, and neither seem
to be common).
[This in explication of the title of a song "Bo Demmick" by The Fall, a
group from Manchester.]

And the (BrE) Dictionary of Slang has:
http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/d.htm

demic Noun.
1. A thing that is worn out or broken.
2. A derogatory term for a person who is constantly sick, a
hypochondriac, someone in obviously less than perfect health.

Post by Ross
http://annotatedfall.doomby.com/pages/the-annotated-lyrics/bo-demmick.html
But hey, Wright's _English Dialect Dictionary_ is now available online,
DEMIC, sb. and v. Yks. Not. Lin. Also written
demick m.Yks. w.Yks. Not.; demik w.Yks.; demmic
n.Lin.1; demmick e.Yks.1 w.Yks.; demmock w.Yks.;
demmuc n.Lin.1; demmuck sw.Lin.1; demock w.Yks.;
dimmock e.Yks.1 [de?mik, de?m?k.]
1. sb. An epidemic.
w.Yks. N. & Q. (1897) 8th S. xi. 176; w.Yks.3, n.Lin.1
2. The potato-disease.
e.Yks.1 w.Yks. (S.P.U.); Floods, robberies, cattle plague,
small pox, measles, t'demmick an' what not, Yksman Comic Ann.
(1877) 39. n.Lin.1
3. A whitlow or thecal abscess, suppuration.
w.Yks. I've demick i mi thumb, Eccles Leeds Olm. (1879) 21;
(J.T.); (S.P.U.) n.Lin.1
Hence
(1) Demicked, adj. gathered, diseased;
(2) Demicky, adj. suppurating.
(1) m.Yks. You've got a demicked finger (F.P.T.). w.Yks. Aar
Bill hez gat a demik't thumb, Eccles Sngs. (1862) 141. (2) w.Yks.
Eccles Leeds Olm. (1879) 21.
4. v. Of potatoes: to take the potato-disease.
e.Yks.1 Deeant let em stop onny langer ? grund or they'll all
demmick. n.Lin.1
Hence Demic'd, ppl. adj. diseased, suffering from the
potato-blight.
Yks. The seeds I bought back end of last year wur half of 'em
dead or demic'd, Fetherston T. Goorkrodger (1870) 32. w.Yks.
Those potatoes o' yours are all democked, gaffer (H.L.); Tha
munnot tak nooan nobbut demmocked ens, Hartley Clock Alm.
(1878) 38. Not.2 n.Lin.1 He's caaingin' awaay like a demmuck't
taatie. sw.Lin.1
[An aphetic form of lit. E. epidemic.]
http://eddonline-proj.uibk.ac.at/edd/termsOfUse.jsp

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by Ross

Post by the Omrud
Attending the funeral of Wife's uncle last week, I was reminded that
Yorkshire dialect is still alive and well. In Yorkshire, dur. Wife is
the only one of her cousins who got a decent secondary and then
university education and hence moved away from small-town Yorkshire.
Anyway, I was also reminded of a dialect word which she still uses from
time to time - one of her extended family must have spoken it.
Demic: not serviceable, useless, worn out, broken. Also figuratively: a
stupid, useless or very ill person. One could, if one wanted to exhibit
bad taste, use the word to describe the deceased at a funeral.
I suppose the closest I have in my own history is the legend "U/S" which
we used to chalk on broken equipment.
Demic is not in the OED (at least not in this sense). I strongly doubt
that anybody south of Yorshire/Lancashire will know it.
--
David

"British Army WWII slang for a soldier on the sick list"
http://www.encyclo.co.uk/meaning-of-Demmick
"an idiot or a moron" (used by someone from England)
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Demmick
"Demmick" (sometimes "demic") was British army slang in the second
World War which meant a soldier on the sick list (perhaps derived from "epidemic"). It subsequently came to be used to mean a dummy or perhaps
a jerk (both definitions can be found on the internet, and neither seem
to be common).
[This in explication of the title of a song "Bo Demmick" by The Fall, a
group from Manchester.]
http://annotatedfall.doomby.com/pages/the-annotated-lyrics/bo-demmick.html
But hey, Wright's _English Dialect Dictionary_ is now available online,
DEMIC, sb. and v. Yks. Not. Lin. Also written
demick m.Yks. w.Yks. Not.; demik w.Yks.; demmic
n.Lin.1; demmick e.Yks.1 w.Yks.; demmock w.Yks.;
demmuc n.Lin.1; demmuck sw.Lin.1; demock w.Yks.;
dimmock e.Yks.1 [de·mik, de·mək.]
1. sb. An epidemic.
w.Yks. N. & Q. (1897) 8th S. xi. 176; w.Yks.3, n.Lin.1
2. The potato-disease.
e.Yks.1 w.Yks. (S.P.U.); Floods, robberies, cattle plague,
small pox, measles, t'demmick an' what not, Yksman Comic Ann.
(1877) 39. n.Lin.1
3. A whitlow or thecal abscess, suppuration.
w.Yks. I've demick i mi thumb, Eccles Leeds Olm. (1879) 21;
(J.T.); (S.P.U.) n.Lin.1
Hence
(1) Demicked, adj. gathered, diseased;
(2) Demicky, adj. suppurating.
(1) m.Yks. You've got a demicked finger (F.P.T.). w.Yks. Aar
Bill hez gat a demik't thumb, Eccles Sngs. (1862) 141. (2) w.Yks.
Eccles Leeds Olm. (1879) 21.
4. v. Of potatoes: to take the potato-disease.
e.Yks.1 Deeant let em stop onny langer ĭ grund or they'll all
demmick. n.Lin.1
Hence Demic'd, ppl. adj. diseased, suffering from the
potato-blight.
Yks. The seeds I bought back end of last year wur half of 'em
dead or demic'd, Fetherston T. Goorkrodger (1870) 32. w.Yks.
Those potatoes o' yours are all democked, gaffer (H.L.); Tha
munnot tak nooan nobbut demmocked ens, Hartley Clock Alm.
(1878) 38. Not.2 n.Lin.1 He's caaingin' awaay like a demmuck't
taatie. sw.Lin.1
[An aphetic form of lit. E. epidemic.]
http://eddonline-proj.uibk.ac.at/edd/termsOfUse.jsp

I was brought up (just) south of Yorkshire, and I never came across it.
This may be because my parents were in the Navy and Airforce, so army
slang didn't take hold.

[Lewis]

Post by the Omrud
Attending the funeral of Wife's uncle last week, I was reminded that
Yorkshire dialect is still alive and well. In Yorkshire, dur. Wife is
the only one of her cousins who got a decent secondary and then
university education and hence moved away from small-town Yorkshire.
Anyway, I was also reminded of a dialect word which she still uses from
time to time - one of her extended family must have spoken it.
Demic: not serviceable, useless, worn out, broken. Also figuratively: a
stupid, useless or very ill person. One could, if one wanted to exhibit
bad taste, use the word to describe the deceased at a funeral.

<https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Demic>
DEMobilized InCapacitaed = demic
"I was given this definition by the engineering staff at Blackpool
Transport Tramway department when I researched and wrote Blackpool
Coronation Cars in 1990. ISBN 0950940577. Def:- you cannot use that tram
it is demic."

Post by the Omrud
I suppose the closest I have in my own history is the legend "U/S" which
we used to chalk on broken equipment.
Demic is not in the OED (at least not in this sense). I strongly doubt
that anybody south of Yorshire/Lancashire will know it.

Have no idea how reliable that entry on UD is, but it sounds reasonable.