Some interesting phrases which are now used universally in English. I think, however, that these expressions would probably have been used outside of Cornwall by 1882. The word kipper tends to be used only as a name for smoked herring as far as I am aware, but then I'm not a fisherman. "Gob" is used today in Britain as a verb meaning "to spit", the other words I do not recognize.
English Vocabulary of Cornwall & American English
I've never heard "flop-down" or "molly-caudle" in the US. I have however heard "gob," used slightly differently. I think it's dead now but when I was still in grade school (late 80s, early 90s) we used "gob" to mean a large amount of anything. Like, this computer has gobs and gobs of memory.
To flop down in a chair, Tom? She flopped down on the bed? It's a very common phrase in the US.
As for molly-caudle, I've never seen it spelled that way; usually I see "mollycoddle". That's a less common, now old-fashioned word.
As for molly-caudle, I've never seen it spelled that way; usually I see "mollycoddle". That's a less common, now old-fashioned word.
Ive heard all of those localy, didnt realise they where cornish mind.
Erm Kipper means smoked herring around here, Whitby bay is famouse for them. Though i think there is somewhere on the south of wales where they call another fish that has been smoked that. I still use mollycoddle, but we use it for both genders not for efeminate men. Its often used for people who mother into other people's lifes too much, and other similar situations i think. i dont use it that often so its hard to say really.
Erm Kipper means smoked herring around here, Whitby bay is famouse for them. Though i think there is somewhere on the south of wales where they call another fish that has been smoked that. I still use mollycoddle, but we use it for both genders not for efeminate men. Its often used for people who mother into other people's lifes too much, and other similar situations i think. i dont use it that often so its hard to say really.