Counting methods
Traditional methods of counting sheep are known from many of the Lakeland dales, though none seem to still be in actual use. Garnett in 1910 said even then that the method was almost obsolete and as for the names of the numbers, "but few of the farmers remember them". "Yan" is still used for "one", but the others were only known as curiosities.
Traditionally the shepherd counts to twenty, then he marks a stone or stick with a "score" and starts again. The final total is given as so many score of sheep. The method seems to be common to old Cymric or Celtic areas although the words themselves have taken slightly different forms over the years.
|
No |
Keswick (Cumbria) |
Wensleydale (West Yorkshire) |
Welsh |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | yan | yan | un (pronounced een) |
| 2 | tyan | tean | dwy (du-i, or something very like it) or dau (dye) |
| 3 | tether | tither | tair (tire) |
| 4 | mether | mither | pedair (ped-ire) |
| 5 | pimp | pip | pump (pimp) |
| 6 | sethera | teaser | chwe (khw-eh, a soft KH in the throat, not a hard one at the front of the mouth) |
| 7 | lethera | leaser | saith (sythe with a soft TH, not voiced) |
| 8 | hovera | catra | wyth (weth or wuth with a light U) |
| 9 | dovera | horna | naw (now) |
| 10 | dic | dick | deg (OK with this one?) |
| 11 | yan a dic (one-and-ten) | un ar ddeg (as above plus THeg, with a voiced TH) | |
| 12 | tyan a dic (two-and-ten) | deuddegg (deyTHeg) | |
| 13 | tether a dic (three-and-ten) | tair ar ddeg (tire ar THeg) | |
| 14 | mether a dic (four-and-ten) | pedwar ar ddeg | |
| 15 | bumfit (fifteen) | bumper | pymtheg (pumtheg) |
| 16 | yan a bumfit (one-and-fifteen) | un ar bymtheg (p mutates to b) | |
| 17 | tyan a bumfit (two-and-fifteen) | dwy ar bymtheg | |
| 18 | tether a bumfit (three-and-fifteen) | deunaw (2 x 9) | |
| 19 | mether a bumfit (four-and-fifteen) | pedair ar bymtheg | |
| 20 | jiggot (twenty = score) | ugain (iggen) |
You can read a LOT more about counting methods from various areas of Britain at:
http://www.slaidburn.org.uk/counting_sheep.htm [takes you out of Museum: use Back button to return]
The Lakeland Dialect Society's Te deu wid sheep by Ted Relph lists versions of 1-5 and 6-10 recorded from various Lakeland dales. [takes you out of Museum: use Back button to return]
The Celtic Numerals of Strathclyde [download or read online; takes you out of Museum: use Back button to return]