Uncommon or Non-standard English Phrases and Terms
- brogue (accent)
- hod (a tool to carry bricks in)
- tippler's way (a tippler is a drunkard)
- craythur (craythur is whiskey, "a drop of the craythur" is an expression to have some whiskey)
- Whack fol the dah (non-lexical vocalsinging called "lilting"; see Scat singing and mouth music)
- trotters (feet)
- full (drunk)
- mavourneen (my darling)
- hould your gob (shut-up)
- belt in the gob (punch in the mouth)
- Shillelagh law (a brawl)
- ruction (a fight)
- bedad (an expression of shock)
- Thanam 'on dhoul (your soul to the devil)
Non-English phrases:
- The last part of the song where Tim Finnegan says, "D'ainm an diabhal", means "In the name of the devil", and comes from the Gaelic.
- However, in other versions of the song, Tim says "Thunderin' Jaysus" or "Thanum an Dhul".
Read more about this topic: Finnegan's Wake
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