A snout by any other name would smell as sweet

Hello,

This week’s word is grunkle. I came across it in the excellent book of coastal tall tales and superstitions of the British Isles, “The Fabled Coast” by Kingshill and Westwood which I’m reading at the moment for some writing research. Research materials aren’t always half so well-written and interesting as this one.

Grunkle was a term they found used by fishermen for the snout of a pig. I’ve had a bit of poke around and can’t find it listed anywhere which surprises me as it certainly sounds like an excellent word for a truffle-snuffling-snout, one that could find an apple in an orchard in a trice. The reason for this, I suspect, is that it was local dialect.

Also, there was a seafarers’ superstition about seeing a pig (or any part of one) on the way down to set sail. If such a calamity would befall them, even a glimpse of a grunkle would be enough, then they’d return home and begin their voyage on a more auspicious day. They may have called the snout a grunkle so as to avoid even saying a porcine word.

Imagine ringing in to your workplace.

“Hello, Boss. I’m afraid I can’t come in to finish those reports/diagnoses/roofs/chapters today. I saw a grunkle on the way to the bus and I’m doomed if I come to work. I know you’ll understand. Seeya tomorrow.”

I’d love to see which box Human Resources would tick for that particular absence.

However I did find some grunkles online. There’s a character called Stan Grunkle in a cartoon my children like. He doesn’t look like a pig. A few people also claim it as a shortening of grand uncle. I like that one. He sounds like the sort of relative you might enjoy. He’d slip you some cash when he saw you and ruffle your hair.

So, it’s up to yourself. You can take grunkle and apply it to the next curly-tailed porker you meet or you can be nice to your Grand Uncle when you see him next. But do let me know if you use the grunkle excuse with your boss.

Until next time happy reading, writing, and wordfooling,

Grace

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