The Jeweller's Window

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30710, 27 March 1965, Page 5

The Jeweller's Window

TREACLE

(Specially written for “The

Press” by .4

ARNOLD WALL)

Treacle has migrated from the chemist’s shop to the grocer’s, from the sick-room to tlie kitchen. “Treacle” comes to ns from Greek “theriake,” an antidote against venomous bites, through Latin “teriaca” and French “triacle.”

The Greek word is formed from “ther,” a wild beast which is cognate with our "deer.”

So much for the etymology of “treacle” and now for its adventures in our language. It was at first solely a pharmacist’s term for an unguent reputed to remedy poisonous bites and it was not till 1694 that it came into use for molasses.

It is in its old druggist's sense that it occurs in some old editions of the Bible—- " Treacle Bibles,” from its use for “balm” in Jeremiah VIII, 22, “balm in Gilead.” One old writer notes that the only use for the viper is "to make treacle” that is to make remedy for the bite, on the “hair of the dog” principle.

Sir Thomas More writes of “a most strong treacle against these venomous heresies” and another writer refers to the Virgin Mary as “the treacle of Heaven." The role of “treacle” was reversed in the 19th century when, as I only too well remember, it was used as a palliative or shock-absorber when administered with “brimstone.” In the spring the nurse’s fancy ran to "brimstone and treacle” automatically. It was fondly imagined to act as a purifier of the blood whatever that may mean. “Treacle” gives the adjective “treacly” as applied to over-sentimental or gushing writing especially in verse. Beard And Fierce Nobody knows of more than one way of pronouncing “beard” or “fierce” in Standard English. But both have, as it were, sowed their wild oats.

During the eighteenth century and early nineteenth these two words could be pronounced as “bird” and “ferce,” as well as in the way we pronounce them now.

I take “beard” first. Some ; of the old authorities allowed it both ways, “beard” and “bird.” One prescribes “baird” (a Scot). Walker (1791) was very emphatic in his rejection of "bird.” Curiously enough “bird” was preferred on the stage. John Kemble (1721—1802), the greatest actor of his age, certainly used this pronunciation and was criticised for it. Walker quoted freely from the poets to prove that “bird” was improper. Now for “ferce.” This, like “bird," was favoured on the stage. Walker allowed both “fierce” and “ferce” and puts up a rather curious defence of “ferce,” observing that actors “feel a propriety in giving a short vowel to a word denoting a rapid and violent emotion, and therefore though this pronunciation may be said to be grammatically improper it is philosophically right.” Lounsbury (1838—1915) in his Standard of Pronunciation in English refers to this peculiar diction and observes that Walker was sometimes ruled by theory which was altogether too refined for practice. I may note that though John Walker is known only as a lexicographer and grammarian he was, for a time, on the stage in his youth so that his judgment on such points as this was not without some experience to support it.