| Black Bull
West Burton.
Bedale
Nov 14th 71

Dear Engels,

Moore sends me a very interesting extract from a letter of yours on the etymology of the word Yak, about which we had some talk. Am I to understand that the termination “wick” in English to names of places, as in Sandwick, Harwick etc. = Norsk vik, a creek, which occurs in Reikjavik & in the numerous Vik’s of Norway. If so the said termination does not primarily mean “town, village” at all. I find here that the country folk substitute w for qu: as in words | “warril” for “quarril” = “quarry”, “wiet” for “quiet”. What is this? is it a softening of the guttural? & has it any particular etymological import?

Two friends of mine are investigating the etymology of the dialects of these doles(?): can you tell me the best old Norsk dictionary & grammar?

Please tell Marx that my friend F. Lucas of the Geological survey wishes to join the International: he will write to Marx about subscriptions etc.

What is the meaning of Beust’s resignation or rather dismissal? What about the “new social alliance”? So Garibaldi has split with Mazzini & in America, Wendel Phillips speaks for the Paris Commune | & the International.

The high hills have been covered with snow for the last week: but today there has been a deluge of warm rain.

There is a most glorious bolting port(?) here under the foss: confound the shooters who stood in the way of my coming here in the summer.

By the by, is there an “r” sound in the old word = foss: here I think it is generally called “foss”: but there is a site of an old abbey called Fors abbey: this looks as if originally there was an “r” sound: & if so “force” may be sometimes right. I always thought it a Cockney corruption.

Do you know the origin of the termination, “side” pronounced “sed” to names | of hills, as of “set” to names of places?

There is a place or spot called “Brough hill” the site of Roman “Bracchium”: I suppose these are both corruptions of a celtic name: as a hill hard by is called Addlebrough. Brough is of course pronounced “bruf”.

Aysgarth is pronounced Aysken.

I suppose one cannot tell without documents which is the oldest form. I presume garth = garden.

They say a willow garth for a willow plantation: but do not say garth for garden. They call a small paddock a garth.

My kind regards to Mrs, Mss E. & the Marxes.

Yours.
J. R. Dakyns.