fortnith

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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A collateral form of fortnight with the dialectal change of /xt/ to /θ/ (probably via an intermediate /θt/); compare Doric Scots dother (daughter), mith (might), and obsolete noth (nothing).

Note that drouth (drought) is not an example of this change; it instead retains the dental fricative of Old English drugaþ.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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fortnith (plural fortniths)

  1. (Northern England dialectal, obsolete) Alternative form of fortnight
    • 1631 January 2, John Hutchinson, The Will of John Hutchinson[1], Knaresborough; republished in Wills & Administrations from the Knaresborough Court Rolls [] (Publications of the Surtees Society; 110), volume II, Durham: Andrews & Co., 1905, page 119:
      [] to Anne Mercer, my daughter, the some of xiiij li., according to an agrement between her husband and me, to be paid within one fortnith of the death of my wiffe.
    • a. 1731, William Storr, Book of Remarkes[2], page 23; republished as “The Book of Remarks of William Storr, of Scalm Park, 1678-1731”, in W. Consitt Boulter, editor, The Yorkshire Archaeological and Topographical Journal, volume 7, London: The Yorkshire Archaeological Society, 1882, page 53:
      [] & palmson fare which is kept the thursday before palme sunday all in the towne, & this fare setts all the fortnith fares for the year Round.
    • 1873, Richard Morris, Walter William Skeat, “Glossarial Index”, in Specimens of Early English[3], volumes II: From Robert of Gloucester to Gower, A.D. 1298—A.D. 1393, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 490:
      To dark is still used in Swaledale (Yorkshire) in the sense of to lie hid, as, 'Te rattens [rats] mun ha bin darkin whel nu [till now]; we hannot heerd tem tis last fortnith'.