The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

COLLOQUIALISM

THE WORD (WHIP) IS A LOCAL COLLOQUIALISM USED YEARS AGO BY THE
MARBLEHEAD FISHERMAN. IF THEY WERE IN A DIFFERENT SEAPORT ALONG
THE COAST AND THEY WALKED INTO A LOCAL BAR, THEY WOULD JUST HOLLER
OUT THE WORD WHIP AND IF THERE WAS ANYBODY THERE FROM MARBLEHEAD
THEY WOULD WAVE AND SAY HELLO. THIS WAS USED AS A MEANS OF
IDENTIFICATION FOR MARBLEHEADERS IF THEY WERE OUT OF TOWN AND THEY
WANTED TO KNOW IF ANYBODY FROM MARBLEHEAD WAS AROUND, THEY JUST
HOLLERED OUT THE WORD "WHIP" AND OF COURSE IF YOU WEREN'T FROM
MARBLEHEAD YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANT AND IF YOU WERE YOU WOULD
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PERSON AS ANOTHER MARBLEHEADER, WHETHER YOU KNEW
THEM PERSONALLY OR NOT.

Submitter comment: THIS COLLOQUIALISM WAS USED BEFORE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY (1800'S)
BEFORE THE FISHING INDUSTRY ALMOST FELL FLAT. PEOPLE STILL USE IT
TODAY, BUT NOT FREQUENTLY. WHEN MRS. PHILBROOK AND HER HUSBAND WERE
IN BERMUDA ON THEIR SAILING SLOOP, SOME PEOPLE WENT SAILING BY AND
SAW THAT THE TRANSOM OF THEIR BOAT WAS MARKED "MARBLEHEAD" AS THE
HAILPORT AND HOLLARED OUT "WHIP". MR. AND MRS. PHILBROOK KNEW
IMMEDIATELY THAT THESE PEOPLE WERE FROM MARBLEHEAD ALSO AND
ACKNOWLEDGED THEM. WHEN THEY CAME INTO DOCK, THE PHILBROOKS'
FOUND THAT THESE PEOPLE HAD LIVED IN MARBLEHEAD BUT WERE PRESENTLY
LIVING IN BERMUDA. SINCE THEN THEY HAVE BECOME GOOD FRIENDS.
THE ITEM ITSELF AS WELL AS SOME OF THE COMMENTS WERE TAKEN DIRECTLY
AS THE INFORMANT GAVE THEM TO ME WHEN VISITING AT MY HOME.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; TAYLOR

Date learned: 11-00-1977 ; 00-00-1973