Winter in the GH & PT

I think Nesh is a difficult word to track down it is first written into English language when Irish monks started to catalogue English words in the 9th century, with a meaning of someone susceptible to cold weather. It was pronounced hnesce which is of Latin origin so I believe it possibly has much earlier roots, and might well have been used either during the Roman period or soon after when there was a lot of migration around Europe. In the 16th century Nesch is a Dutch word meaning damp or foolish. So it’s possibly a mutation of Old English and used as a derogatory term for someone being unsuitably dressed for the weather.

If I had to guess I’d say it is probably post roman but, Latin of origin. It might well have been a derogatory term for invaders from Frankia who came from damp lowlands. To mean both damp and foolish they are quite an odd combination so likely to be said in jest of one’s enemy. This is only a guess mind.

See, I told you Mikey would give us a story about nesh.   Thanks  Mikey,  its fascinating.