Talk:Tammie Norie

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia

Does anyone know where the Shetland name 'Tammie Norie' comes from ????

Oddrun 11:28, 6 March 2007 (MST)

Nope,, not a clue there, although I think in Orkney it is a Tammie Nodie. I think I remeber the late Bobby Tulloch either writing about this or talking about it perhaps on Radio Shetlnd,, I don't think he had an anwer to the question either,, But you know what my memory is like,, a bit sporadic ;-))))
Robbie 12:02, 6 March 2007 (MST)

DSL says: TAMMIE, prop.n. Also tammy, tami(e), tammi-; and, after Eng., tommie-, -y, tomi(e). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. Tommy. See also TAM, prop.n., and P.L.D. § 54. [tme] 1. The puffin, Fratercula arctica. See also Combs. below.

   *Sh. 1774 G. Low Tour (1879) 98: 
   The whole rock ahive with Tomies. 
   *Ork. 1806 P. Neill Tour 197: 
   This bird is very common in the Orkney seas: it is there frequently named the Tommy. 

... and has dozends of different spellings for both Orkney and Shetland ... not to forget the rest of Scotland ... ;-) Islandhopper 12:06, 6 March 2007 (MST)

Oh Well,, I suppose we had to let the English/Scottish name at least one bird,,,,  :-)
Robbie 12:17, 6 March 2007 (MST)

I got no wiser of that, Islandhopper !! I know that Tammie, is Tommy - Thomas, but was has that to do with a BIRD !! , ;-), Oddrun 12:22, 6 March 2007 (MST)

OK, maybe not so crazy afterall..I suddenly remembered that in parts of Norway we call one of the woodpeckers 'Gjertrudsfugl'...Gjertrud is a girl's name ...;-), Oddrun 12:34, 6 March 2007 (MST)

Isn't there some placed where Tammie is considered a foolish name, or a clownish name??? Maybe that has something to do with it?? Just thinking out loud..
Robbie 13:50, 6 March 2007 (MST)

*ggg* Well folks, going again through the entries in DSL the following things are quite clear:

i) Tammie Norrie for the puffin is not alone the name for that bird in Shetland or the northern isles. The name is/was used in various areas in SCO and elsewhere (down to the Lothians and even in Ulster).

ii) The proper name Tammie is as far as birds are concerned not exclusivly used for puffins; in other combinations a dirten Tammie for example is/was used for the Skua in different places while a Tammie cheekie/Tammie checkie again is a puffin, but this time that bloddy bird is living in Aberdeenshire.

iii) Again (quoted from DSL 5 combs general (10)) a Tam-o'-Nor(r)ie, is
(i) the puffin, Fratercula arctica (Ork., e.Lth. 1825 Jam.; Bwk. 1911 A. H. Evans Fauna Tweed 236; Ork. 1929 Marw.; Uls. 1953 Traynor). Gen.Sc. in all coastal districts;
(ii) the razorbill, Alca torda (Kcd. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.); hence
(iii) a stupid slow-witted doltish person;
(iv) the barnacle, Lepadides, from its similarity in shape to the puffin's beak (Sh. 1932 J. M. E. Saxby Trad. Lore 203);
(v) the sea-shell, fool's cap, Capulus ungaricus (Ork. 1954 Ork. Miscellany II. 56);
(vi) in form Tam o' Norrie, associated with Norrie's Law, north of Leven in Fife, a children's game (see quot.) (Fif. 1972);

In all cases there is just the propper name Thomas. But what might fit to the best (although not from Shetland is the following entry(quoted from DSL Tammie (5) combs 10):

• Sc. 1870 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes 190: Tammie Norie o' the Bass Canna kiss a bonny lass. This is said jocularly, when a young man refuses to salute a rustic coquette. The puffin, which builds in great numbers on the Bass Rock is a very shy bird, with a long deep bill, giving him an air of stupidity, and from these two things together the saying probably has arisen. It is also customary to call a stupid-looking man a Tammie Norie.

The reason for the name "Tammie" is probably as stupid as the fact that 2/3 of the male German budgiebirds are called "Billy" today and nobody knows why ... :-)))) Islandhopper 15:32, 6 March 2007 (MST)

You are fantastic !!! Loved that explanation !!!

CHEERS !!!! , Oddrun 15:45, 6 March 2007 (MST)