Yan Tan

I took an old guy to Ulverston one morning this week and when he counted the coins out to pay the fare he said “here’s dick tan lad keep the change,” This had me baffled so I asked him to explain what he had just said.

 He told me that it’s an ancient form of counting still in use by some of the Cumbrian upland sheep farmers to count their flock.

 So here goes with one to ten, don’t know if any of the spellings are correct this is just as he said them. 1 yan 2 tan 3 teddera 4 meddera 5 pimp 6 settera 7 lettera 8 hovera 9 dowra 10 dick .

It sounds like it may come from the Old Norse but best of all I like the one for 15 bumfit and the one for 20 jiggot.

 Right I'm off for a dick minutes rest might catch you in bumfit or so.