[Vocabulary] Aregelatin

[holdenenglish]

Teachers

In the book of Parliamentary Debates: Legislative Council and House of Representatives, I find the word "Aregelatin" (attached photo) which I cannot find the meaning in a dictionary. The word appears in the sentence "'No, squire,' said the clockmaker, 'you have laws aregelation' quack doctors, but non aregelatin' of quck politicians.

See if you can advise on the meaning of aregelation in the above context.

Holden

 

[emsr2d2]

I think perhaps it's supposed to be "regulating". I've seen some old texts where "a-" is placed before a verb, so maybe it's meant to read "a-regulatin'" (apostrophe replaces the final "g").

He's off a-runnin'
Here we go a-wassailin'

 

[Skrej]

Adding that 'a' in front of certain present participles is referred to as 'a-prefixing'.

It's still quite common in Appalachian English here in the US where it's considered a distinguishing feature of that dialect, but you'll hear it in other isolated pockets around the central and southern US. I occasionally use it myself and still hear it in my area (southern edge of the Midwestern US).

The Appalachian region was settled predominantly by people of Scots-Irish and German heritage, so this would explain the linguistic link back to the British Isles.

Oh, and of course another well-known example is in the song '12 Days of Christmas', where several days involved groups 'a-doing' different things.