COLLIE
Wild Word Friday!
When I was growing up, one of my favorite television shows was Lassie. (Yes, that was way back in the 1950s!) Lassie, a COLLIE, managed to save all manner of people from all manner of horrible situations, and I’m sure she was also responsible for a popularity surge in the breed itself. The COLLIE is a general term used to designate a breed of large, long-haired Scottish dogs originally bred to help herd sheep.
When I think of a COLLIE, I picture a light brown or golden dog, but many experts (not all) agree that the original breed was predominantly black. The reason I think they’re right is that the word COLLIE used to be pronounced coalie. Dictionaries are a little vague about this pronunciation, but I’m sure of it. In my little hometown, many people are only a couple of generations removed from their Scotch ancestors. The oldest people in our community – those I remember as a child – called a black-colored COLLIE, a coalie.
According to linguists, emigrant populations tend to hang onto older word forms and language usage, while the language of stationary populations continues to evolve. So applying this rule of language gives a fairly good indication that our COLLIE was originally a coalie dog!
Do you have a favorite breed of dog?
Blessings!
Sue
As a child I would have agreed with you about the “Coalie”, but circumstances has put two purebred Golden Retrievers and now one Golden Mix into my life and they have my heart. They are big dogs who think they are small and while not good watch or guard dogs, they are such loving companions. Any dog who allows a toddler to use it as a step stool or will let a child take food out of its mouth without any signs of aggression is a good dog in my mind. They are real tail waggers.
My parents had Labrador Retrievers and I’ve always loved them. Then I bred, trained and exhibited Shetland Sheepdogs for 35 years… the breed so many people think are “miniature Collies” but aren’t. Their sweetness endeared them to me and I thought I’d never find another breed I liked as well, but I’m currently back to loving an energetic but equally sweet black Labrador Retriever.