"Mike Tullett" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 11 Nov 2003 20:06:42 +0000, Mark Chamberlain wrote in


On Tue, 11 Nov 2003 08:54:22 +0000, Jonathan Stott
wrote:

We have misty drizzly mirk here too this morning

Jonathan
Canterbury

Didn't one presenter used to call it mizzle?

That is a word I haven't heard in a long time, but was used by my late
father when describing such conditions. As he only had a passing
interest
in the weather, I can only think he picked it up elsewhere and that
goes
back to early last century.


.... according to various reference works I have, this word ('mizzle')
can be traced back to at least the 15th century in the English
language - it is suggested that it came to us from Old (?low) German /
Dutch / Flemish - roughly dealing with drizzle and allied phenomena.

.... as someone who originates from the West Country (North Cornwall), I
can certainly remember my relations using the word: " 'tis a fair old
mizzle my an'some " being one of my grandad's favourites - dealing with
those typical St. Mawgan Tropical Maritime days of thick/low Stratus,
thick drizzle and poor visibility. It's one of those words that 'sounds'
right for the conditions - you almost instinctively know what it means.

Martin.