Quick links
lassy
DCHP-2 (Mar 2014)
Spelling variants:lassie, 'lassy
n. & adj. — abbreviation, Food & Drink, Newfoundland
a thick syrup obtained from raw sugar; abbreviation of molasses.
Type: 5. Frequency — Molasses, a key ingredient in several Newfoundland desserts, is often shortened to lassy or lassie by island locals. It is commonly used in conjunction with the name of the dessert (see the 1991 and 2004 quotations), especially the popular dish "lassy bread" (DNE, s.v. "molasses" (3)). Though there is evidence of the same abbreviation in some varieties of American English (DARE, s.v. "lassy"), it is most frequent in Canada (see Chart 1). While still fairly exclusive to Newfoundland, the production of "lassy mogs" cookies by the brand name President's Choice, sold in Canadian supermarkets, allowed the term to go nationwide (Barber 2008: 114).
See also COD-2, s.v. "lassie", which is marked "Cdn (Nfld) informal", DNE, s.v. "lassy"(n1).
See also COD-2, s.v. "lassie", which is marked "Cdn (Nfld) informal", DNE, s.v. "lassy"(n1).
See: molasses
Quotations
1914
None of the family were properly clothed, though I suppose the dirt did help some to keep out the cold; none were properly nourished, the diet consisting of white bread, tea, and "lassie."
1933
What matters it? For you will eat at the Ice as you never ate before. Fish-and-brewis, pork-and-cabbage, dumblings and figgy-duff -- or 'lassy dough-boys and the like -- are good anywhere. But how good they are at the Ice!
1948
There'd be dinner cooked for tea that day / And puddin' boiled for sure / And stringy lassy coady sauce / You'd have to ask for more.
1951
There are plenty of interruptions: The youngsters come in and want a bit of bread and "lassy" (molasses); [...]
1975
But even if you couldn't always see the harbour you knew it was there and, if you really wanted to, in just a few moments you could be on one of the wharves yourself, sniffing the strong tarry smell that was always in the air, trying to sneak past Hickman's watchman to get a lick of 'lassy out of one of the puncheons or joining in the game of skipping that was always in progress on the jetty near H.M.C.S. Avalon.
1982
And by this time 'twas startin' to come on daylight. And the flies, b'y, the flies was so t'ick as around a lassie keg. Bum bye this great big fly comes and pitches on her leg.
1991
The Mennonite shoofly pie, made with breadcrumbs for thickening and molasses as sweetener, is probably a confectionery cousin of the butter tart. Likewise for molasses pie, known in Newfoundland as lassy pie and in Quebec as tarte aux molasses.
References
- DNE
- Barber (2008)
- COD-2
- DARE
Images
