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tamarack
< Canadian French tamarac < Algonquin hackmatack
DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)
1n. — Flora
the larch tree, especially Larix laricina.
Type: 5. Frequency — Tamarack, an alternate word for a species of larch found in most places across Canada, derives from the Canadian French tamarac, which can be traced further back to the Algonquian language. Grady (2007: 97) asserts that tamarack and the other common name "hackmatack" are "corruptions of the Algonquin word akemantak, which means 'wood for making snowshoes' ". The term is not exclusive to Canada, as it may also be found in northern and western dialects of American English (DARE, s.v. "tamarack"). Internet search results, however, indicate that tamarack appears most frequently in Canada (see Chart 1). In Eastern Canada, the term is used in the phrase "tamarack'er down", an expression meant to encourage others to dance vigorously in celebration (see tamarack'er down).
See also Gage-5, s.v. "tamarack" (1), which is marked "Cdn.", COD-2 lists the term, s.v. "tamarack", but does not label it in any way.
See also Gage-5, s.v. "tamarack" (1), which is marked "Cdn.", COD-2 lists the term, s.v. "tamarack", but does not label it in any way.
Quotations
1815
On the north-west and north-east sides are found some swamps, abundantly covered with . . . tamarack. . . .
1841
I left London Tuesday morning the 8th June, and breakfasted at Mr. Edwards' in Dorchester, at whose father's house I had been entertained the preceding night. There I was informed that the land in this Township is good, the swamps of pine, tamarack, and cedar, they consider valuable land, and easily cleared; nor would it be difficult to drain them; there are some large ponds of considerable depth in this Township, which are well replenished with pike, sun-fish, yellow perch and bass.
1873
This was a regular muskeg covered with wiry grass and moss, with small groves of tamerac here and there.
1963
. . . in autumn the green of the spruce . . . is gently tinted by the yellowing tamaracks.
1977
Mr. Bergman said the people of the north are appalled at the attitude of southerners toward the northern forests. He repeated an argument that many in favor of development have used: An uncut tree burns or blows down and rots and is no use to anyone. He added that the people who object to cutting would not know the difference between a tamarack and a jackpine.
1983
From the train window all you can see is the bush; the thick even wall of spruce and tamarack moored to the rocks and in the muskeg that has been passing by like an unfolding panorama since way before dawn.
1994
During summer, the soft needles allow light to penetrate onto the lawn beneath, so the grass will thrive. Then, in fall, the larch again takes centre stage. In late fall, generally well after the leaves have fallen on most trees, larches turn a brilliant gold and light up the landscape. With stands of native larches (also known as tamaracks), the countryside around Ottawa takes on a glow that rivals the display of the maples.
2006
I went hunting for tamarack trees this fall, looking for colour in an otherwise drab landscape. When the maples, birches and poplars have long forgotten what their gaudy autumn dress looked like, and they stand there as skeletons unaccustomed to the bitter winds that bring hints of snow, the gold of the tamarack stands gleaming against a dark green and umber world.
2n. — especially Forestry
the wood of the larch.
Type: 5. Frequency — See meaning 1.
See also Gage-5, s.v. "tamarack" (2), which is marked "Cdn.".
See also Gage-5, s.v. "tamarack" (2), which is marked "Cdn.".
Quotations
1828
Wanted, 500 Cords Hemlock, Tamarac, or Dry white Pine Wood.
1953
Outside, I found some green, wet tamarack which smouldered, then caught to a blaze.
1983
The Canadian Wood Energy Institute has produced charts giving the relative values of wood compared with domestic fuel oil. [...] Woods with a moderate heating value -- the equivalent of 90 to 120 gallons of domestic fuel oil a cord -- are elm, white ash, white elm, red maple, tamarack, black cherry, white birch, black ash, green ash and silver maple.
1999
"I got some tamarack for the posts. Earl Hamilton had the trees where we got some beautiful timber for the walls. Reinhold Bablitz had a sawmill."
2005
Hardy then stumbled across an oldtimer who suggested that he could make a guitar using a hybrid, a tree that is part red spruce, part white and part black, and he is now the only one using it. It is so common that he can point to one from his mother's front window. And he is also building guitars out of tamarack and even chipboard.
References
- COD-2
- Gage-5
- DARE
- Grady (2007)
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