Birmingham & Brummagem
Posted by Gary Martin on February 25, 2003
In Reply to: Birmingham & Brummagem posted by PDM on February 25, 2003
: On the 'Phrase Finder' page
for 'Brummagem Screwdriver' it states that:
: (www.phrases.org.uk meanings 58900.html)
:
"'Brummagem' is a slang version of 'Birmingham', which is a version of 'Bromwicham',
itself a version of 'Brimidgeham', the old name for Birmingham. The Bromwicham
form persists in the name of the town to the west of Birmingham - West Bromwich.
"
: .........
: Actually, going
as far back as 1086, the Domesday form of this name is 'Bermingha.', so Brimidgeham
is not the older name for Birmingham.
: The origins of the name are, in fact,
Anglo-Saxon, ie pre-Domesday, and mean: the homestead (ham) of the people (ingas)
of Beorma.
: Beorma's inga's ham = Birmingham.
: The form 'Brummagem' (there
are actually many, many variants) evolved as a result of pronunciation. The 'r'
and the vowel towards the beginning of the word have changed places, and the hard
'g' towards the end, has softened. There is a record of the spelling 'Brumingeham'
in 1189, I believe.
: Brummagem is not a 'slang' word for Birmingham, it is
an alternative version of the name - as are the other variants mentioned. 'Brummagem'
became the name used by the locals.
: However, the unfortunate association
between the name 'Brummagem' and some counterfeit goods produced by a few unscrupulous
Brummies, resulted in the word 'brummagem' actually being given the dictionary
meaning: 'counterfeit'. This led the likes of local industrialist, Matthew Boulton,
to use the term 'Birmingham' for his products. The form 'Birmingham' became more
socially acceptable in these circumstances.
: 'Brummagem' is an evolved, form
of 'Birmingham'. It is neither more correct nor more incorrect than 'Birmingham';
it is not earlier than 'Birmingham'; it is not slang for Birmingham; and it may
not be anything to do with 'West Bromwich'.
Thanks for the info. Being from the celestial city myself I was pleased to get a copy of 'Proper Brummie' as a birthday present last week. I expect I'll be looking again at that entry soon.
- Belated
happy birthday Gary Word Camel 02/25/03
- Brum Skinnerette 02/27/03