Written by The word thole is a transitive verb that derives from the middle English word “tholen”, now used largely in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England. It means to suffer, endure or to tolerate, and may have connections with the Norwegian world “tola” which also means to tolerate. I like it because of its thickness on the tongue, and the way it is used in Scotland almost always, and very evocatively, in the negative – “I cannae thole him” (I can’t stand him), or “Oh, I couldnae thole that” (I couldn’t put up with that).
La parola thole è un verbo transitivo derivato dal verbo del Middle English tholen, oggi largamente diffuso in Scozia, Irlanda del Nord e Inghilterra settentrionale. Significa patire, sopportare o tollerare e potrebbe essere imparentato con la parola norvegese tola, che ha lo stesso significato. Mi piace per la consistenza che assume sulla lingua e per il modo in cui viene usato in Scozia, quasi sempre in forma negativa (e molto evocativa): I cannae thole him (“Non lo reggo”) oppure Oh, I couldnae thole that (“Non potrei sopportarlo”).
/ trad. Laura Cangemi
