Craitur
A term of affectionate concern. Almost always in the construction 'the poor craitur' or 'the wee craitur' - applied to an animal, a child, an elderly person, or anyone the speaker is sorry for. Less a description than a small bestowal of sympathy.
Etymology
A respelling of 'creature' that captures the Ulster Scots and Hiberno-English pronunciation. The standard English 'creature' shifted from its older Latin-derived sense (a created being) to a neutral animal-or-human noun; Ulster Scots and Hiberno-English preserved the older sympathetic register, where to call someone a craitur is to mark them as worthy of pity. The 'ai' / 'ay' spelling is the Ulster Scots phonetic marker.
In a sentence
"The poor craitur's been on her feet since six this morning - put the kettle on."
Historical notes
Craitur is one of the most-used Hiberno-English expressions of sympathy. Where standard English needs 'the poor thing' or 'the poor soul', Hiberno-English has 'the poor craitur' - shorter, warmer, and more particular. The word applies most easily to small children and small animals but extends freely to anyone in distress. It is genuinely affectionate; a craitur is never the speaker's enemy. The compound 'poor wee craitur' is the Ulster Scots full form.
Alternate spellings
craytur · creetur
Sources
- Macafee, Caroline. A Concise Ulster Dictionary. Oxford University Press, 1996. · dictionary
- Dolan, Terence Patrick. A Dictionary of Hiberno-English. Gill Books. · dictionary