Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
WALL, adj. Also in form (? misprint) well (Sc. 1802 Young Allan in Child Ballads (1956) V. 275). Used as an epithet of the sea or sea-waves (Sc. 1802 Young Allan in Child Ballads No. 245. A. vii.). This is a corruption of Haw, adj., pale, wan, found in Buchan's text of this ballad and of Sir Patrick Spens xxi. (see also Child's note (1956) V. 388), the form being first confused with Waw, n., phs. through wan as in “wan water”, and then anglicised to wall through further formal confusion (also found in O.Sc.) with Wa, n., and finally to well, if this form is genuine, by yet further confusion with Wall, n. Motherwell's reading in his version of Sir Patrick Spens, “green-waved sea” seems to be an attempt to explain a form waw.
