Swithering is a word which I use on a regular basis, because I’m not very good at making up my mind about anything. So I spend a lot of time swithering. If you can’t decide whether to choose a chocolate eclair or a meringue, then you are swithering. Of course you could always solve the problem by having both cakes, but then that only brings more problems of the, “My God how did I get so fat variety.”
I suppose, in English you would say that you were undecided about something, but swithering has a much better ring to it, I think.
Okay, so what’s the difference between swithering and mithering (with a long i)? My dad always accused my mother of mithering, and that always meant to me wishy-washing nattering đŸ™‚
BTW, I always swither when we eat out, letting everyone order before me so that I can chose at the last possible minute.
Mithering is definitely not Scottish. Quite a good word though. I always thought it meant stop moaning. I remember Vera in Coronation Street always said it to ‘her Jack’ So I think it is a Yorkshire/Lancashire word. Swithering is just pronounced like withering with an s.
Yes, I discovered that word mithering in Yorkshire! It eant moaning or complaining – whinge-ing!