Dirk
From Free net encyclopedia
Dirk is a Scots word for a long dagger; sometimes a cut-down sword blade mounted on a dagger handle, rather than a knife blade. The word dirk could have possibly derived from the Gaelic word "sgian dearg"(red knife). The shift from dearg to dirk is very minimal. In Bronze Age and Iron Age Scotland and Ireland , the dirk was actually considered to be a sword. Its blade length and style varied but it is generally 6-12 inches. It may be derived from the longer knife of a set of hunting knives. In medieval Scotland, the dirk was a backup to the broadsword, and was wielded by the left hand while the scabbard was carried on the arm. Dirks were used to swear an oath upon in Celtic cultures. After the Battle of Culloden, the English were aware that the Highlanders normally swore on their dirks, so, to prevent future uprisings or rebellions against the throne, they made them swear on oath never to "possess any gun, sword, or pistol, or to use tartan: "... and if I do so may I be cursed in my undertakings, family and property, may I be killed in battle as a coward, and lie without burial in a strange land, far from the graves of my forefathers and kindred; may all this come across me if I break my oath." Nearly every Scottish male at the time of the oath had a dirk. This was because most Scots were too poor to buy a sword. The dirk was small and was carried everywhere the owner went. The dirk was worn in plain view suspended from a belt at the waist. Another shorter dagger tucked into a coat sleeve or stocking as part of Highland dress is known as a Sgian Dubh, derived from the arm pit dagger or sgian achlias. To this day, a real or false dirk is sometimes worn as a part of traditional Scottish costume. A dirk also refers to a short dagger used by Pirates.
Other meanings of 'dirk' as a weapon are
- a side-arm worn by Royal Navy midshipmen and naval cadets.
- a short-bladed weapon used in the Middle Bronze Age (c. 1500-1100 BC).
- a thrown weapon, as opposed to a melee weapon.
Other meanings
Dirk is also a common name in English, Dutch and German.
In Dutch, German and Frisian, dirk is the word for a topping lift, a line on a boat that keeps the boom up when the sail is not hoisted.
In Germany DIRK is an acronym for 'Deutscher Investor Relations Kreis' (German Investor Relations Circle).
In computer games, the term "dirk" is encountered less often than the more convenient "dagger" used in wide range of computer RPGs, . Some of the last games featuring this weapon are known as Divine Divinity from Larian Studios, as well as Diablo II and World of Warcraft from Blizzard Entertainment.