DCHP-2

scrunchions cruncheons, scrunche(o)ns, scrunchings, scrunchins Scrunchions is the most frequently found form today. DCHP-2 (October 2016)

• 1 n. plural — Newfoundland, dated

  pieces of animal fat or fish liver, usually after most oil has been removed.

  Type: 3. Semantic Change — Scrunchions, a word that has long been used in Newfoundland fisheries in relation to seal or cod liver oil, likely derives from the English dialectal word scrunching(s), meaning 'remnants of food; scraps' (see EDD, s.v. "scrunching" (1)). Clarke (2010b: 118) suggests that because of Newfoundland's profound dependency on the sea and fishing industry, many words have been semantically narrowed to refer mainly to a maritime context, which is the case here.

  See also: seal fishery  

• 2 n. plural — Food, Newfoundland

  cubed fatback pork, usually fried and served as a garnish, especially over fish and brewis.

  Type: 3. Semantic Change — When the term scrunchions shifted from the fisheries (see meaning 1) to everyday use, it narrowed even further to refer specifically to fried fatback pork cooked with fish dishes (Kirwin 2006: 28). The term is not exclusive to Canada (see Chart 1); it is most widely used in Newfoundland (see Chart 2).
  See also COD-2, s.v. "scruncheon", which is marked "Cdn (Nfld)".

  See also: fish and brewis  touton  vang  cod tongue