Over on Persuasion we have been discussing the question of the Wentworth family's origins. I think there is what may be a tiny clue as to where they might have come from, geographically, in Wentworth's use of the phrase '[Sophy] would as lieve be [thrown out of the gig]...' in Ch 10. To my ear this is a phrase from the north east of England - 'as lief be' and certainly nowadays would only be used by someone from the north east. However, it may be that it was a much more common expression in JA's time than it would be now. Does anyone know, or know how to find out?

I looked it up in Websters, and it gave this usage as archaic, but no clue as to how long it had been archaic - and in fact I know quite a few people, myself included, who would use it quite naturally now, archaic or not! But I would not necessarily expect to be understood by someone from Somerset.