Great Expectations Vocabulary Question?

Question: Great Expectations Vocabulary Question!?

In the book Great Expections the word onmerciful is used!. I cannot find it in ANY dictionary book or online!. can someone tell me what it means or something!. here is the sentence it comes from My father, Pip, he were given to drink, and when he were overtook with drink, he hammered away at my mother most onmerciful!. i get the jist of the word but not the big picture!. help! thanks!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

It's not a true vocabulary word, but shows Joe's dialect which is that of an uneducated man!. He merely means "unmerciful" when he says onmerciful!.

In the same chapter, Joe says, "I'm oncommon fond of reading, too!." It is his way of saying uncommonly fond of reading or remarkably fond of reading!.

If you read through more of what Joe Gargery says, you'll see this type of phrasing throughout!. Charles Dickens shows, through Joe's language, the difference between the lower class of uneducated men and the gentlemen, a group of which Pip wants to be a part!.

I'm not sure how clear I've made this, but hopefully it helps!.Www@QuestionHome@Com