Yorkshire colloquialisms
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Yorkshire colloquialisms (sometimes referred to as Yorkshireisms) are colloquialisms or slang commonly spoken in Yorkshire, England. These colloquialisms begin to occur as one dunand grammatical system. Yorkshire dialect also has much in the way of written substance whereas the colloquialisms, with very few exceptions, are used in speech alone. Although not always true, most Yorkshire colloquialisms are of fairly recent origin.
Yorkshire colloquialisms should not be confused with Yorkshire dialect, which generally is older and possesses a complete orthographical and grammatical system. As well, Yorkshire dialect has much in the way of written substance whereas the colloquialisms, with very few exceptions, are used in speech alone. Although not always true, most Yorkshire colloquialisms are of fairly recent origin.
This article includes a sample list of Yorkshire colloquialisms, by no means exhaustive, with as much detail provided as possible considering the fact that they are/were rarely written down. Note that there is a difference between them and ʌ.
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[edit] Examples of Yorkshire colloquialisms
[edit] Words
- Stored (Fed up with) "He were right stored wi livin at ome."
- Back-end (Autumn [back-end of the year] also the back of a car.) Related adjective back-endish, particularly referring to the first spells of cold/cooler weather in late summer/early autumn.
- Backword (To cancel an arrangement: "He gave backword")
- Badly (Someone who is not well)
- Barmpot (A silly person)
- Beef (Cry / Whinge / Complain. "Stop yer beefin'", "'as tha got beef?")
- Beefing (Crying / Whinging / Complaining)
- Bins (Glasses)
- Big fat black dog (Black Pudding)
- Broddle (Verb: to poke around, to pick out or to make holes)
- By gum! (pronounced "bah gum" used when surprised "by gum! that wa' fast!")
- "Daft" (Someone stupid)
- Call/callin (To talk, gossip--rhymes with pal)
- Dee-Dars (Residents of Sheffield, who used to but now rarely pronounce thee and tha
as dee and da)
- Dun't (Don't, doesn't)
- Goodies (Sweets-usually hard-boiled sweets)
- Growler (Pork pie)
- Kegs (Trousers)
- Krog or Kroggie (A ride on the crossbar of somebody's bicycle)
- Mack-off (Big, massive etc.)
- Mardy (Grumpy, difficult, unpredictable, spoiled)
- Middin (A mess in a room)
- Munk (Bad temper, mood "he's got a right munk on")
- "Muppet" (Silly or stupid person- often used lightheartedly)
- Knacker (a slug) Also means to be in pain i.e "That nackers/knackers". Can also be slang for testicle.
- Nankle/Nankling (Fiddling with something, sometimes with an aim to fixing it)
- Na then' (Informal greeting) often "Na then sonny"
- Nither (to freeze), used in relation to the weather/climate: "I'm absolutely nithered!"/"It's nitherin' in 'ere!"
- Nowt (Nothing) pronounced like nout or Noat (IPA: /naʊt/)
- Offcumdens (Offcomers/outsiders)
- Owt (Anything) prounounced as out or oat /IPA: aʊt/
- Push-Iron (Bicycle--"some bugger's nicked me Push-Iron!)
- Pot (A tea mug--as in pottery. Also another word for a cast)
- Radge (A tantrum or an offensive term meaning to make someone mentally disabled e.g. 'to radge someone up')
- Reyt (Something is "Right" or used before good, "Really Good")
- Radgey (Bad tempered)
- Skit (A mocking response to another's misfortune commonly restricted to children. Can be used on its own or in the form "skit on you" [variant: "skit on yer 'ead"] and is often accompanied by pointing at the object of derision)
- Shurrup (Shut up)
- "Slag" (Loose woman)
- Snap (Packed Lunch / other snack)
- Steg (An undesirable lady)
- Stots (Testicles)
- Summat (Something) pronounced like summut
- Taffled (Tangled as in "it's all taffled up")
- Tekkies (Superstore chain Tesco)
- Tets (Short for Tetley's beer. eg, "A pint of Tets, please love")
- Trussys(Trousers)
- Tyke (A Yorkshireman; originally a very rude term for men from the East Riding; in football (soccer), The Tykes is the official nickname of Barnsley FC)
- Were (was)
- Wezzie (A derogatory term for people from West Yorkshire given to them by people from East Yorkshire and North Yorkshire (Scarborough area)
- Yorp (jɔːp; to cry, moan "stop thee yorping")
[edit] Phrases
- A bit-a'snap (ə bɪʔəsnʌp, a snack)
- Ah-cud eet a'scabby-donkey tween tu Bre't-Vans (I'm very hungry: I could eat a diseased donkey between two Bread Vans as a sandwich)
- At's a rum'un! or At's a rum go! (A strange or inexplicable thing)
- Allus at't last push up (Always at the last moment)
- As sick as a Cleethorpes donkey (Feeling bad that something has not turned out well)
- Carm ye pashuns/ ca'am thi' pashuns (Literally: Calm your passions, calm down)
- Clip 'raand t'ear-oil! (Literally: Clip around the ear-hole - To punish someone)
- Eee wor 'ard on (He was fast asleep)
- 'Er bladder's too near 'er-eyes (Her bladder is too near her eyes = she cries too easily)
- "Eye up" (An informal greeting)
- "How do?" (How do you do?)
- "Es/Shes ard work (Literally: He/She is hard work- often alluding to a person stubbornness)
- "Off ye/is/er trolley" (Literally: Off your/his/her trolley- pertaining to a person who is acting in a strange way
- Get a benny on (To get upset or angry)
- Gi' it some pasty (Hit it--work harder)
- Gi' it some Toby Malone (Hit it--work harder)
- Got-it back-uds (Got it backwards--the wrong way round--misunderstood the point)
- I'll go t'foot of our stairs! (Very surprised but not shocked)
- I'll go t'bottom of our street! (Very surprised but not shocked)
- I'll slap thee-daft (I will slap you until you are senseless)
- I want raised ont' darn train (i was not raised on the down train/im not stupid)
- I'm right capped wi'that (I am delighted/amazed).
- I've seen better-legs on a-table (A woman who has ugly/thin legs)
- I wouldn't a-reckoned it (I wouldn't have believed it)
- It's nowt but spit an' glue (It was not very well-made)
- Livin' tally/ower't brush (Not married but living together as man and wife)
- Like' fire back (Like the back of a coal fire = filthy/dirty)
- O'Reyt (Greeting - Are you alright)
- Off fer a slurp (Going to the pub for a drink)
- Put t'wood in t'oil (Literally: put the wood in the hole = shut the door (imperative))
- Send it t'writing iron (Print it out--from a computer)
- She's got a pod-on (She's angry)
- She was as wet as a night out in t'ilkers (a sexually excited young lady)
- Tek' rod out-yer-arse (Advice to someone who is being arrogant and overly stiff)
- Tek-a-good likeness (Very photogenic)
- Tha' can allus tell a Yorkshireman, but tha' can't tell 'im much (You can always recognise a Yorkshireman, but you can't tell him much he doesn't already know.)
- Tha's not as green as tha's cabbage looking (you're not as stupid as you look)
- Up the golden rockers (The stairs--go to bed)
- Waybit (A short distance)
- Wazak (A fool)
- E's got a munk on. (He's a little upset.)
- Yu' could ride bare-arsed t'brat-fud on that (A knife or chisel is blunt (you can use any town name))
[edit] City and place names
City and place names that are not pronounced as written, commonly abbreviated or are sometimes altered to make them humorous.
- Aptwick (Appletreewick)
- Armo (Armthorpe)
- Barlick (Barnoldswick, transferred to Lancashire in 1974)
- Bevla (Beverley)
- Blacksha (Blackshaw Head)
- Boro (Middlesbrough)
- Bra't-fud (Bradford)
- Bolliton or Brid (Bridlington)
- Bowser (Bolsover, in Derbyshire)
- Brinny (Brinsworth)
- Cas (Castleford - also "Cas Vegas"-- confer "Ches Vegas")
- Chavercroft (Havercroft)
- Chick (Chickenley, estate in Dewsbury). Also, "Chickadelphia", usually used in Ossett and Horbury as an ironic description for the area.
- Cleck, Cleckhuddersfax or Cleckheckmondsedge (Cleckheaton)
- Cuderth (Cudworth near Barnsley)
- Darlo (Darlington)
- Dodderth (Dodworth near Barnsley)
- Dodge (Brighouse)
- Donny (Doncaster) - People from Doncaster are often called Flatlanders esp. by residents of Sheffield owing to Doncaster's marginal height above sea level and lack of contours.
- Doncatraz (Doncaster Prison)
- Driff (Driffield)
- Edlo (Edlington)
- Eebo (Eastbourne)
- Eedo (Edenthorpe)
- Fev (Featherstone--also "Featherly Hills, 01977", a reference to the American teen drama "Beverly Hills, 90210" and the town's telephone dialling code)
- Finno (Finningley)
- Fitzy (Fitzwilliam)
- 'fax (Halifax)
- Grimey (Grimethorpe)
- Hatty (Hatfield)
- Hecky (Heckmondwike)
- Heppy or Hep-n'stull (Heptonstall)
- Ull (Hull) Silent 'H'.
- T'Ilkers (Ilkley)
- Nottla (Knottingley)
- Mapp (Mapplewell near Barnsley)
- Marsk (Maske)
- Mickie (Micklefield)
- Miggy (Middleton, an area of south Leeds)
- Meccy, or Meks-brer (Mexborough)
- Norm or Normy (Normanton)
- Passage t'india (M-62 motorway, which runs from Liverpool to Hull)
- Penny (Penistone)
- Pock (Pocklington)
- Ponte (Pontefract--also, "Ponte Carlo")
- Redc' (Redcar)
- Retty, Retto (Retford, Nottinghamshire)
- Ro-mish (Rawmarsh)
- Rosso (Rossington)
- Roth-rum (Rotherham)
- Royd (Mytholmroyd)
- Sawby Bridge (Sowerby Bridge)
- Scarthy-borg (Scarborough)
- Scarraburroo/Scabby (exaggerated pseudo-phonetic pronunciation of Scarborough))
- Scunny. Also S****horpe, in reference to filtering software (Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire)
- Sebbs (Selby)
- Sheffeld, Sheff or sheef, Wunderfield (Sheffield)
- Sarth Em-s'll (South Elmsall - also, "Emmy")
- Scape (Scapegoat Hill)
- Shat (Skelmanthorpe)
- Skeg Vegas/Skeggi (Skegness)
- Skeff (Skeffling)
- Slawwit (Slaithwaite)
- Slimethorpe (Grimethorpe, often derogatory)
- Stainy (Stainforth, South Yorkshire)
- Tarn (Barnsley)
- Ta't caster (Tadcaster - also Tad)
- 'ull (Kingston-upon-Hull)
- Way'feeld or Wakey (Wakefield)
- Wikko (Wickersley, Rotherham)
- Wingy (Wingfield, Rotherham)
- Wi't-be' (Whitby)
- Wass'up', 'sop (Worksop, Nottinghamshire)
- Yoo-ark (York)
- Ar't West (to the West)
- Bra't-fud by t'sea (Morecambe - a Lancashire seaside town, which was a popular holiday destination for Bradford residents)
- Bubber-ist-with (A fictional place, probably derived from the Welsh town of Aberystwyth)
- Cleck-udders-fax (A fictional place made up from the names of: Cleckheaton, Huddersfield and Halifax)
- Darn-in't smoke (London)
- Peoples Republic of East Yorkshire (East Yorkshire)
- Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire (South Yorkshire generally but specifically Sheffield)
- Wheear the' black-leead t'tram-lines. Old phrase for Ossett - once a heavily polluted town.
- Wrong side o' t'Pennines (Lancashire). Reference to the centuries-old rivalry between Yorkshire and Lancashire.
[edit] See also
[edit] Film and TV
- Last of the Summer Wine (Holmfirth)
- Little Voice (Filmed in Scarborough)
- Kes (The film was set in Barnsley)
- All Creatures Great and Small (TV series)
- Calendar Girls (Filmed in Yorkshire)
- Emmerdale (Fictional Dales village. Old set in Esholt, new set in grounds of Harewood House)
- The Full Monty (Filmed in Sheffield)
- The Railway Children (Filmed in Haworth/Oxenhope)
- This Sporting Life (Filmed in Wakefield, although authentic Wakefield accents are only heard by the minor characters)
- Brassed Off (Filmed in Grimethorpe and Doncaster also in the Piece Hall, Halifax)
- Billy Liar (Filmed in Bradford)
- The History Boys (Set in Sheffield, filmed in Bradford/Baildon & Halifax)
- Rita, Sue & Bob Too (Filmed on Bradford's Buttershaw estate and based on local people)
- Open All Hours (Filmed in Doncaster - Shop Balby with locations around the area)
- Threads (Filmed in Sheffield & RAF Finningley)
- Blow Dry (Set in Keighley & filmed in Batley, Dewsbury & Keighley)
- Mischief Night (Set in Belle Isle, Middleton)
- No Angels (set at fictional St Margaret's Hospital in Leeds, filmed at defunct High Royds mental hospital, Menston, and scenes in centre of Leeds and suburb close to Elland Road football ground, presumably Beeston)
- Fat Friends* (set & filmed in various areas of Leeds, including West Park and Far Headingley)
- At Home with the Braithwaites (set & filmed in various areas of Leeds, including Headingley and the city centre, and some scenes also at the University of York campus)
- The Chase* (filmed in Otley Chevin area, set in ‘Oxley’ at fictional Chevin Chase Veterinary Practice)
- Strictly Confidential* (set at fictional psychosexual therapy & counselling centre in Leeds, close to Leeds Town Hall and law courts, also in city centre apartment block(s) and unknown suburb; accents of characters suggest possible Teesside origin)
- Band of Gold* (set & filmed in Manningham, Bradford)
- Heartbeat (filmed at Goathland, set in ‘Aidensfield’)
- The Royal & The Royal Today (filmed in Scarborough and at St Luke's Hospital in Bradford, set in ‘Elsinby’ at fictional St Aidan's Royal Free Hospital; Heartbeat spin-offs)
(* written by Kay Mellor)
[edit] External links
- List of books available
- A survey of Yorkshire dialect on the Internet
- BBC North Yorkshire dialect
- Yorkshire Dialect by Barry Rawling
- Yorkshire Dialect Society pages
- Yorkshire Society
- Yorkshire Dialect Society´s website
- Yorkshire Dialect words of Old Norse Origin
- BBC Report on Boots for Bairns
- Brian Turner's Yorkshire recipes
- Monty Python Four Yorkshiremen sketch
- Silverdale holiday camp
- Films made in Yorkshire
- whoohoo.co.uk Yorkshire Dialect Translator
