Rachel
eeh by gum! Absolutly amazing
Ben
brilliant!
Darren
"Clap cold"...as in a cup of tea...I'm not drinking that, its clap cold
An Anglophile in America
Hi all. I'm creating a quiz for Facebook. The jist of it is to see how much of an anglophile one really is. I'd like to include a Yorkshire phrase or sentence, something kind of hard to translate for someone that doesn't really speak it. The only that I can think up at the moment is "ows thi ben since i sor thi" (which came from a friend from Yorkshire that I no longer have contact with). I think this one is might too easy. Thank you!
Ako
Hello.Now I'm reading 'God's own country' by Ross Raisin. My first language is not English, sothis article helps me understand some dialects. Thanks!
Jamie
When I was a kid my Grandpa used to put me on his shoulders and say a rhyme. Little fly upon the wall aint you got no clothes at all, no shirt no shimmy anrt you cold, course im flamin cold. Also "theres a fairy at the bottom of my garden and her name is nuff - Fairynuff" dont know if they are yorkshire sayings but he lived all his life in Doncaster
Andrea
My Dad used to say Ah Kid -his younger brother Ah Lass- his wife and Cery- you see
Marcia
"Khalied" - drunk"Dishclart" - dishcloth Also, couple of sayings I rememebr being popular in my Mum's generation:"It's a bit black over our Bill's mother's" (meaning, it's looking like rain)"Two runs round the table and a sniff at the watter tap" (Said in response to the question "what's for dinner?")
Mary P
Not sure that bagsey is specifically Yorkshire - we used it in middlesex/surrey in the 60s when I was a kid.
Ellen
Allus towd..."a ginnel is a snicket wi` a roof on."Ginnels being covered entries leading through to backs of terraced houses or shops etc.Whereas,Snickets sometimes even had a bit of grass down them...
josh wright
another word that tha's missed off here is 'leet' dunt no if its just a local thing but most people from rarnd here say it n it means that summats not r8 or stupid!!
Katie
Eyup! As I am a Tyke from Yorkshire meself, I found this were really good, and most of phrases were near as makes n'matter. Ta for this. Tarra
Chris Broadbent
simmer down - be quite
L1TTL3 M155 KN0W 1T ALL!!!!
WERE YA BORN IN A BARN THEE GORMLESS LASS!!! MEANS = YOU'VE LEFT THE DOOR OPEN; CLOSE IT YOU STUPID WOMEN!!!
moorby
Yorkshire born yorkshire bred strong in't arm thick in't 'ead
Lesley Sharpe (Bradford)
I know this is probably an old topic but just wanted to say how lovely it is to finally find the full poem about Mary going to church in her new bonnet, my gran (From Bradford) used to say it to me as a child and since she passed away I've wanted to get hold of the full poem, many thanks to Pam for putting it on here. I love the Yorkshire charm of it.
Peter Magee
Proper champion page this!One thats been missed off is: Caffeling = Tired/Flagging/Lagging behind/Not able to finish etc. (Is thee Caffeling lad? - Me ma used to say if I couldn't finish me snap or if I were yawning)
Leighton (Leeds)
Kegs --> Pants/TrousersGigs --> Glasses/Spectacles
A. Lundgren
Hi!I´m from Sweden, I am surprised to read that some of the Yorkshire words are the same as in swedish!!!Here comes a list, some are similar in soundings, some also similar in spelling.bairn-child-BARN.berg-mountain-BERG.brant-steep-BRANT.beck-brook-BÄCK.dale-valley-DAL.fast-stuck-FAST.neb-nose-NÄBB(birds beak).skrike-cry,scream-SKRIK(a scream).sten-stone-STEN.stor-great-STOR.strand-shore-STRAND(beach).sup-drink-SUP(snaps).I wish i could explain more, but it was interessting reading, i just had to share.Thanks alot.
Claire-anne
'is it eck' is a phrase that ive heard before & im told it comes from yorkshire.. i believe its some sort of interjection?
Jeremy Clarkson
T' T' = The The, as in that horrid band, or t'band.
Peter
I'm sure sithee doesn't only mean goodbye. It is used in the sense of "look here" or "pay attention" as in: "Sithee, our Jack, I've summat to tell thee."
Gary Hudson
stoggey = wood pigeonsheppey = starlingcuddy = hedge sparrowleafy = wrenstormcock = mistle thrush
andy
quids in loads of money
andy
sling ye hook = go away loppy, mucky, skrufey = not being clean
tommy
scutch or clip,means a slap round the earoyle.
Red
Maybe I've missed it - which I don't believe, but you never know - but, if 'nowt' is 'nothing', 'owt' is 'anything' and 'summat' is 'something', what is the Yorkshire term for 'everything'?
mand
ey sitha - ey youal knack ya - i'll hit you
E Currie
What does Cery mean
Ian Ridsdale
Q = queer'un.e.g. ee's a queer'un.he is an odd fellow (doesn't mean Gay)
BILL
Kim's line was incomplete, should be :-ere all, see all, se nowtsup all, eight all, pay nowtbut if tha ever duz owt fer nowt, do-it fer thee sen
Susan
Middin is also the Outside toilet block, if your old enough to remember
Ken Dodsworth
additions to your list:1. Dry = thirsty. I never heard the word thirsty before I was 8 years of age.2. Bowl (rhyme with howl)= a hoop.3. Rig = back (of a person), V. rare, but it is clearly Scandinavian.4. Chumping - I agree it means collecting firewood.5. Chelp means impudence, not just talk.6. Clotch = ban, put a stop to sth.7. Skellered = warped.
pam connolly
This is as my great grandma Florrie Hall would say. Hast tha seen our Marys Bonnet, its a stunner and no mystak, yella ribbons yella roses n a great big feather hung downt back. Our Mary went to church one Sunday morn, alt folk did gawp n stare, nt preacher said," Mary this is a house of God, not a flower show ", ar Mary stood up, fit to swallow church n allt folk in and said,” fatha, thy heads bald, nowt in it, nowt on it, wouldst tha like a feather owta a my bonnet.”
Tom
'eyup' can mean both 'hello' and 'watch out' depending on the context it's used in.
MO03RBY
my nan used to say:Tha bob owes r bob a bob n if tha bob dont give r bob a bob r bob el give tha bob a bob ont nose!
Dan B
I didn't see Chumpin' on here... Chumpin' for wood.. looking for wood for bonfire night.. or Scrumping.. although I don't think that's a Yorkshire word.. Scrumping as in Scrumping for apples.
Linesy
"Wipe thy Bl**dy feet" Meaning wipe your feet
Kev
"Tha meks a better door than a winder" - meaning get out of the way I can't see
Carol Stephenson
My Nan used to have two sayings which made me laugh as I couldn't make head nor tale of them at the time. I'm gannin yam t' tell me mam that all the pigs are dead but yan. The other was always in response to any question you asked which was Yak a bak o' Arram were they mak pigs o steel. The family are all from the East Riding and a lot of them still speak in broad dialect.
jck
soft lass = nice lass
Andrew Edwards
It would be very nice if someone could settle a bet, there's a lot riding on it!! My wife (from Lancashire) thinks that the expression "Lick road clean wi' tongue" is an old yorkshire expression, I (from New South Wales) say that it has been introduced to the vernacular by Monty Python. Can anyone clear this up?
wassdog!!
"do as the says, not as the does" is a good saying around our way!! bore on we also say..means hurry up!!
Sally
I've learned that "nebbin'" or "neb" (meaning nosing around or being nosey) is also used in Pittsburgh, PA, as part of the unique "Pittsburghese."
Sean
"gang in't field" kids would shout this at play time to round up their mates. from old norse i think .
Sean
"'ackle tha sen up" meaning tidy yourself up and stand up straight as the hackles on a dogs kneck .
Josh
Reeet proper decent good!
Brodie
Darn as in to go darn town(down)
Barnsley brian Devon
Barnsley word 'gip' for urge or feel like being sick.Seethee, often used to start a statement,eg 'seethee, al tell thee sumat tha dunt know'. Anyone help me with "belinders" as in "ma cums wi rollin pin, pa wi belinders"
Gaz
Yorkshire slang something you live with being a yorkshireman, it fun to read a definition for none yorkies :)
Ronnie Bray
that's a threp in't steans that's a blow/ kick in the... (shins?) steans = stones [testicles]
mr mature evans
I love yorkshireit is the best place in england:Dlove conor xx
Heather East Yorks
Good site, what about the W Yorks term to 'cal'meaning chat? I lived in Leeds for 12 years and married to a Leeds lad,I love some of the lingo!Here in E Yorks we say 'waint' for wouldn't for example! fab I am proud to have a regional accent!
mary lou
wi leave us t 'n' h outa everythin, on 'oliday recently people commented that a 'old ma vowels on, like when i say no, ad say noooo, also perfect english is do not other people say don't, but us in Yorkshire say dote.p.s i tried to right that as i was saying it in my west yorkshire accent
april
Don't thee thee thou me thee thou "thi sen" an' see @ow tha likes it.
HairyMan
Not bad... Not bad.
YahooBot
Nice site, thanks for information!
Michael
When my sister was at junior school she wrote 'A walked down road' and was upset and suprised when the A was crossed out in red and replaced with I. Alphabetically it should be the first glossary.
maryjane girlie d.c. sevilla
Yorkshire is definitely enchanting!!! Wished I can be here someday!!!
Martin Barstow
My grandma used to say when she was embarrassed, "I could 'ave stood up in' ash nook with 'top 'at on, I felt so small."
julie
'loddin' for lane.'glass alleys' for marbles'dip' not right in't 'ead. eg. Bennie the dip
Deirdre. Yorkshire
My mum is Lancastrian, she came to Yorkshire when she was 12 years old. When i was a child if I was trying clothes on which were too big she would say "that'll not do it will fit Todmordern Jack", who ever he might be? I can onlt assume he was a big man.
Laura Marie Stephenson
i love yorkshire i do!!
Kelly
'Oss= Horse,Sen=self i.e. me sen=myself
Kelly
'Oss= Horse
Shannon
Nack'ad-tierd
Kris
"t'int int' tin" = it isn't in the tin
Joshua Enigma
A few years ago, I was in this hostel. I got talking to one member of staff there, we both agreed that Yorkshire should be it's own country.
Kim
See all, here all, say nowtEat all, drink all, pay nowtYorkshire Proverb
Alison Craven
Thank you, thank you Petuniamint - I say 'thoil' and my husband (also from Yorkshire) says I've made the word up! I also say 'I need to siden up' meaning to tidy up and he doesn't believe that either. He's led a very sheltered life!
Peter Evans
I'm aged 64 and my roots are both Lancashire and Yorkshire. A very high percentage of the terms I've read here are very familiar to me and are not exclusive to Yorkshire, they are common to both counties. Matthew Brooke from California asked about, 'San fairy Ann'. Well this is indeed from the French 'Ca ne fait rien' and it's an expression returning soldiers (like my grandfathers) brought back to the UK after WWI
Colin Duggleby, Panton Hill,Vic Australia
1.In the phrase "that's a threp in't steans", the word "steans" is Yorkshire for "stones" or "testicles"2. Add "jart" meaning to sharply knock and make it shake, e.g. "dean't jart t' table" meaning "don't knock the edge of the table because it shakes it" (Expression used in Wolds area of East Yorkshire about 65 years ago)
Elizabeth, Glasgow
Myfather was from Glasgow but would use the phrase "put wood in t'ole (not sure of the spelling).He was in the Black Watch during WW2 and had an army friend who came from Yorkhire - where he probably picked up this saying which I gather means "shut the door".
Mr. Magtoad
You forgot; "Thar will ne'er begin to shout upon viewing a pigs snout" meaning; "my wife doesn't love our children"
Petuniamint
To thoil - to be able to afford something but not justify the cost, eg. I saw a lovely dress in town and I had enough money but I just couldn't thoil it.
Sarah
Accky/mucky - dirty
Alison Craven Perth WA
I grew up in Farnley, near Leeds. We lived in a row of cottages and the old ladies there were forever 'swilling 't flags' (washing the stone paving flags outside their homes), donkeystoning 't steps (using an orange stone to draw a line across the front and up both sides of the front doorstep purely for decoration). Clouts were cloths usually for cleaning and also knickers (which eventually became cleaning clouts!) A clout round back ot eard would be a smack around the back of your head and I usually got those for being 'cloth ear-ed' meaning my ears were made of cloth and I wasn't listening. Lavvies (toilets) were 'down ginnel' (down the passage between the cottages) and squares of newspaper were neatly cut into 6" pieces and threaded onto string then hung on a nail at the back of the door. What a stressfree life that was!
Chris
Not to forget Tarn for lake....i believe Tjarn is small lake in Swedish??
Aud
in't it 'ot - isn't it hot
Beverley, selby
my mum used to say 'that will fettle your ash'- teach you a lesson.Also gigs - glasses.Running on teacakes - unreliable.
John, born West Ardsley
In my Yorkshire upbringing (1940s/50s) 'chelping' was more than just talking. We would be told to 'stop chelping' when we started answering back'! Another expression still in use in those years, at least among some of my grandparents' generation, was 'to-morn' (listed as 'dialectal' in the Shorter Oxford Dictionary) for 'to-morrow'. If it's still alive, could it be included in the glossary.
Nicole
Zonked = tired
Susie Bloomfield
Hysterically funny and a great record. I'm just getting to grips with the odd phrase or saying.One that has confused me is 'eyup' I'm not sure if it's 'hello' or 'careful', could you enlighten me please?
Helen
Some contributions from a Yorkshire Lass.. "By eck, it's black o'er wife's mothers." Meaning its a dark, rainy sky."If thas gunna do owt for nowt, mek sure tha does it for thissen" Meaning only do something for free if your going to do it for yourself."Happen as not an maybe" Meaning you're probably right.
s storey
hosses/ horsesmullocking means messing upbeass means cowscloyse means fieldcorsy edge/pavement in Barnsley
Tom
E'll av yor guts fo garters - done something wrong!
April
A bit to seek - not quite all there
Emily
"Y' make a better door then a winda" - you're stood in the way of something"Kidda" - kid / child"mayte" "love" - said as a name for someone eg "a'up love"
Kristin
I could use a bit of help defining a nickname: My grandfather was "Wick" which I see means lively but his brother was called "Sike" - any idea what Sike could mean?
maureen omer
My grandad went to sea for 40 odd years and used to take "tab nabs "with him. My grandma baked lots of small tarts etc, for him to take back to sea,I,ve never heard anyone else use this expression.As they both died about 50 years ago it may have died out now. (I,ve lived in australia for 43 years and Ah,ve never lost me accent luv!)
Gaz
tested our mate on your site and iver bign and one thign to sayythat ladgin buewer chored me pack upi have a term!. me nana used to say that beggers vex'ded up like
Telspatch
My gramma used to say of a Winters morning, with the draught blowing a gale force wind under the door, "somebody put Marilyn's leg in t'ole, 'fore we all freeze to death"... the Marilyn's leg being a rudimentary draught excluder made of sewn up rags or knitted into a "small snake", and then stuffed with old nylons etc. Did its job and many of the older folk at the time, that I knew on the street(late 50s\60s) used to have one or two of them in the house.
Ains
Me gran used to say 'ees t'best lad int northe'n union' Alleyway - snicket. Where ya off - where are you going.
Kirsty
How about.. 'Aye up lass' or 'do I 'eckers like' Those are quite common yorkshire saying. Also 'bain' meaning a child.
John Robinson
mun = musteg: tha mun do it thissen = you must do it yourself
Andraea
This is a very useful site... my best friend is from Sheffield and is always saying Yorkshire terms on me.. like 'tackle' is Yorkshire for men's, erm, manhood.Being from Surrey, I get very confused, so this site will help to sort out my confusion. For ages, I was called 'mardy moo' and I had no idea what it meant... now by finding this site, I know what mardy means now! haha!By the way, what does 'pov' mean?
n bownass
my father used to go by "rackateye" when estimating a measurement.
Sophie
Tha's warped in th'eed! - You are warped in the head! One my mum once said to me that's stuck in my warped head!
Vic Singleton
Duckit - an allywayNot sure how its spelt
Boots for...
My Dad was from Leeds, Yorkshire and he used to say 'By gum Lad (or Lass), I'll have your boots for loave tins'. Not sure of the spelling.
Pete Widdows
What about t tekker-in oil? A high level door in a mill wall with a crane for tekkin stuff in? Plus of course the chip oil and bobby oil?
Brittany
Thick as puddin - not very smart
Peter Bennet
Bye eck im Pogged! :)Missed words:Pogged or Pogg'd (whatever)Mi'sen (Myself)Your'sen (Yourself)and so on :)
Richard Bowden - Sheffield
Where's "loppy" on your list? Means dirty/messy.
Ann from Hudds
If brains were currants you'd be a plain teacake!!
Wendy Johnson
My father's family - from Tong - called a jug for scooping liquid a piggin. To my mother - from Spen Valley - it was a lading can.She also used Scoprill to describe a mischievous puppy.And my father occasionally said that I needed a good hiding to straighten me out when I was naughty.He referred to a ginnel as a nick, as in, "Where 'asta bin?" "Up a nick i Bowlin'"All in all, this material took me back 50 or 60 years!
Lee - Barnsley
I disagree with 'seethee'= do you see? I've never heard it used in this context before.It's used instead of 'See You', as in I'll seethee / see you later. Broad yorkshire loves it's thees and thars.
ally
can e play bugle in,t pit band.
Miley
I need help what does graidely mean?
Bryan M R
I'll have to disagree with "johny (bradford) Charver = mate" as this expression is slang for mate and not "Gud Oild Yarkshire Dielect, But Muck lather is = Sweat i.e. "I'm lathered" = I'm sweaty.
More than Soft Mick
A lot of something i.e You've got more pairs of shoes than Soft Mick.
Garth Stone
Black as t'fire back - Very dirty.Proggin' - collecting wood etc for Plot Neet aka Bonfire Night.Laikin' cheggies - Playing at the game of conkers.Spanish - licorice.Pop-a-lol - a licorice and water drink.As thick as two short planks - Very stupid. (That gormless bugger is as thick as two short planks.)Flag - Paving stoneFond - slightly retarded (He's a bit fond is that one.)
Mary
Wash your clock - wash your face
John Marshall
How about adding 'bahn' = going. e.g. At tha bahn ta't pub te neet. Are you going to the pub tonight. (Not too sure of the dialect spellings)
Dave Watson - Born in Wath-on-Dearne
"Tha'll stand for t'egg under t'cap" (You'll allow someone to put an egg under your cap and then break it) meaning someone who is easily fooled.
chris
My mother used to say 'every pair of plates' ...anyone else heard that one?
Janice Yorkshire
My gran always used to say 'put wood in't 'ole' meaning 'shut the door'
Nicky
"Ive Bont the toast" as in "burnt the toast""bugger" as in "oh my god"
amt tyke
Anyone know this one:tha's a warm un.
wifey
If you want to write "herself" in Yorkshire dialect, would you write "hersen" or "herseln"? Thanks.
John Quin
When I lived in York my family had 2 phrases to describe being full after a Sunday dinner especially - "Eee! A'hm as full as a brazen beast" & Eee! A'hm proper rigwelted!" has anyone else heard these expressions - which we still use by the way!
Dean
Queir:An unusuall name, gay person
godfrey
what about well, as in that's well good
t'old lad from yorkshire
all yorkshire slang:...2 blokes..mick says to dan."aye up t'old lad?, is thee off t'pub for t'pint?...Dan says "neigh lad,im off t'shop to buy thee sen a paper for are lass,but i meight go t'pub after". mick says "can a join thee then,i got a few spare bob?"..Dan says "reet,im off 'ooh,erm to mek thee sen a brew o'tea". mick says "nar problem t'old lad. se they later"
David Hannam
Do you want some farming/veterinary dialect? These are some from my time in practice in Craven and on the North York Moors. There are more-give me time to think of them! Dowly - unwellGant - thinCrambly - lameFelon - mastitis or felonned in . . . whateverHellered - swollen ie all hellered upTifting - coughingPicked - aborted
liz tanswell
a famous saying in our house was " It gets right up my cuff" meaning to be annoyed by
Rosy-Lynn
This helped me a lot - thank you!
Geoff Bratfud
Yorksha born a Yorksha bred Strong in't bak a week in't hed.You can always recognise a Yorkshireman, he will tell you in the first two minutes of meeting you.The Yorkshire Coat of Arms (see cover of old bound Yorkshireman Magazines) is a quartered shield with a flea, fly, magpie and a flitch of bacon. VizA flea will get up yer back, so will a Yaorkshireman, a fly will sup all yer ale so will......, a magpie will pinch owt so will ..... and a flitch od bacon is no good until it is hung.......
Geoff (Bratfud)
Phil HoldenThere's no such place as South Yorkshire either. It's the West Riding.
Geoff (Bradford)
Being a West Riding Tyke, a few additions.Chuggy-chewing gumCalling-short A, lazing aroundClart-cloth e.g.dish clartMoon light flit move at night to avoid paying rentDoff-to removeDoffing oyle-changing roomLop-flea e.g. wick as a lop q.v.Ginell-snicketCadge-borrow (usually for good)
Lou
Wrong 'un - as in he's a wrong 'un
Hannah and Nicki - none smokers!!
hafe un ounce u' bacci this means Half an ounce of tobacco! We're from Yorkshire and we use some of these phrases daily! Enjoyed looking at the rest
Kate
ee thats so funny...a real yorkshire lass me like!!
xmizz-cupcakex
mint is cooljane try the internet type in graidely and it's meaning it should work
Mark Smith
"Look on" - 'See that you do.', in response to someone making a commitment to doo something."Are'y reet?" - Are you ready? or, do you want another (in pubs)."Upskittled" - knocked over, disarranged or upset.And lastly "Eyup?", without which no conversation could even begin.
mick
my parents used the word "slarve off" in the sense of slipping away unnoticed.I can't find it in dialect dictionaries. I found the german word "schlaben" the nearest. Any comment?
Angela McMurtry QLD Australia
'It's raining oer our Harrys mothers' was an expression my Nan from Halifax used a lot.
Kevin Derrington
Fantastic! Hilarious! My girlfriend's from yorkshire and I'll rib her for ages with these!
Katie
in reply to Jane Hewitt's question, 'graidely' means satisfying, excellent or great. it is used more in reference to things like food where you would express particular satisfaction, if for example you were served a particularly good meal or cup of tea!
Jane Hewitt
What does "graidely" mean? I'm helping my daughter with her vocabulary school work on 'The Secret Garden'
peter scaife
rig/your back, stee/ladder, poork/sack(flour or corn), warked/ached, hugged/carried, aster/have, youiver/ever. Hence the saying 'aster iver hugged a poork up a stee till thi rig warked.'
mike
for Q you forgot Queer as folk.as in nowt so Queer as folk.
Ray Goodsell
a winner, a gem, beauty, never lafd as much..exellent read.
Alecs
Can;t believe Na-then is on?!?!
Dawn Silversides
As a yorkshire lass relocated to Brisbane Australia I just wanted to say thank you so much for a translation guide I can take to work with me for all the people who cant understand a word I'm 'blethering' on about!!
mrs parkin
we all say pull up a buffet which means a stool but when i said it today at school the teacher did not understand it and looked it up on the internet and it was not on could you help me please and print it on your site so i could show him
Linda Kirk
Garrett = Attic
Linda Kirk
Scullery - kitchen
Linda Kirk
My Dad used to tell me this one a saying from when he was young:-"Don't thee 'thou' me, thee 'thou' thissen an' see 'ow thou likes it!" It translates as "Don't you address me as 'thou'! Call it yourself, and see how you like it!" I'm not sure of the exact meaning (anyone help?), but I think the spirit of it is telling someone not to speak to them in that manner - possibly 'don't be so familiar with me'...
Mike Smith
can anyone tell me where getting the monk on comes from - I know what it means but where did it come from
eve
wi for with, for example shit wi shugar on..nt with!
terry moat, bridlington
the word gadgy is used to mean a man, and bewer from the word viewer is the meaning for woman. and the word gauge is used to mean a pint of beer
Lauren
"Ayeup!" Is used in the Rotherham area as "Hi there!"
Erica
Yat - Gate as in Chop Yat ChopGate in Bilsdale
wendy yorkshire
We "allus" say "mashing" tea & I am surprised it is not the list. My mum, born in the 1920's used say "Well you know what thought did. Thought followed a muck cart and thought it were a wedding!" - meaning get your facts straight before making a comment
Kieron - Halifax
Not read all the replies but found it hard to belive this wasn't on the list.Ar` Kid - Younger Brother.
Steve West Australia
Me Gran always used the phrase "If wishes were hosses beggars 'ud ride!" and "If hoss tods (turds)were dates then none 'ud starve"The Yorkshire dialect is loved here and although me daughter has adopted an Aussie twang I'll carry on being misunderstood!
Martin Brazier
A Scarborough Warning is a blow before the warning and NOT bad behaviour that would result in punishment. It derives from when Scarborough Castle was taken by raiders before the defenders had woken and realised they had lost.
Chris Beresford
My mum uses the word "danny" when refering to hands - it might be a Doncaster/Sheffield thing.Couple of others: poof = footstool, attercrop = spider
Mike barritt
If i did something i shudn't my grandparent would sat i'll "spiflacate ya" and in Keighley a fishcake is a scone!
Ian Beilby
Obviously, Yorkshire is a big county, when you add the North, East, South and West parts together, and in days gone by, the effects of a small population spread over a large area resulted in some highly localised dialect. A great many words have spread and become universally Yorkshire, but there are still a good many words that exist only in certain localities, or which are pronounced differently in different areas. The effect is somewhat exaggerated by the fact that South and West Yorkshire tend to carry a North Saxon accent/dialect, whilst North and East Yorkshire betray more of a Scandanavian (particularly the Danish form of Old Norse) influence. There are obvious historical reasons for this (the borders of the Kingdom of Northumbria), but this ancient cross-border tradition has also resulted in a great mixing of words from both Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse origins. The general upshot is that the further North or South you go, the more likely you are to hear unique dialect words, but you are more likely to encounter a wider incidence of common dialect words ('standard' Yorkshire, if you like) in the more central areas about the river Humber. For what it's worth....
Ian Beilby
Fond - daft, stupid.Fondbrazzent - An adjective commonly applied to a young lady who is, perhaps, a little freer with her virtue than society would like. Fond - Daft, Brazzent - brazen(ed), so inadvisably generous with her favours.I will point out that this is old-fashioned moralism, not any reflection on the opinion of the writer, who, if anything, is rather in favour of fondbrazzentness.
Ian Beilby
"that's a threp in't steans" - not so much a blow to the shins aa a blow t't' knackers (steans - stones). Also, more likely to be pronounced as "thrairp" than "threp" in the Northernmost parts of Yorkshire. We should perhaps be a little more careful in how things are written, in that Mick, below, quite understandably sees " 'ead " as a normal Cockneyism. If it were more clear that the word has two syllables (e.g " 'e-ad", pronounced "eyh-yuhd"), then foreign folk wouldn't have so much trouble....
More phrases
Aye up lads!= hello everyone(pronounced ay-up)Miffed off= P***** offur avin a laugh= you must be jokingmardy a**= stressed out personadding a 'me' at the end of opinions eg. i think thats well good, me. well-veryenjoy! :)
Mozzer
In Sheffield:Chab = ChildChads = Side whiskers (also known as bugger grips)
Jonathan Pitt
I love the Yorkshire accent and the people who are lovely.
pumps
plimsoles used for sports in primary schools
Angela
This is a great site..I'm a Yorkshire lassie now living in Canada and my family still use some of these expressions! You forgot "takin' the mick out" which means making fun of.
Yorkshire through and through!
This is genius!However - one vital thing I have noticed since moving away from Yorkshire last month.Yorkshire people say dinner for lunch and tea for dinner! you know it makes sense!
Dominic Smith
I`M fifteen and im from Monk Fryston near Selby, and I use nearly all of these sayings/words! I showed them to my grandparents too,(one whos from the heart of yorkshire- the dales), and he knew and uses basically everys single one of them!!!
Ickum
Ickum might be the same word as the danish word ickun or kun which means - when put in front of a noun - little.
rose marie hubert
I lived in yorkshire until I was sixteen, and was heartbroken when I had to leave, especially because I had to leave my Grandma who I adored. I remember one of her favorite sayings if I was being naughty, she would say " if tha dunt behave thesen, I'm gonna knock seven sorts of s... out of thee. I always wondered how she was going to do that. ha. ha.
Graham, born Middlesborough..now in Canada
Me Dad used to say "ay-op" for "look out"! As in, "Ay-op lad, tha's in t'way". And I likely was "in the way" too.
Jo
I often hear 'what fettle' and thought it meant 'how's things' so where does this saying come from if fettle means 'tidy' or 'mend'?
Paul
i know you've got 'appen in the list but i've oft heard 'Appen as not, likes as mebbe.meaning it's more than likely to happen.another word i've heard used in barnsley is 'Scufflers' to mean breadcake or bapthanks for the dialect site, great fun ! it's grim oop north
rose marie hubert
I have been in the states so long I had forgotten a lot of my yorkshire dialect. I have found this site so endearing to me, and brought back a lot of very good memories. thank you so, so, much
Janet
Jiggard = BrokenFratchin = arguingMy grandad used to say il seperate you from your breath, to me n me brother when we were fighting
Stephen Powell
I notice that some contributors have identified fra (from) as a word and I would add my support of using this word as the phrase 'come fra together' (used when something was broken, that is fallen apart) was used by old folk when I was a youngster in my home village of Gowdall.
benj
angin = bad smell
Mark Taylor
As myself being a cockney and brought up speaking absolute nonsense I must admit that I love a northern accent and often pretend to strangers that I'm from Yorkshire. Also as a frequent visitor to Yorkshire I have realised that all the girls up north are way better looking that the ones down here!
Chris (Brisbane Australia)
Yo might also add 'Doolally' meaning not right in't 'ead
james
liite- stupid
ribs
when I first started work in Sheffield the older men used to describe a small rotund person as a "stiff lad" Another expression that I never hear now is "five and twenty past" to describe the time.
Sarah
me grandad always calls me and me sister "soft lass" meaning silly/stupid i.e "ee dear ya soft lass" another one he uses often is gordon bennet! as in bloody hell :D xx
Nicola Wright
I'm from Yorkshire but must agree that the cockney language is far superior.
johny (bradford)
Charver= mate
Mick
I come from the south of England and some of this is very interesting but can you tell me how any of the following words are Yorkshire:-bad 'un, bagsy, bog(toilet) dursent (just old fashioned English for daren't), 'ead(sounds cockney to me!) gander (again my nan used to say that), gear (tell Dellboy hes talking yorkshire when he needs to shift his gear), flumoxed (no way a regional word), gormless (maybe used more in Yorkshire for some reason but not a Yorkshire word!), in a bit (how an earth is that Yorkshire. Have I been secretly speakng Nothern dialect every tiem i say see you in a bit !), jammy, lavvy, pop (fizzy drink - how can anyone claim that belongs to any county??), ratty, nouse. Similarly the expressions - were you born in a barn, more money than sense. not enough room to swing a cat and arse over tit (again one of my dear old nan's quaint expressions). Ok, I know that this is partly done for humour but you cannot claim to have invented all the colloquial expressions that exist in English or say that they only belong to Yorkshire. So answer to Tyke:- TykeI'm from yorkshire and it's funny how many words I use from there but dint actually know they were tyke words =D lol Tyke it's because most of them aren't
lucy morton
loppy= mucky
anonomous
jock=packed lunch
Madelaine, Rotherham/Leeds
where's "spadge"/"spadger"?! and "cocker"?! treasured yorkshire terms of endearment! and what about "buggerlugs"?!
Matthew, Rotherham
This is proof that yorkshire is the most conversing county. The list above doesnt contain "Spadge" = son, mate, friend.nor does it contain "Cob"=throw.
Amy
My grandad always says "How is T!" meaing how are you!
Mrs Betty Jane Crowther
I am American & I fell in love/married a Yorkshireman. I also fell in love with all that Yorkshire offers.I miss the people/accent/scenery & their lovely accent/tales/sayings. How does the toast go? "Here's to me, myself??Please help me with this. Thank you for wonderful web site.You brightened up my life
Jay
Has anyone heard the saying "I've been to gerries burial before". My grandmother and mother used to use the saying but no-one else seems to have heard of it. Here are a few words and sayings from Barnsley. It's looking black o'er Bill's Mother's - The sky is dark and it looks like rain.Wer un a nail up - worse than a nail up (in a shoe) meaning someone who's a pain.Baggins - hose pipe Mithering - worryingGinnel/snicket - alleyLaking art - playing outLaking/throwing a laker - taking an unauthorised day off workTea cake - bread cake without currants! (barnsley)Currant tea cake - bread cake with currantsWhammy - to be pale and clammy (sort of but not quite, its difficult to pin this one down)Put t' wood in t' oyl - close the doorWhen someone asks what something is, but you don't want to give an answer -Q. What's that?A. It's a shim shamQ. What's a shim shamA. It's for ducks to peak onWhen someone asks you - "How did you know that?" -you answer - "because I'm one o' them 8 that walks 9 abreast down Market Hill".
holly taylor
backie- when you have a lift on the back of sumone elses bike. aye up old lad is just hello how u doin mate.
Neil
Means Hello old friend, sumat like that any road..
Joe Grier
I'm from the U.S. so please don't laugh if these are common words in Yorkshire. Please give me the meaning for: b******sbintplonkerssquit (as in "verbal squits") clogs (as in "clever clogs". Thanks, I've been reading the Inspector Andy Dalziel and Peter Pascoe mystery series and they use these terms a lot.
sean
where's thou belang - where you from?
Sheila Scott
Clart'ead - meaning "Thick as two short planks"
Sheila Scott
"up-skittled" for upset, as in house is upskittled when one's Spring cleaning.A phrase my great aunt used if I'd been dallying when sent on an errand was "Th'art a reight 'un ter send fer sorrow". Never heard this from anyone else.
Juerelli
Hi, I have a friend in Yorkshire and in one of her letter she wrote: Aye up old lad. That's Yorkshire slang and she refused to say what it means. I have to looking for that. Do you able to help me?Many thanksJuerelli
Meisje
I now understand why my Slovakian flatmate has such trouble understanding what I say to her! I speak in dialect without realising. What's worse, is that I'm from Lancashre.
vicky
I am 24 from Bradford and used to play kerbie which sounds like one of the games mentioned. Ball thrown from either side of the kerb. aw what fun.I never knew that buffet was just from Yorkshire.Theres lots of words now living down south that keep on finding out Im not understood. My favourite is snicket which I love to rebel and use instead of alley.
Tom
Depends where you come from as to what words you use.Because people move round alot more nower days a lot of the words are being mixed up. And schools only teach you to speak the queens language its all being lost ! what a shame.
norwegian girl
i can see that a lot of words from the yorkshire accent is very like some norwegians.Like : sten-stone stor-great skip-ship skrike-cry, scream the words on the left side is exactly like norwegian!
chris
I come from whitby, few round our way: Fra = from ("where's doo fra like?" = where are you from?) doo = you hey up = hello git = big/really big ("git big fish!") and a few other pharses: "ya S*** t'bed or summat?"= "why are you up so early?" "ow ist"="how are you?" and now then is usually pronoused: "nah den" and to hilary:
intit = isn't it by the lad, different area. don't know.
Caroline Caunt from Sunny Barnsley
Think this is superb its hillarious to hear those from down south trying to pronounce our "language" We in Barnsley tend to use "geeore na" or "geeyup" I disagree with some comments further down, it is meant only as a light hearted look at some of our sayings and having lived in Yorkshire all of my life, find none of this insulting only highly amusing to see that we have a little language all of our own that only we Northerners can understand! Anyhow, al si thi later!
Jim Dent-----Canada
After 51 years away from Yorkshire I still remember all the old slang like, ar tha doin serry, and snogin, ar tha doin cock, get thi pumps on,All coal mining villages had a knocker upper, he had a long stick and knocked on the bedroom windows of the miners to get them up. I think he got a shilling a week for the job.
Jim Dent---Surrey, B.C. Canada
As an eleven year old guy,from Grimethorpe you don't realize how you speek until you go to a foreign country. Not one person could understand a word I said. I still have the accent and love it.
Martyn - Rotherham (Rov'rum)
What about; Calin - Talking to (chatting).
Nebbin - Being Nosey
Barm - (talking) rubbish I know that most of the words from Gods own county come from, proper old english, none of this 'ye olde' crap.
Julie Chapman
In my part of West Yorkshire, (Holmfirth near Huddersfield) there are two words that spring to mind that are omitted from your list. The first being 'lecking' or playing, 'are you lecking football?' or when we were kids 'are you lecking out toneet?'. The second 'nanging' which means crying, you can 'nang' too or cry. As far as I was lead to beleive these words come from the norse language and are particular to my side of Huddersfield, indeed at uni I met a guy from Slaithwaite attother side of town and he had no idea what I was talking about.
Marcus Benson
there's nowt ne surer,literally there is nothing as sure.used in my neck of the woods for 'of course
Emma W
Taffled = Tangled
Kelter - Clutter
Chrissi T (Bradford)
One of mi mams mates says "spogs" for sweets, he also says "crash wit' jibbers" which means "gi us a spog"
Clare Parkinson (originally from Bradford)
"Buffet" as a term for stool.
Audrey Campling
Im from Hull in E yorks when I was small if I was being picky or choosy my mam said I was being farsididly Ive never heard this since
Karen Turner
My husband, brought up in east end of Sheffield always refers to his younger brother as "our chabby" When I was a child in Scarborough in the 60s, if someone was being a bit of a misery, you say "don't be mornjy" (maybe it's written mangy, I don't know) Another old Sheffield word is "a sleer" for a children's slide. "Gorm" for "recognise" as in "I'd n'er have gormed her"
Arthur
"Threng" means "busy. There was a saying "as threng as Throp's wife when shoo henged hersen wit t'dishclaht."
Tyke
I'm from yorkshire and it's funny how many words I use from there but dint actually know they were tyke words =D
Dave Almond - Leeds
Bril more oft same, like -Esti brought thee mash in, meaning have you got your tea mix of tea and sugar said by miners
wesley
Ay up then Im yorkshire born an' bred an' I'ave 'eard most o' them words
Phil Illing. Brighton
There is a lot of words I aven't erd for ages, Being a Yorkshire man myself I found sum very funny.
Thanks !!!!
Nick
I really find this article insulting and completely wrong. Being a yorkshire farmers son you've got it all completely wrong and full of general sayings, very few specific to yorkshire, and numerous yorkshire sayings are missing - a real let down as this could have been a good article
Terry van der Vaart
Blithering idiot=idiot/fool.grub=food.nosh=food or to eat.
Natalie
I used to live in Leeds for a while and when I arrived there, I heard "us" & "usselves" a lot, "us" meaning "our" & "usselves" meaning "ourselves". The Yorkshire accent baffled me at first, but I soon learnt what they meant and ended up saying some words myself with a Yorkshire twang.
Jill Rothwell
When I first moved to Bradford in the West Riding from Richmond in the North Riding,the words that I had not come across before were Buffet , meaning stool, particularly the three legged kind and Wesley Bobs, which are baubles for the Christmas tree.
Rodney Norman
In Rotherham in 1973 I heard a young girl say "he makes me ruer (Roo-er)". On asking I was told to ruer = to cry. Presumably from to rue.
MT
Does anyone know what "Ickum" means (unsure of the spelling but this is how it is said)- I was known as Ickum Bairn 20 years ago when I was a child in North Yorkshire. I assumed it meant "little" but would like to know for certain. It is not a word I have seen anywhere else.
Bernard Poupard
In hull a small alley or a right of way that runs in between houses and often used as a short cut to an other street was called a tenfoot.Bacca, meaning back of, bool meaning to stand to one side and push, to bool abike. Rascal, a scone,often made in our house without fruit because my younger brother didn't like dried fruit.( Still doesn't come to that)
JJ
"Threp int' steans" is definitely not a kick in the shins as "stean" is from the OE for Stones, i.e. testicles. Also:
"wingeing" - crying (like skrikin')
"Ah've got a pot on" - I'm wearing a plaster cast
"Lam it ovver 'ere" - please pass it to me. Great glossary - virtually all of them used in my childhood.
Phil Holden
IMHO the dialect of the mining and steel areas of South Yorkshire where I was born and spent my early years is very different from North Yorkshire where I live now. So different in fact as to prove that there is no such thing as a "Yorkshire dialect".
Kitty
'Scarborough warning' has assumed a second meaning in South Yorkshire. 'Giving the Scarborough warning' is when a colleague begins to complain of symptoms of a (bogus) illness, the day before a particularly good weather forecast. The following day they are, needless to say, off sick – or on 'Scarborough leave'. You don't hear it so much now, but it was common in the Sheffield and Rotherham area when I started work in the 1970s.
Jane Stringer
Gansey - Cardigan
alan hill
re scarborough warning - this actually means you were attacked with 'no warning' - as in 'I gave him a scarborough warning '- it follows the surprise attack attack on scarborough by the german ship derflinger dec 16th 1914 - 19 people killed
Suzanne
Yorkshireman's advice to his son: 'ear all, see all, say nowt; Eat all, sup all pay nowt; An' if ivver thi does owt fer nowt; Allus do it fer thi sen.
Suzanne
My mum said her mum said 'slop hoil' for puddle. Didn't realise half of these were local - thought everyone said 'neither use nor ornament'! What about 'neither nowt nor summut' - an acknowlegdment that something exists but it's not important (kind of!)
Paul
Okay what about the Yorkshire man's creed. Which my Grandfather used to say. heer all, see all, an' sey nowt. eet all, supp all, an' pay nowt. An' if tha ever does owt fer nowt do it fer thissen. Translated, "Hear all, see all and say nothing. Eat everything you are given, drinks everything you are given and pay nothing for it. And if you ever do anything for nothing make sure it is for yourself." Although my grandfather was not exactly like this it was his favourite yorkshire toast at family meals and Christmas.
jp
stowp- as in "yat stowp" meaning gate post.Used by my Grandad (Filey area)describing where he was going to talk to friends passing by his house.
C Peace
don't forget, tha dusn't wont a "sangator"...ited fair mek thi lug'oils ring.
(you do not wnat a good clouting, it would make your ears hurt)
and ahm "cotted" (frozen)
Amanda (Doncaster)
My Grandad used to call Sweets 'Tuffies' and he always tuk his 'snap tin' darn pit wi 'im.
Pam Higgins
Acky Black = Dirty
Jude
as a child in Bradford we played with taws or tors, marbles, and bollies, ball bearings. We also ate rhubub, and were as much use as a bob 'o lettuce if we were weak
Mandy - Loftus
Good article but these were my Grandads saying who was brought up in Loftus/Liverton Mines nr Stears (Staithes)border of North Yorks - some of which are not included: Hoss - Horse
Bod - Bird, Cawd - Cold, Wahm - Warm, scratting - scratching, ovver - over, chessing - chasing
Danielle (Whitby)
Barm Pot = Idiot
Mark Bielby
Couple more for thee fuzzock - donkey swallow - holidaymaker that only comes in summer
Lorraine Winson
Moving fom Leeds to Horbury in the middle 60s as a young teenager I learnt a completely different language-Wots-up-withi lass? Asta got dog on? Why ant tha aat laikin dahn at sand oil?
Tintintin
Nobberabairn
Music to the ears.
andrew edge
Try out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshireisms Yorkshireisms (Moderator says: please note, the BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites)
Rachel
It's nice to see 'lake' in the list ... in our village this meant the same as to wag, and often the miners would lake a monday after a good weekend ... My Grandad regularly told this joke ... "thes this bloke pulled up t'other day, said "which way's t'Lake district" I says "thas ere mate" Anyhow ... I've been with my lovely hisband for 14 years and this eveing I told him how my little boy looked at me 'gone art' (gone out) and I was just trying to find out if that's strictly a yorkshire saying?!
Liz
"Tha's in and out like a scoppadiddle!" Whatever is or was a scoppadiddle? Asking friends etc it appears to be confined to Sheffield and S.Yorks area.
Tony B
Where does the phrase " got a cob on " meaning angry get its derivation
Kat
Does anyone know where the phrase 'dannys' comes frm? i always refer to my hands as 'dannys'. Im from Sheffield so could it be a local thing?
Mark
av also eard fettle an furtle...as in "quit fertlin round theer". Also i used ta ger downt shop ta pick up some scran (food) or some ket (sweets). And did anyone else put tha clobber (clothes) on??. Bin teld many a time that Yorkshire accents appealin ta't ladies. Me Mrs reckons it's wan at reasons were wed
Stephen Pollock-Hill
parky = cold as in "Its right parky oot!"
Marie Priest
Has anyone heard of 'playing 'amlet' If my mum was cross with us she'd say something like, 'If you do that I'll play 'amlet with ye.' I think it's a Leeds expression as people from other parts of Yorkshire I've asked don't seem to have heard of it.
Janet
When we were nippers in the late 50s we sat on the 'causer edge' at the side of the road (Kerbside)
Neil
Round our way we use the word radged to mean that someones a nutter
Neil
Round our way = In the area.Eg Are you gunna be round our way to night? Our gaff = My house. Eg come round to our gaff to night to watch the footie
Tracey
chelpin=complaining, wittering on e.g."quit chelpin"-stop going on so (not just talking)
throng=busy e.g."am fair throng"-I'm really busy
teacake=any large bread bun, not just those with fruit in
mara t'bonny=as bad as e.g.(discussion of someone's misdeeds)"n ees mara t'bonny"-and he's just as bad
clemmed=hungry, sometimes cold(in context) e.g."am fair clemmed"-I'm really hungry
David Sharp
I left Harrogate twenty five years ago for New Zealand and now Australia. My down under kids don't believe that we had spice and not sweets or stare in disbelief if I ask them if they want a croggy (dub in NZ), and Dad"Why do you say Now Then - they don't know what you mean. You made my night, oh for a beck to cool down in.
Chris ex Halifax
Now living in Middlesbrough there are many names of food items that do not travel-teacakes (plain, currant, brown), meat cuts are very different, chats-small fried potatoes from the chippy when new potatoes first out. Sherbert was kaylie. I always found words connected with Bonfire Night fascinating-Plot Night in Halifax and Bradford, but only plotting (collecting material for the plot) in Halifax. Chumping in Dewsbury. We also always had plot toffee on the night.
Tim Sherlock
Frettin(g) - Worrying
Mary
Nanxed = Worn out absolutely
Kerry
A phrase that I discovered since moving to Sheffield is: "Got reet dab on" which means I'm very sweaty.
alex kitching
wang= throw (welly wanging)
lopp= flea (the dog's wick wi' lops/ the dog is full of fleas
yan, tan, tethera, methera, pip/ 1,2,3,4,5 when counting sheep ladged= embarassed (i'm ladged to death)
Rick Stather
Amazing how people think that these words resemble scandinavian. A couple of hundred years ago, Dutch settlers in Yorkshire helped to dig canals and sort out the fens - the Dutch language is very close to Scandinavian and Yorkshire. Example is Skip (yorks for Ship) and the Dutch word Schip (pronounced Skip) there are many more. Keep up the good work.
Margaret
Where can one find Yorkshire mottos like e.g.
Aflea a fly and a bacon flitch etc?
Brad (Tadcaster)
My gran always says Knackling meaning mending/fixing as in,
"Weers grandad"
"Ees knackling int glory ole(cellar)"
Raymond Grosvenor
I always understood yat to mean gate. As in Chop Yat being the local name for Chapmans Gate near Stokesley North Yorks
Simon
I just note that many of the supposed Yorkshire phrases are anything but - some are as common elsewhere in Britain - like "yonder", for example. Also , some of the definitions are wrong - a "gripe" is a muck fork, not a garden rake and it comes from a Scandinavian word that means exactly the same thing ("muckegreip"). Susie claims "rigwelted" means small - it actually means turned over on your back (rig=back in scandinavian)or twisted-backed but this is often what happens to a small lamb. Many phrases are only from one part of Yorkshire too - there needs to a be a glossary for each riding.
Kath.
East Riding dialect is amazing as well. You only have to listen to the older folk and it's good that many older folk are being recorded. On the east coast it's often 'thoo' instead of you, or thou, & 'coom in 'unny' (come on in honey) The old story goes that some Filey men were on a railway station (years ago in war-time) and folk thought they were Russians as they couldn't understand them - hence 'Filey Rooshens'. My dad was a Yorkshireman and my mum's family were from Whitehaven originally but I grew up with superstitions and ways that they have on the east coast and it didn't come from my dad, so there must be obvious similarities.
If you look at the censuses you'll often see that the enumerator's wrote how people spoke; 'Steears' is Staithes; Allifacks is Halifax; and Head-in-borough is Edinburgh. Wonderful stuff
Cleggy
We used to say Stop "nebbing" i.e. Don't be so nosey!
Stuart Hall
My Nan often says 'medderall', I think she is refering to the Meadowhall shopping center in Sheffield.
My grandad used to say 'goodniight' as an exclamation.
terry (wellingborough)
GANZY = pullover /jersey
susie
rigwelted= tired
and
diddy= small
marc
I used to live in london and had quite a strong cockney accent so when i moved to Yorkshire a year ago i didnt understand anything anyone was saying! Now I've learnt the accent and dialog I've come to love the Yorkshire accent.
Tarra luv!
Jane Harbord
Surprised to see 'mardy'in here as I only came across it in Leicestershire. In Yorkshire we always said 'mourngey'.
Ralph
Even a Newfie like me knows "tha's a threp in't steans" means " that's a kick in the balls"
Derek
dog-hanging: - excruciating social occasion that others feel I should enjoy. You can look up others on t'internet.
Adrian Roberts
Some great sayings / words, most still in use.
When I was younger, I remember the saying "Eckie Thump" put I can't remember it's context, although I think it was similar to eeh by gum.
Sara
you've missed out "breadcake" for bread roll/bun
Liz Jackson
My relatives in Middletn in Teesdale used to refer to the juniper trees near High force as the'scrog'
John Parr
And where's "Be sharp!", if you're not moving fast enough?
John Parr
Good Lord, you've left out "parky"! I was reminded because it's reet parky here toneet .....
Marc
This is brilliant, I've been a Yorkshire lad all my life and i still miss out "the" for a "t'"
Colin weatherill
now living in Scotland, Born in Whitby. Reading through these have brought back so many memories. excellent site.
bex
paggard = tired
becca
up the duf/preggers = pregnant
Brenda Baughan
Brilliant! I remember so many of the sayings and comments from my youth
Andy B. (now in Sheffield)
Mum was from Pateley (Nidderdale) and Dad from Hebden (Wharfedale) and I don't know which of them the use of the words came from, but as kids we always referred to the living room as "the house". This was the room where we sat in the evenings - where the sofa and chairs were and where we watched tele when it arrived. The third downstairs room, after the kitchen, would usually be the "best" room, parlour or front room in most households that had a third room. In my Grandmothers house, the third room was seldom used - it held a dining table and chairs, the best china, tea service, ornaments etc. In our house, this third room was referred to as the "sitting room", but more often simply "the room", despite the fact that we never sat in there!
Dave from Sharlston West Yorks
Amazing - went looking for a recipe for Scufflers and found this site... takes me back a bit. Havn't seen this yet - dad always said it was a Yorkshiremans creed: Eat All, Supp All, Pay Nowt, Hear All, See All, Say Nowt, and if ever tha does owt for nowt, allus doit for thissen !
John Parr
You've left out "More clout than dinner", a complaint from miners about the paucity of their cloth-wrapped food.
Chris (London ex Wakefield)
I remember using "laik" (or "leck" as we pronounced it) as a child. I only recently realised that "pot" (as in plaster cast for a broken limb) is not understood in the south, but am not sure if it's exclusively a Yorkshire expression.
Stephen Hepworth
'Sien'/'Sien' pronounced 'Sen' meaning self.
Do it thi sen = do it yourself. By mi sen = by my self. Common usage in Yorkshire
Michelle, ex yorks, now berkshire
This explains why some people don't understand me - a lot of these expressions I still use and I have assumed that everyone knows these words. Home rule for Yorkshire.
John Dadd. Loftus.
scrowin' on ... busying oneself in a fussy, unneccesary way.
up-skittled ... knocked over, upset.
John Dadd
re 'gripe' ... the noun 'gripe' is, in fcat a garden fork ... and not a garden rake as listed.
Helen Stout
I'm from North Yorkshire/Teeside. Another variation 'upskeltered' =upset or out of sorts. I used this word recently with someone who's not local and she didn't know what it meant...well it means upskeltered doesn't it? I'm amazed at just how many Yorks. words I use
Tony Lambe
I remember a few words from my childhood such as yellin'(crying)sloshed(drunk)twaggin'(bunking off school) & muckments (penny sweets)
Jason Gooch, Seattle, Wa, USA
My family recognizes quite a bit of York heritage, as immigrants to the New York/Boston area in the early 1700's but I never realized where so many of these familiar phrases originated; as kids we thought these were the craziest things we'd ever heard, not knowing their history. Many of these take me back to my own family gatherings as well as good family friends, who shared a similar immigrant background!
Helen Durrant, Malton, N Yorks
I'm originally from Hertfordshire, & when I first came up here one of my work colleagues, at the end of the day, said 'Reet, I'm gan yam' (Right, I'm going home). I could not work it out, but I love it! I think a true N Yorks accent is great.
Paul
In addition to Genghis Ackroyd's skoil contribution, remember skoil's loosin' = school is closing (they are letting the bairns out of school).
mike howard
Man takes his sick cat to the vets, the vet says"ey up ar kid whats up?".Man says "Aw..its arr cat- he's actin' a bit flummoxed like,thought i'd better 'ave 'im looked at."Vet says is is a tom?" man says naaa lad, I brought it wi 'me!"
Alan Riggs
I grew up in the York area.
Here are a few words & phrases you might like to add - can't vouch for the spelling, though, as I've never written these words down before - Yorkshire is more vocal than literary it seems to me. "Thraipt" = tired - as in 'By I'm fair thraipt' By is short for 'by eck' - an exclamation. "Frame!" = short for "frame thissen!" - as in sort yourself out or get a move on. "mofft't" = I'm going to the
- as in - "mofft't shops". "Neither nowt nor summat" = neither nothing or something.
David Adler
I was born in Yorkshire and some of these so called Yorkshire words are from further north, like Teesside or Hartlepool. You also missed the classic 'Fair to Middlin' in repsonse to How are you?
Helen Nattrass ex-York
I grew up in York and used a lot of these regional expressions in colloquial conversation. After university, I went to work on a building site near Selby. I could not understand the men from Pontefract (only 20 miles from York!) and Glasshoughton and the ones from Mexborough near Sheffield were just as strange but different. I was amazed that I could not understand their questions. For months I had to get the foreman to translate for me. I first heard coil (coal) and hoil (hole) and coit (coat) in Pontefract-ish. The foreman steelfixer from Glasshoughton used to say "She's hueseless that hengineer!"
One thing they all did was shorten the names of places like Tad or Taddy= Tadcaster, Ponti=Pontefract, Cas=Castleton Doni=Doncaster
Jane Swiers, N. Yorks
cawd = cold
riggwelted = sheep stuck on it's back
cottered up = tangled
stuart
is the reet? meaning are you o.k or is the fit meaning are you o.k. im from yorkshire but havent got a strong accent unfortunaely. its amazing how many phrases i use and how the number of words that are similar to swedish. maybe i can communicate with my girlfriend better
Martin West (ex-Scarborough now New Zealand)
Ayupnarthensithee!
I remember my grandfather saying "Swale" meaning "throw", as in "swale it ower 'ere". I also remember being "flummoxed" at the word "scuffler", meaning a large bread cake, when I worked in Featherstone in the late 60's. There was also a great book on Yorkshire Dialect that I once had - "Teach Thissen Tyke" by Austin Mitchell & Sid Waddell. I wish I still had it! My wife is American and she just loves the way we speak - even though she can't understand a lot of it! We went with other friends to visit a couple here in NZ, who were originally from Leeds, and within about 30 minutes no-one else there could understand what the three of us were talking about! Finally, when a man from Sussex came to live in our village near York, I used to have to translate to him what the farmers were talking about in the local pub! Tha munt lerit dee out! Angon tivvit!
christine portugal ex east yorkshire
ye greete lanky lumox
You great tall skinny idiot
alan morley york
just like to say very good i thought minging was a modern word
Jo, Cheshire, ex-Yorkshire
Has anyone heard of natling? I think it means mending or fixing. My Grandad had a Natling Shed.
Stu Precious, Hemsworth West Yorkshire
A peculiarity of the Tyke tongue is the triplet. A throwaway introduction usually preceeds the epithet of wisdom, followed by a final assertion of the phrase. To demonstrate 'As ah allus sez : sum fowks talk cos the' likes t'hear t'sound o the' own voice : an ahl tell thi that fer nowt'
Lynsey O´Donnell
Our Kid = yonger sibling
Lynsey O´Donnell
I was born and bred in Acomb, just outside York.
I never considered myself as having a stong accent. I always stuggled when speaking to people from places like Barnsley as i would say that the accent from Barsley is True Yorkshire.
I now live in the Algavre in Portugal, with a family based from Wilberfoss and Stamford Bridge. It has become over time, more aparent that we have slightly different accents.
I am now working for a property company as a telemarketer. On a daily basis i am talking to several people from diffent areas around England. The scarey thing is that peole can tell im from yorkshire really quickly. I now feel i have an accent to be proud of. Im always being told, how nice York and the sourounding areas are. I have to agree, I realise how nice it was now i dont see if everyday.
Lynsey O´Donnell
Cake Hole - Mouth
Cumbrian
Sum er this applies fer Cumbria too though now.
Christine, London, ex-East Yorkshire
As kids we always called our school indoor shoes 'Sandshoes' 'Sannies' for short as in 'forgot me Sannies!'I have not heard this word anywhere else. Is it because E Yorks has a long coastline? Perishing and Nithering are also commonly used for cold weather.
Jack Briggs, Penistone
Glims = eye glasses
Jack Briggs, Penistone
Clogs is loosely applied to any footwear. 'Get this clogs on, we're gooin ooam'.
Jack Briggs, Penistone
Riled = Annoyed
ria
I work in the medical profession in a rural area Many patients use dialect words to describe their symptoms ie Stoddy meaning unsteady Cropset to mean having difficulty swallowing Brash meaning acid regugitation Another word I come acros regularly is wrangham to donate rubbish or useless articles.
Darren Stephens
A couple of things: 'Mardy' definitely is used in North Yorkshire (in Stokesley anyway, becasue my in-laws use it a fair bit). I've also heard "tan" ("I'll tan yer backside") or "skelp" ("Ah'll gi' thee a skelpin'" used with the same sense as bray (mainly form peropl,e of my grandparents' generation). Skelp is intersting because a Scottisdh friend of mine recognised it immediately with the same meaning. I've also seen "'avin a cob on" for 'avin a monk on and "boshin'" for angry And to Matthew in Calif. Apprarently, San Fairly-Ann is from the First World War. It was commonly used by troops stationed in France and came back to England where it was used all over the place. I suppose it very much depends on age as it would be older people who used it.
Genghis Ackroyd
Skosh/Skoil - school
S'Demarra wideeden - what is the matter with you then? (Sheffield'ish/Dee-Dah
Plus a load of other expressions where the 'th' has been replaced by 'D' - ie 'thee' and 'tha' was pronounced as 'dee' and 'dah'.
Bob-North Yorks
Dawks- Fingers
Sholl up- Make room
Matthew Brooke - Batley, now California
My mum used to say "it's san fairy-ann" of a situation whose outcome didn't matter either way. I later came to realize this is probably from the french "Ca ne fait rien". Not sure if this is native West Riding, or if she learned it from her good friend who was of French origin and moved to W Yorks at an early age. Anyone else heard that expression?
Caz~York
Naff-Rubbished
I can't be naffed-I can't be bothered. I say summat. nout, bagsy, reet, minging, manky, chuddy, eh by gum, go beserk and butty. Sorry bur I can't think of Q,V,X or Z. Only a true yorkshire man would know them.
derek wise
born n.riding yks 1939 .a quick read suggests you may be interested in these; laiting -looking for;scrowing-fiddling on at;the ow is emphasised;snek-nose;thoo -you yat=gate as in chop yat(GATE) N.YKS .sayings--"tha meks a better door than a winder" "hod on a bit"--wait a minute.
Liza Rameryd
I'm Swedish and it is amazing to me how many Yorkshire words are identical to Swedish words, i.e. strand, berg, brant, sten, stor, fast. And some are very similar: bairn is barn, beck is bäck, foss is fors, watter is vatten, dale is dal, laikin/lake is leka, sam is samla, skip is skepp and skrike is skrika. Those are the few I could think of, I'm sure there are many more. I think it is probably easier for me to understand some of the Yorkshire dialect than for some english speaking persons. And there is no other accent quite like it - luvly!
