BS: regional uk slang

Subject: BS:Regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 03:10 AM

most of us are aware of cockney rhyming slang.
Do the other major cities such as Manchester or Birmingham, etc, have interesting examples of slang?

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 03:52 AM

Yes, they do.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 04:59 AM

In Liverpool they learn yer to talk proper. It's all the rest who use slang.

DC

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Michael
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 05:01 AM

Thanks DtG, made me splutter into my tea.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Senoufou
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 05:02 AM

Norfolk vernacular has numerous examples of 'slang'. Usually class-related, but much more colourful than RP!

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 06:09 AM

Birmingham ? how can half a million people have the same speech defect ?

Dave H

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Raggytash
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 07:58 AM

Damn you David I was going to post that!! ;-)

It's one million people by the way!!

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 10:24 AM

in norwich and norfolk a ladybird is a bushy barnaby. so Dave any examples

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Senoufou
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 10:38 AM

Here are a few used in Norwich and the rest of Norfolk:-

dwile - a cleaning cloth
mardle - to chat
squit - load of rubbish, nonsense
harnser - heron
loke - a small street
pightle - a paddock
dickey - a donkey
mawkin - an effigy (usually a scarecrow)

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 02:10 PM

Clout, article of clothing, old saying, never cast a clout till May's out.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 02:18 PM

docky, west suffolk bury st edmunds term for elevenses.
Cob leicester term for bread roll.
twitchell, notts term for alleyway.
coo de heck bury st edmunds term for surprise.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Mr Red
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 02:26 PM

Black Country

tranklements - ephemera like jewellery or trinkets that you keep for no useful purpose. "Stuff" that weighs you down, emotionally.
suff - sewer
bostin - excellent, very very good
bobby dazzler - smartly dressed person
puck - past tense of pick
tump - slag heap
glede - cinder, partly burnt coal
bull - factory noise announcing the start of the shift, or return from lunch. The word is somewhat onomatopoeic. Heard from a long way away.
gob fire - underground coal fire.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 02:32 PM

Presuming you want examples of intersting slang, Dick

Yer clout yed (You silly person)
I'll go t't'foot of our stairs (I am surprised)
It's black ower Bill's mothers (Precipitation is imminent)
Gi' it another thrutch (Try again)
Come away like a flock o' sparrers (My bowel motions were rather loose)
Put wood inth'ole (Close the door)
Clean th'essole (Remove the ash from under the fire grate)
There's only me an thee an if I 'ad me cloggs on there'd only bi thee (This event was poorly attended)

All from the Swinton area of Manchester withing my lifetime.

Bit of a daft question though, Dick. Surely you have seen the Oldham Tinkers or the or Gary and Vera or many of the other Lancashire acts. Likewise there must be dozens from the Midlands too.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 02:47 PM

daft? this forum has members from all over the world, they would not have attended lancashire evenings...neither have I,I have not attended concerts by the OLDHAM TINKERS   
This forum is not parochial.... eg..having a limited or narrow outlook or scope
WHY WOULD I HAVE SEEN LANCASHIRE EVENINGS? i have seen Gary and Vera a couple of times at folk festivals but not when they were doimg specific lancashire dialect etc

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 03:00 PM

Gary and Vera attended my last gig at Swinton folk club, AND DID A FLOOR SPOT BUT DID NOT DO ANY LANCASHIRES DIALECT MATERIAL.
Dave Howard was there of OldhamTinkers[ an excellent guitarist] but did a spot with GARY ANDvERA

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 03:21 PM

Devonshire.... 'Gwain down't rawd drayin ood' is 'going down the road collecting wood'.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 04:57 PM

Yes Dick. Daft. It is obvious that all regions have their own dialects, accents and slang. If you want examples of regional dialects and slang just ask for them rather than posing a question you already know the answer to. Plus, only those who know Manchester and Birmingham are likely to answer your question so your point about this being an international forum is equally daft. I'm glad Gary and Vera, and Dave were at your gig. They are very enjoyable and don't go out of their way to rub people up the wrong way...

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 05:13 PM

With me brought up in the Somerset and Anne, my wife, brought up in Haslingden, Lancashire, we sometimes surprise each other with dialect words that the other does not know.

Last one I remember saying was "dimpsy", as in at twilight.

The odd thing is that some words are quite similar between the two regions and I can even understand more of what Sid Calderbank says than a lot of less heritage educated Lancashire folk.

Dave Howard is a bit of a railway enthusiast, by the way, and lives close to the East Lancashire Railway. Helen has told me that the dog has better hearing than him, of course, and he has it trained to come and ask for a walk when it hears a steam loco coming!

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Aug 21 - 05:45 PM

Talking of Dave Howard and dogs I remember one of the other 'Tinkers saying they called their dog Grieg because all it could do was pee agin't'suite :-D

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 02:30 AM

some irish slang words, not the uk [apart from ulster] but close tohome and using english language.
Wagon.   Chancer
Flute, Someone with an empty head or sometimes someone who is a prick41 – 56: Common Irish expressions to use when referring to someone that you dislike

We’ve an almost endless number of ways to describe a person that we don’t like in Ireland. These Irish slang words can range from tame to offensive, so use with caution.
41. Clown

Tame. Usually used casually with friends. For example, ‘I clipped the wing mirror off the pillar yesterday’. ‘You’re some clown’.
42. Goon

Another one that’s fairly tame. For example, ‘He’s only a goon that lad’.
43. Geebag

So, this is a pretty insulting bit of slang that’s female-specific. For example, ‘Mrs. O’Tool gave us about 7 weeks worth of maths homework. What an absolute geebag’.
44. Gobshite

Another tame one. And actually this is one that was made famous by the fantastic Father Ted series. For example, ‘She’s an awful gobshite’.
45. Eejit

This is yet another tame one that’s used to describe someone dense. For example, ‘He used cooking oil on the lettuce thinking it was salad dressing… what an eejit’.
46. Pox

Someone that’s a nuisance. For example, ‘He got a taxi home with us and hopped out without giving us any money towards it. He’s a miserable little pox’.
47. Melter

Used to describe someone that’s annoying. For example, ‘That lad keeps on texting me. He’s a bleedin’ melter.’
48. Bollox

This one can be offensive, depending on the context. Offensive: ‘You’re only a bollox’. Not as offensive: ‘Go and ask my bollox’.
49. Gombeen

An old Irish slang word used to describe someone that’s a chancer. Or a bit dodgy. ‘Your man that I bought the car off is a serious Gombeen. The thing has gone to shit and I only have it a week’.
50. Gobdaw

This is another one for describing someone that’s stupid. For example, ‘Did you hear Martin and Bernie’s youngfella was caught cheating in the Garda exam. If ever there was a Gobdaw it’s that lad’.
51. Dope (an Irish slang word my aul lad uses constantly!)

Now, for our American readers – when we say ‘dope’ in Ireland, we’re not talking about anything dodgy. In Ireland, ‘dope’ is another way of describing someone stupid.

For example, ‘Her new fella was here last night. Talk about a dope’.
52. Wagon

This is another female-specific word that’s reasonably offensive. For example, ‘His sister told his Mam about what happened. She’s an awful wagon’.
53. Gowl

Another word for eejit. For example, ‘He’s a gowl and a half that boy’.
54. Dryshite

Someone that’s boring. For example, ‘All them lads do is sit in and play the Xbox. They’re a pair of dryshites’.
55. Scut

Someone that’s a waster. For example, ‘He spends his day going between the bookies and the pub. A useless scut if I’ve ever seen one’.
56. Shitehawk

No idea how to describe this one. For example, ‘Shamey Brannagin was caught stealing from Kerrigan’s again

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Jos
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 02:50 AM

Most of the words offered in this thread so far are what I would describe as dialect or interesting local terms, but are not really slang.

The words in Sandman's list are what I would call slang. They have an element of dislike or insult, and are not necessarily restricted to one area.

Another thing about slang is that it keeps changing as new terms are invented, which then spread as people hear and use them, while other expressions drop out of use.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 04:09 AM

Funny one, "bollox/bollocks." Aside from its pejorative sense, it can also mean the best, the acme, the real deal, the top dog, as in "these strawberries are delicious, best I've ever tasted - they're the bollox." Variations with the same meaning are "the danglies," "the dog's danglies" or "the dog's dangly bits." If you're very pleased indeed, you can precede any of these with "the absolute..."

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 04:55 AM

...Or even "the dog's bollocks."

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 04:58 AM

…or even, even “the canine’s cojones“.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 05:55 AM

Another one that can have polar opposite meanings is "bastard." "That bastard over there has just scratched my car." (UK); "G'day, you old bastard, great to see you! " (Oz)

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Raggytash
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 07:55 AM

It's strange what different people take away from listening to someone sing.

I knew Gary & Vera reasonably well from the late sixties to the mid eighties. Their whole act was based on the fact they were Lancastrians with broad Lancastrian accents.

A great many of their song were based on the two facts above, From the North, Lanky Spoke 'ere, The Ship Canal song, Auntie Kytell for example and Vera's dancing was almost entirely Lancashire Clog dancing.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 08:04 AM

having a lancastrian accent is different from presenting an evening of lanky., dialect songs
Gary has a reputation for rubbing people up the wrong way, I had to listen to a monologue on how great Brexit was from him at swinton folk club , on that occasion they did not perform lancashire dialect songs , they spoke with lanky accents, but that is not relevant to lanky slang. despite his views on brexit and his tendency to speak at you rather than have a conversation, i find him quite likeable.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 08:09 AM

Barm. bread roll
Stop skriking
Degging - Watering, to water a plant.

Brossen - To be too fat or overweight.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 08:48 AM

When I worked on Radcliffe Parks fifty years ago, degging was watering in a freshly-planted bedding plant, and you did it with a degging can.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 08:53 AM

Ahm clemmin (Hungry) Ast geet any snap? (Food)

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Mr Red
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 01:58 PM

I had to listen to a monologue on how great Brexit was from him at swinton folk club

35 years ago I had the displeasure of listening to him proselytize his politics. But the tradition holds with Billy Bragg. I had to listen to him tell me to vote for Corbyn, just for leader of a political party. Even worse while he was hectoring, he claimed, he was only the messenger. No he was an evangelist.

As if I am going to join a political party (that would have me as a member). And anyway, how did that go?

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 04:57 PM

A degging can was what I had to ask Sid Calderbank about after hearing him recite "Bobby Grundy's Shop". Everything else in the interminable list made sense!

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 05 Aug 21 - 02:45 AM

suffin cold suffolk for cold

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 05 Aug 21 - 03:02 AM

back slang was used by smithfield market bumarees and london butchers; watch your scales became chaw.ru elacs

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 05 Aug 21 - 03:15 AM

My mother and her sisters used to speak back slang, I had forgotten all about it! I think they did it to talk about things that they didn't want to discuss openly in front of their children.

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Senoufou
Date: 05 Aug 21 - 03:41 AM

If one is in a fix, Norfolk people might ask, "Hev the battm drarped owt?' And if I'm up and about a bit earlier than usual, my funny neighbour will ask, "Didjer shit the bed gal?" And if one is going through difficult times (especially in this awful pandemic) you hear nearly every day, "Dew yew keep a-troshing!" (Norfolk version of Keep calm and carry on).

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 05 Aug 21 - 12:43 PM

A couple of Scots terms of endearment (not) to add to Sandman's Irish ones:
Bawbag
Bam (or bampot) _Ewan McVicar did a great parody of La Bamba - just called Bampot)
Shite (always that, not shit)
Pish (rather than piss)

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Mrrzy
Date: 05 Aug 21 - 06:02 PM

I thought the squits was diarrhea

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Senoufou
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 03:19 AM

In the plural, yes. But if one is talking rubbish, a Norfolk person will snort and say, "Thass a loood uv squit!"
Another word for the runs in UK is Delhi Belly! (Sorry to Indian people, no intention to offend etc etc. One can't be too careful these days)

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 06:17 AM

jimmy riddle is piddle. as is number one.
vera lynn is gin.
big business is shit
hands are mitts or maulers
jalopy is vehicle
khaazi is lavatory.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Senoufou
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 07:10 AM

Lavatory here in Norfolk is 'thunder box'
Hands are sometimes 'Dannys'
Men go to 'point Percy at the porcelain' when they need a wee.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 07:24 AM

Men go to 'point Percy at the porcelain' when they need a wee.
Or:
Shake hands with me best mate
Syphon the python
(when drinking) Make room for another

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 07:40 AM

Or even…

Turn me bike round.
Wring me sock out.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 10:48 AM

Drain the spuds.
Shake hands with the wife's best friend.
Or, in less fortunate times, shake hands with the unemployed.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Senoufou
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 11:52 AM

Haaaghaaaghaaagh!!!!! These are all so funny! :)

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 06:26 PM

We came up with another. There is a silly song that samples phrases from the Lord of the Rings films. One of the phrases that repeats is "They're taking the Hobbits to Isengard". We now use it as a euphemism for going to the bog :-D

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: BobL
Date: 07 Aug 21 - 02:43 AM

"Going on a journey" was one such expression of old. Crops up in 1 Kings 27, where Elijah was winding up the prophets of Baal something chronic.
Sorry, I drift.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Aug 21 - 12:56 PM

langers are people from cork city.
jackeens are dubliners

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Aug 21 - 12:58 PM

langers is very drunk ,under the weather is pissed,
trouble with his her nerves, neurotic to the point of madness.

Subject: RE: BS: regional uk slang
From: Mr Red
Date: 08 Aug 21 - 01:43 PM

Shikered - NZ & Oz for drunk.
Uptake - to pick up, as in "a leaflet" - NZ & Lalans Scots