| From: | "P. Steele" <P.C.Steele@*********.AC.UK> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Geordie Slang... |
| Date: | Fri, 10 Sep 1993 13:11:20 BST |
collection of Scottish dialect in the back. So I thought I'd treat you all to
a Geordie version, ideal should anyone wish to have a run in the Tyneside
sprawl.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GEORDIE A BEGINNERS GUIDE
Why "Geordie" and what makes the dialect so unique ? The origins of the Geordie
has been a matter of much discussion and controversy, you just need to tune into
"Night Owls" (a local radio program) a phone-in which regularly debates this
subject with passion! One explanation in particular seems most convincing. In
the 1800's there word was a term of abuse likened with idiocy. King George III
was an unpopular monarch and was insane (the link here: Geordie = insanity;
surely not). His son took the throne in 1811. George IV, as he was, had a
reputation for extravagance, and his love of pleasure and promiscuity were
notorious (Geordie - extravagance, pleasure and promiscuity; thats more like
it !).
Basically, the word Geordie was a term of abuse. It became linked with
Newcastle in the 19th Century, when the middle classes of the city, who disliked
and feared the mining community used the word to refer to miners. As the reign
of George III and George IV passed, people soon forgot about their disagreeable
characteristics and Geordie gradually ceased to be an insulting word and
eventually was accepted as a friendly term when applied not only to pit men,
but to anyone who lived in this area.
There is no definitive Geordie dialect. There are considerable variations
spoken in Northumberland and Durham. The word and phrases listed below are for
practice in private only. Try them out on a real Geordie and they'll soon
realise you're a southerner, think you're taking the mick, and most likely
"stove ya heed in !".
AA To owe. Aa aa nowt - I owe nothing.
AAFUL Awful. She set off the aafulest shrieks.
AAL All. Aal reet - all right.
BAIRN A child.
BASH To hit with violence. She bashed the door i'me fyece.
BATTER A drinking bout. He's on the batter agyen.
Prostitution. She's on the batter.
BLAA To blow: Blaa the leet oot. - Blow the light light.
BLAA OOT A "Blow out". A drinking bout.
BORD A bird. Today slang for a girl.
BOWK To belch/vomit.
BRAZEN Impudent, shameless. She's a brazen hussy.
BUGGER A rough term of affection in the North. A cany aad bugger.
BYEUT Boot. A byeut i' the hintend. A kick in the backside.
CAKHOOSE A latrine.
CAAKY Animal or human waste.
CANNY "An embodiment of all that is gentle, kindly and good". The
highest compliment that can be paid to a person is to say that
he or she is canny.
CHEBBLE A table.
CHEP Chap. Canny aad chep.
CLAGGY Sticky. Claggy taffy - sticky toffee.
CLAMMIN Hungry, thirsty. Aam clammin for a drink.
CLARTS Mud.
CRACK Gossip. To hev a bit crack.
DEE Do. Before a vowel becomes div. Div aa knaa him ? The
negative is divvint (don't).
DORTY Dirty. She's a dorty body.
EE An expression of delight/horror.
ELWIS Always.
FAALLEN WRANG Become pregnant.
FETTLE Good condition. What fettle marra ?
GAAK Stare
GADGIE An old man employed as a watchman.
GAMMY Lame. He's got a gammy leg.
GEET Big. Geet big gob - Great big mouth.
GYETSID Gateshead
HAAD Hold. Haad yer gob - Hold your mouth.
HAAD ON Hold back. Haad on a min't - Wait a moment.
HACKY Tyneside slang for dirty. Hacky Dorty - means very dirty.
HADAWAY Begone. Hadaway we' ye. Also used as a term of encouragement.
Howay the lads is a corruption Hadaway.
HADDIN Holding. He was haddin on for bare life.
HEOR Here.
HEYEM Home. They hed sic a heyem coming as nivvor was.
HEZ Has. He hez nowt.
HINNY Local pronunciation of honey. A favourite term of endearment
applied usually to women and children. Often used togther with
the simliar word canny.
HINTEND Posterior.
HOITY-TOITY Flighty, assuming airs. (Southerners ?)
HONKERS Haunches. Especially in the expression of sitting on his
honkers.
HOUSIN The capabilty of holding a lot. He has a good housin for drink.
HOW A salutation. Especially in How there, marra ? Followed by
the reply What cheer hinney.
HOY To throw. To hoy a stone - To throw a stone.
HOYIN OOT TIME Closing time for a pub.
HYEM Home. I'm gannin hyem.
IVVOR Ever.
JAA-BREAKER A long word.
LAA Low. He wis varry laa doon - He was in very low spirits.
LAD A sweetheart. She was gan a waak wiv her lad - she was out
walking her sweetheart.
LEAZES Stinted grass pastures.
MOW Moment. Had on a mow - wait a moment.
NARKT Annoyed. He was very narkt - He was very annoyed.
NEB Nose.
NETTIE Lavatory.
NEWCASSELL Usually in form Canny Newcassell.
REET Right. Used in many expressions. Not reet iv his heed.
SCRAN Food.
SHOOT Shout.
SHORT Shirt.
SLORP To make a noise when eating or drinkning with a spoon. He
slorped his tea.
SPIT AN' IMAGE Likeness. Applises either to a person or a thing. He's a
spit an' image of his fethor.
TATIE A potatoe. Tatie-bogle - scarecrow.
US Used for me. Wiv us - with me.
VAR NIGH Very nigh.
WIV With. Wiv a coal in each hand.
WIVOOT Without. It's lone wivoot him, that bonny lad o' mine.
WRANG Wrong. Wrang iv is heed dearranged.
Compiled from: "The New Geordie Dictionary" by Frank Graham.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hope you find it fun, it took long enough typing it in. The scanners on the
blink again.
-The Powerhouse
--
Phillip Steele
P.C.Steele@***.ac.uk
University Of Newcastle Upon Tyne
