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Staffordshire
Words - your suggestions!
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We
all know some strange words, phrases and sayings peculiar to our own families
or our own areas.
During 2005, during the BBC Voices project, you suggested lots of ones you
knew - and they're all here archived on this page and the next .
Return to BBC
Staffordshire Voices 2005 Pages
Newest messages appear at the top>>
Staffordshire
dialect
My workmates use to use the word 'fridging' which meant
rubbing or causing you to itch!
Judy Light
Judy Light
Stoek on Trent
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Stafordshire
dialect
We always used the words 'cob' or 'strop't0o denote
someone having a trantum or being in a bad mood!
Brian Pearce-Jervis
Brian Pearce-Jervis
Stoke on Trent
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kweedlin'/queadling
My Mum (Hanley born and bred) used to call it kiddling.
She also used to have a firkle in her handbag. (She meant have a root
around.)
Paul Juckes
Girona, Spain
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Costs
no more to speak correctly?
Tell yer this, Derek, it'll cost our langwidge if we
dunna towk lark way shud. Potteries, Yorkshire, West country, it dunna
matter what area, ower lowcal words are baying killed off bar 'Estuary
English'. Whut gud is us aw towking t'sayme wee? Bay prahd ov thar
langwidge, it's aw part o a rich an varied vocabulary an it's a shame
ta do it in.
Paul
Huddersfield (used to live rahnd t'Meir)
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cost
kick a bo
My mum used to tell me that one, but she'd always finish
with 'I cost, cost thay?' (I can, can you?)
Paul
Huddersfield
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dialect
book
I found 'The English Dialect Dictionary:' by Joseph
Wright in several volumes, in Huddersfield University library. It's
quite old, contains dialect words from all areas of England. It was
published in New York and London so maybe your local library might
have a copy. I haven't yet found any other sources but could let you
know if I come across any during my studies.
Paul Birkin
Huddersfield
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Staffordshire
words
Two staffs words spring to mind.One is kale which means
housework,the other one is rocks which means sweets.
Clifford Ellis
Hanley
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nosy
meddlers etc.
My grandad always said 'lay o's fer nosy meddlers'.
Looked it up in a dialect dictionary and apparently it's the diminutive
of 'lay overs for nosy meddlers' - as in laying a cane over someone's
hand or back for being nosy.
Paul Birkin
Halifax
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book?
A few months ago you mentioned a book which had the
potteries dialect in it - I cannot find it any longer can you help
me please. My parents live in SOT and could bring it over to me when
they come in December. many thanks
Gillie Crowder
Nashville TN USA
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potteries
slang
Does anyone know if lug'ole (ear) is a potteries word
or if it is in more general use across the country?
Sally
Stone
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Staffordshire
words
My mum (from Cheshire) uses the word "traklements"
to describe belongings if someone was going off somewhere. I thought
she made it up! - but it is very similar to the word 'tranklements'
a word described by 'algy from Melbourne Austrailia' and seemingly
used in the same kind of context! Does anyone know where the word
comes from?
Hazel
Leek
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living
in walsall wood
I was brought up in Walsall wood in the sixties and
my husbands from Darlaston.He says I use words that hes never heard
of.
Did Trevor who's now in Australia ever comb his feg{hair)or say "It's
all my eye and Betty Martin" meaning it's all a load of rubbish?
A ganzy in Walsall-Wood was not a cardigan. It was an undergarment
that miners wore down the pit.
Gail Morgan
Walsall
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stoke
words
when I was a lad your trousers were referred to as
your kecks and your sweater was a gansey.
Clifford Ellis
Hanley
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bint
can anyone tell me what county uses the word bint?
tricia
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Dialect
there are loads of words to add to your glossary..
its difficult to know which one's I use are solely 'Stokie' though!
Wherever I have lived and worked I have always been the girl from
Stoke, it seems that I'm well know because of it. I'm very proud to
be from the Potts, and I love my dialect, but I do get into trouble
with it. I seem to be forever translating what I mean!!!
The other day I said to someone that they 'ad more chops than butchers'..
and only this morning I called someone nesh.. they just always look
blank at me!!!
One point to make is that 'yer snap' - as in your food, isn't just
South Staffs as mentioned in your glossary but North Staffs too. Although,
having lived throughout S Staffs, I've never heard it spoken there
at all.
Snappin is also used in North Staffs to mean the same, as my dear
'owd grandad' did..
Kelly Maddock-Davies
now in Bristol
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Stoke
Talk
At up, am gooin to talk stokie, if feenk its dead mint,
i gor go anley tod'y, i ate shoppin, anyway you shud try speakin stokie
its dead mint.
James
Newcastle under lyme (Stoke)
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dialects
i was bringing my new boyfriend home for the first
time and tactfully asked my Dad if he would please speak proper english;
"oi wull dew me best wench" i breathed a sigh of relief.
well along came the new boyfriend,my dad was doing his very best when
a certain pub was mentioned.My Dad said that he knew that pub so my
boy friend said that maybe he knew his father as it appeared that
they were both pidgeon fanciers,he asked what his fathers name was,when
he heard the name he said:cricky is that thy fether he is a smoshin'bloke
e is".... !
Ï thought i should die of shame,it wouldn't upset me now but when
one is sweet 16 it is another world isn't it? I have just found this
programme on my PC,was quite interested as my very dear friend for
more than 66 years lives in lichfield but came from Princes End west
mids; when wwe were kids.How we renewed our friendship is an unbelievable
story,if you are interested in I will send it .
we hadn't seen or heard of each other for more than 60years.I have
live in holland for47 years,my sisters and brother live in wolverhamtonwhom
i visit quite often, a visit to see my friend is always one of the
highlights of my hols;she has lived for years in lichfield so the
chance of ever finding each other was almost nil don't you agree?hope
you enjoy my story(true story)
mrs alice dijkstra-shaw
drachten, holland
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Dialect
I have heard that when a local firm was taken over
by a French company the French firm duly sent over a director. On
being introduced to the director a middle manager said "Ar at owreit?"
(How are you all right?). The director asked him to talk a little
slower as his English wasn't very good to which the man replied "AAArr
aatt oowwrreeiitt?) Said to be true.
Allan Belfield
Draycott in the Moors
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Memories
You've got me going now, published at last! My family
come from Leek and my grandmother was widowed during the last months
of the 1st world war, left with 4 lads and another on the way.
Among them was Sid, born 1912 he only spoke dialect until he died
recently in his 90s. My father George was born in 1915 and was bilingual,
English and North Staffs. At the outbreak of the 2nd world war my
dad was conscripted to the Durham Light Infantry, not good news and
Sid was conscripted to the Army Service Corps an altogether cushier
option.
After posting Sid was sent with a bowser to fetch water for the batallion,
on his return he was asked by an officer if the water supply was far
away to which Sid replied "S mony a wee" literally "it's many a way"
(It's a long way away). The officer was perplexed and asked if anyone
could translate. He was told that Sid had a brother in the DLI and
father was duly transferred to the RASC and subsequently quite enjoyed
his war
Allan Belfield
Draycott in the Moors
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Stafordshire
Words
When I was a kid I lived in Walsall Wood my Grandad
used to say Get some suck before you goo Meaning sweets
Trevor Brown
Narangba, Queensland ,Australia.
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stoke
talk
wot abowt Gooin' dine stoke or gooin' up 'anley cross
off cross the road get on th'bricks get on the pavement stee thee
wee thee at stay thou where thou art me dad wuddna let me talk stokie,
he used say It costs no more to speak correctly oops!
derek williams
chorley, lancs Ah used live up meir
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keyholes
for meddlers
The full saying is as far as I know ''Keyholes for
meddlers, boxes for fiddlers and crutches for lame ducks.''Its a reply
to nosey people who want to know "what you have in that bag", your
pocket, etc. In other words, mind your own business.
les hewitt
stafford
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"kweedlin'
/ queadling" ...
I don't know how that word is supposed to be spelt,
but as a child growing up in Stoke-on-Trent, whenever myself or my
siblings took to rocking a chair back and forth as we sat on it we
were told to "stop kweedling!". The origins of the word remain a mystery
to me. Possibly another derivation of an obscure, traditional pottery
industry process? eg. the foot pedal that spun a potter's wheel (or
spinning wheel for that matter) ?
Clive
Stoke-on-Trent
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keyholes
for meddlers
The full saying is as far as I know ''Keyholes for
meddlers, boxes for fiddlers and crutches for lame ducks.''Its a reply
to nosey people who want to know "what you have in that bag", your
pocket, etc. In other words, mind your own business.
les hewitt
stafford
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more
on 'muffin' ware ...
Since I've heard of 'muffin kilns' I did a quick internet
search and copied this from the following link: http://www.ceramicstoday.com/oddspot.htm
:- In 19th century Staffordshire, the 'muffin maker' was a potteries
worker, who specialized in making small plates less then 7 inches
(18 cm) in diameter. The plates were made on a mold, in a jigger/jolley
fashion. The 'mold runner', usually a young boy of as little as 9-10
years of age, would take the mold with its newly formed plate to a
drying room and bring another blank.
Source: When I was a Child, C. Shaw (An Old Potter), 1903.
Clive
Stoke-on-Trent
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staffordshire
words
one word that's always foxed me is 'tranklements'
a term often used by my mother [a derbyshire lady] when referring
to a collection particularly, in my case, toys. is anyone familiar
with the word?
al gy
melbourne australia
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Potteries
words
When I was at home my and my mother was doing housework
she used to refer to it as Kale. When anyone was courting it was always
said that they were mashing
Cliff Ellis
Hanley
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Cos
kick a boa
This saying was sometimes followed by - Dunna fash
thesen if thee conna. Translated as - don't worry if you can't. Having
lived in Brum for 20 yrs I suffered many taunts about the way I pronounced
different words and some of the phrases that I used, and I didn't
think that I was particularly broad Potteries! One was "Bowk" for
book, which when you were doing Accounts was used quite a bit each
day...
Annette Cook
Newcastle-under-Lyme
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Old
English?
Ast bin skay-oo? Is this "Hast thou been to school?"
At goin' wom? Is this "Art thou going home?"
Pleckgate
Blackburn
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Mardarse
Mardarse = crying over spilt milk or whining to long
over something (summit). Mardy = similar to mardarse, quickly upset
ie "stop being so mardy" / dost = do you want / shady = being unfair
to somebody, similar to 'being tight' to someone / ow at ner = how
you doing and the all time favourite for going shopping or clubbing
in stoke on trent..........going up hanley duck!!
scott
stoke on trent
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Voices
and Dialects
My grandfathers used and my father still uses the word
'thunging' (pronounced thunjing) to describe the sound when someone
next door was banging doors or doing DIY. My grandmother used to use
the word 'keeming' when someone was pulling faces in a "na, na, na
na-na" way.
Mark Lyttleton
Sneyd Green
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Voices
A few years ago I was general manager of a local car
dealership. A customer phoned and asked to speak to Neil the foreman.
The receptionist informed the caller that Neil was not the name of
the foreman and that"the foreman's Ged", meaning the man's name. The
caller said... he was sorry to hear that!
In the Potteries, people often say someone is "jed" (ie - dead!).
Perhaps one to add to your list.
Geoff Aust
Stoke-on-Trent
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Misunderstood
Mum and Dad's friends were visiting us in Canada (from
Uttoxeter). Another, elderly friend, from Michigan, USA was also visiting.
Reg (from Uttoxeter) often referred to Kay (from USA) as "Toad Lady".
Kay didn't understand until my Dad translated that Reg was actually
calling her "The old (T'ode) Lady". Neither is very flattering though!
Neville Jones
Toronto, Canada - originally, The Blythe,
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'Cos
kick a bo agin a wo
My Dad often said that phrase as well - with one variation
- 'Cos kick a bo agin a wo, and y'ed it WI' YER 'EAD AND bost it'
Neville Jones
Toronto, Canada (Originally The Blythe - Staffs.)
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DUCK
I WAS BORN AND BOUGHT UP IN NORTON...MARRIED A DORSET
GIRL AND NOW LIVE IN POOLE.
WHEN EVER WE RETURN TO THE POTTERIES WE ALWAYS LISTEN OUT FOR THE
MULTI DUCK TRANSACTION IN THE SHOPS...
I THINK OUR RECORD IS A THREE "DUCK" TRANSACTION WHILST WE WERE IN
MORRISONS ON FESTIVAL PARK......IE "YOU ALL RIGHT DUCK?"....."PAYING
BY CARD DUCK?" AND ENDING UP WITH "TA VERY MUCH DUCK!"
CAN ANYBODY BEAT THAT WITH A FOUR OR MORE?????
PAUL THOMAS
POOLE IN DORSET, FORMERLY BARKS DRIVE, NORTON
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"KEYHOLES
for meddlers and CRUTCHES for lame ducks"
My mom used to say that back in the 40's when I was
young. I wonder where that saying came from? Any ideas?
Graham Jones
Kidderminster
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local
phrase
My sister and I, both from Stoke, recently had a night
out with a friend from Brum (Birmingham). Apparently us Stokies use
the expression "I arn't" quite a lot.
We also refer to close family as 'our ...' what ever their name is.
Eileen
Stoke on Trent
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Saying
the time
When giving the time "analogue style" most people would
say "ten past four" and "five to three" for 4:10 and 2:55 ("digital
style"). When it comes to 11:35 you might imagine that it would be
"twenty five to twelve", yet people around south Staffs and north
Warwickshire (where I come from) say "five and twenty to twelve".
I have not noticed people from other parts of the country saying this.
David Jenkinson
Milton Keynes, but originally Tamworth
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Stoke
words and phrases
Deck eet, whut? Stop it, please. / Dust ayer? Are you
listening? /
Shotties (marbles) / Crogging: to cheat at shotties by moving closer
/ Dunna they be facey. Don't be cheeky.
Some years ago my father arranged for two visiting Argentinian girls
and myself to have a tour of Norton Colliery. By the time they went
back home they were able to have this brief dialogue: 'Wees bin?'
'Wane bin dine pit!'
Dave Kendall
Tunstall now Guildford
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Staffs/Hanbury
My granma used to say; 'I were that sneaped!' but usually
consoled herself with'You don't have to bother!'
Another common saying was 'Yuh shunna say wunna it tinna polaiht.
Ann Ryan
Long Beach, New York USA
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BACKWARDS
AT COMING FORWARDS
I always thought that this meant that the person was
not shy or reticent
Brian Walker
Harrogate ( old Longtonian and Keele)
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Staffordshire
Dialect
I also remember Where's our kid?, but I think that
borders N.Staffs/S.Cheshire
Donna M Deaville
Chell Heath Nr Tunstall
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Staffordshire
Words
My Dad often said Bonk-(Bank), Fost-(Fast), T'hill-(the
hill).
We often played in the Back Alley-(Entry between streets to the back
doors.)
Donna-Marie-Deaville
Chell Heath, Nr Tunstall Stoke
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stoke
phrase
This used to be painted as part of a mural on the Potteries
shopping arcade in Hanley. Not sure if i've spelt it right tho: "'Cos
kick a bo agin a wo and y'ed it till yer bost it" - basically
translated means - can you kick a ball against a wall and head it
till you burst it.
claire bagnall
Leek
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deck
it
When I was a child i lived in lincolnshire. My father's
family all lived in Stoke. When we used to visit them, the way they
spoke was always a source of amusement to us.
"Deck it" (pronounced "deckeet" was on of our favourites.
Later my family moved to Stoke and I suppose my ear became used to
the accent and I didn't notice it so much. About 30 years ago I moved
away from Stoke and now, I only have to hear someone say a few words
and I recognise it immediately.
Wendy Sutton
Trowbridge
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MORE
LOCAL WORDS
Mithered - a state of being confused because one's
train of thought has been interrupted. / Ronk - done with a knowing
attitude or (in) an ironic manner / Nesh - as in as nesh as a carrot
- meaning sensitive to the cold. / To crog in (1060's school slang)
- to elbow your way into a queue
Brian Walker
Harrogate (old Longtonian and Keele)
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MUFFINS
I can corroborate this. My parents (father born 1902)
and mother (born 1915) both worked in the pottery industry and referred
to side plates as "muffins".
As a child I could never understand why the food item and the crockery
had the same name - presumably because the plates were oif a size
suitable for serving muffins?
Brian Walker
Harrogate ( old Longtonian and Keele)
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Staffs
Words
People from North Staffs/stoke always say their 'mithered'
when somethings on their mind and worrying them.
Claire Bagnall
Leek
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Nan's
Little Duck
My Nan always called me Duck. She would say "away duck
get yesel in" She orginally came from Amble, Northumberland but lived
in Smallthorne. Some of the words were similar but accent was not
as strong.
Andrea Smith Nee Charlton
Tunstall Now in Portsmouth Hampshire
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Voices
When I moved to Barrow in Furness from Stafford in
1974, I used the expression "Going round the Wrekin" when someone
was making a story over long. Their was a blank look on all my workmates
faces, except one and he was an ex-potter.
Alan Budd
Barrow in Furness
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Stoke
and Yorkshire
I'm surprised that so many stoke words are similar
to Yorkshire words, How ever I'm surprised no noe has added "Duck"
as in " ow are we duck?" refering to a woman.
I often say as well " Not backwards at coming forwards" meaning they
know what they are doing
Audrey Lewis
Cliff Vale
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Stoke
words
My nan often refers to a small side plate as a muffin,
whether this is a Stoke word or not I am not sure.
Jackie Plant
Longton
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Potteries
Dialect story
Hello, It was back in the early 70's whne we were on holiday in the
Isle of Wight.
As usual we were on a par three golf course: myself as a young man,
my father, his bothers and various cousins. One of his brothers Bernard
spoke in a broad potteries dialect. He used to be a dipper in the
pot banks. We were on the first tee ready to start when two men cam
down the latter part of the fairway on the right hand side of us.
My uncle Bernard didn't see them. We had already spoken to them and
discovered that they were French.
He hit the ball and sliced it to the right. The ball hit the first
French man on his thigh. The man was clearly in pain. My uncle Bernard
walked over to him and said "Sorry ar yowth disna sey thee theer"
The puzzled look on the French mans face!
The family have laughed about this for years when the subject comes
up. Hope this is of interest.
Dale White
|
Nesh
Aye, an I bet yer were "reet sneeped by that siree"!
My Grandfayther used to say "At gayen' dayen' Kickcrew?", which meant
"Are you going down to Kidsgrove?". He lived up at Mow Cop and was
an ex-Miner, at t' footrull (Footrail Mine).
Mike Cope
ex-Mow Cop & Stafford, now Bexhill.
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The
game of "Marbles"
When I was a child living in Hanley in 1945/6, I remember that Marbles
were referred to as "Alleys" - maybe the spelling is wrong
but that was the way it sounded
Rob Newton
Newcastle under lyme
|
use
your cheek
He's using his "owd buck" again.It means he is being cheeky
Cliff Ellis
Hanley
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Bont
My grandfather used Bont when referring to a piece of string.
Neil Bristow
Swindon (ex-Stafford)
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segs
Segs was also used if someone got something fost first) and you wanted
to be next in line for it, so you called segs or seggy (second)
Dave Parkes
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Segs
AKA calluses - but interestingly, did the use of segs as a name for
hard skin have anything to do with the fact that they were also variously
shaped steel tips for the leather soles and heels of boots - a sort
of refined hobnail?
Chris Nixon
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Staffordshire
words
Nesh relates to someone not dealing with the cold too well.
An example being that as a young teenager, i worked with a local builder
in Eccleshall. Jack (the boss) was up a ladder in freezing cold weather
in a howling wind. I was was just below him shaking with the cold.
He turned to me and said "You're blummin nesh lad"
If I got summat (Something) wrong i would get a rate (Right) cussin
(telling off). Suitably cussed it would be time to grab our snap bag
and scoff our snappin. Dunna werrit (Dont worry) he would say. I dont
use the words now as I have long since moved away, but i still find
my self saying dunna (Dont) wunna (Wouldnt) conna (Can't)
mark pearce
Colchester (Ex Eccleshall)
|
Tamworth
words
dancers=stairs, / donnies=hands, / miskins=a samll room for the dustbin,
/ wooden hill also means stairs, / buzz=bus / ,brewus, brewhouse=wash
house in yards of old back to back houses, / cubby hole, cubby house=
small storeroom / ,dust-up=fight, / marley =marble, / manky=dirty
and smelly, / little varmint=naughty child, / little'un=younger brother
or sister, / mawlers=hands, / nicker=£1, / our kid=referred to a brother
or close male relative, / our wench= young sister or other close relative,
/ 'orse road=road, street, / nippers=children, / pumps=canvas P.E.shoes,
/ riffy=dirty,scruffy or flea ridden, / saucepan lids=kids, children,
/ sharabang=coach, / grizzle, blart=cry, / conk=nose, / choc a block=overcrowded,
/ dout=to put out, / dripping (or lardy ) cake= sweet, stcky, doughy
cake, / la pom=toilet, / woolly bear=caterpillar, / yap=gossip and
chatter, / worn't = was not, / stinker=cold or flu, / sucks=sweets,
/ moggy=cat
Brenda Nicklin
Tamworth
|
|
Local
phrases
Good grief, theres loads of em! "thee custna if thee wust cust?"
meaning, you wouldn't if you could would you?, or "Its as black
as Bills mothers over there", meaning, it looks like bad weather
over there.
how about," I'm as knackered as a scissor grinders dog!", fairly
obvious that one, or to finish,"Aht gooin-on?", meaning how are
you?
Thanks for this site, its been a pleasure going through all the
different phrases.
Dave Smith
Longton S-O-T
|
local
words
a phrase still quite widely used is,. Wots got fer they snappin. For
those not familiar it means simply. What food have you brought to
work for your meal break?
I remember during the seventies my dad havin two local books called
i think, Afer towk rate. Does anyone know if they were ever republished.
Gary Cope
Burslem
|
Staffordshire/cheshire
words.
My father often referred to horses as TITS. It was not unusual to
hear him say he had seen Mrs Suchabody going past with a new Tit.
In the older dictioneries a Tit is a young horse.
Pearl Dunne
Haslington
|
Stoke
words
I remember my grandmother saying this rhyme: "Sally, me wench, may
I come in? No, ye cenna, me fether's in. Ye mustna whistle, ye mustna
shout But rattle me clogs, till I come out"
Julie
Brisbane, Australia
|
Local
Words
Brummie colloquial words are spelled the same and have the same meaning
as our Staffordshire words.
If you follow links to similar sites on the internet - there are thousands!
- other districts local words pretty much have the same or similar
meanings as we do.
Nearly all our so-called local words have Anglo Saxon derivitives
- they are often moorland words from dialects that survived after
the Norman invasion. This is what makes English as a language so important
- the thing is that it is changing all the time and new words are
being added as we speak.
I've noticed that over a couple of decades the Potteries' dialect
has changed so much that we are quite surprised to hear words such
as lossock, sneep, nesh, werrit and clem et al because they have disappeared
along with our factories, potbanks, coal mines and traditional industries.
These workplaces were the places we learned the meanings of our parochial
language - now they've gone our dialect and accents will go too. This
and of course the mass use and availabliity of international communications
- the tele and cinema - pop music.
The two words I can remember that may have originated here in Stoke
on Trent are keem - meaning to fret (usually a child) and scorp -
meaning to shout at somebody.
Fred Hughes
Burslem
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