The forefathers of Buckley created their own dialect when they settled on Buckley Mountain 500 years ago. The Flintshire town became an industrial heartland for pottery and coal between the 17th and 19th centuries.

But it was not until the beginning of the industrial revolution that the Buckley dialect was in common usage. Late community stalwart Dennis Griffiths (1895-1972) called it a unique mixture of dialects from English and Welsh in his book, Talk of My Town.

Mr Griffiths was said to be among the last generation to fully understand the language which is no longer in common usage. Here are some Buckley sayings:-

Wunst every blue moon - rarely occurring
Thou frys me to death - the limit of boredom
A lick and a promise- a quick wash
Fasen the fost un fost - fasten the first one first
The daddy on um aw- the best of the lot
Husht thee naise - be quiet

Here are a few more choice (Buckley) words:-
Anna anny - haven't any
As - who
E.g.: "It was him as did it"
oud mon - old man
bilin - boiling
blart - to betray a secret
bonk mon - a pitbank employee
bost - to burst
brok - broke
bund - constipated
chawin the fat - grumbling
Chommered - roughly worn away
deeleet - daylight
doggy - mine trail track repair man

And finally
I conna meke thee out - I can't understand you

Extracts taken from Dennis Griffiths' book Talk of My Town, Buckley Young People's Cultural Association, 1969.
It can be borrowed from Buckley Library.

More: Dialects: Your sayings